Formation 1989 Website yrfdarca.org | Headquarters New York City | |
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Services A network of 27 high schools and two learning centers in Israel | ||
YRF Darca (Youth Renewal Fund Darca), a non-profit organization, is the US partners of Darca schools - a network of 27 high schools and two learning centers in disadvantaged communities in Israel. YRF Darca provides strategic guidance, research and philanthropic support to Darca Schools.
Contents
History
YRF was founded in 1989 in New York City as a grassroots effort to improve the available academic opportunities for underprivileged students in Israel. It grew to become an implementer of supplemental education programs in Israel's periphery. A study conducted by the organization proved that the programs provided were making an impact in closing the educational gap between wealthy and poor.
Youth Renewal Fund targeted low-income communities and implemented various supplemental education programs serving students in grades 1-12. Its initiatives, many of which still exist today, include after-school programs that provide up to 6 hours a week of additional studies in English, Hebrew and math; Single-subject, free-standing learning centers that serve several different school districts within a community, as well as in-school learning centers stocked with books, computers and other technology-focused resources. YRF also offers teacher training and recognition programs as well as initiatives focused on Bagrut (matriculation exam) preparation.
In August 2008, YRF launched a multi-year Teacher Professional Development Program, one of the first of its kind in Israel. In its pilot year, the program served nearly 200 YRF teachers. YRF has implemented over $25 million in programming, reaching more than 75,000 Israeli children.
In June 2014 YRF Israel officially announced an alliance with the Israeli Darca Schools network and merged together to become under Darca Schools. YRF Darca is the philanthropic funding partner for the Darca Schools network.
The Darca Schools network
Darca ("The Way" in Aramaic) is a non-profit organization operating a network of 29 educational institutions located in Israel's periphery. The network was established in Israel by the Alliance Israélite Universelle and Rashi Foundation in 2010. Darca is sustained by donations from Israeli and international foundations, businesses, and individuals, additional to the basic institutional budget from the Israeli Ministry of Education. Darca's primary goal is to strengthen the under-served society in Israel’s periphery by strengthening the local education system, specifically in High Schools.
The Darca Network serves all sectors of the Israeli population. It operates and manages 27 schools and 2 learning centers nationwide, including 4 schools in a model of pedagogical management. A significant portion of the Network's resources are invested in the development of programs to support the management team, while simultaneously promote pedagogical and social values and social responsibility. Darca offers its pedagogical staff continuous training programs to help convey humanitarian values and the right to freedom of religion and democracy to the students, as well as to provide high level studies in STEM, English, Literature etc.
Darca’s list of schools
Darca Danciger School, Ulpanit Darca and Yeshivatit Darca Hamatmid - Kiryat Shmona; Darca Druze High School for Science and Leadership - Yarka; Geon HaYarden Darca school and Shaked Darca Secondary School - Valley of Springs Regional Council; Darca New High School, Hammer Darca High School and Bait V'Gan Darca High School - Bat Yam; Maxim Levy Darca High School - Lod; Darca Nachala Ulpana School - El'ad; Darca Ilan and Asaf Ramon High School, Netivei Noam Darca Religious Educational Campus and Darca Menachem Begin High School - Gedera; Rene Cassin Darca - Jerusalem; Gymnasia Darca - Kiryat Malakhi; Makif He' Darca - Ashkelon; Darca High School, Darca Ulpana, Darca Hammer and Darca Hatzvi - Netivot; Shitim Darca - Arava Tichona.
Pedagogical and educational involvement
Ben Shemen Youth Village; Boarding school - Darca Geon HaYrden; Mikveh Israel – General School; Mikveh Israel – Religious School; Mikveh Israel – France-Israel School.
English learning centers
The Clair and Emanuel Rosenblatt English Center – Tirat Carmel; Ethan H. Freed Learning Center – Ramla.
Israeli leadership
Darca Schools is led by Gil Pereg, practicing CEO since its foundation, and Jimmy Pinto, Chairman.
Vision and goals
The network's educational vision states that every child in the school system of Israel has the right to realize his potential for excellence, regardless of his place of residence, education of parents or any other environmental impact. The organization declared that the network emphasizes academic excellence in students' desire to obtain the Bagrut diploma, which is the door to University and higher education.
US Board of Directors
Marc Rowan – Chairman; Paul Schnell – President.
Members of the Board
Harlan Cherniak; Jamie Easton; Jeff Gimbel; Sam Katz; Randye Kwait; Robert Schwartz; Jamie Schweid; Anne Angowitz; Stuart Angowitz; Ram Burshtine; Sam Camens; Jeff Cohen; Danny Epstien; David Feldman; Susan Flaxman; Jeffrey Freed; Michael Gardner; David Grin; Michael Gross; Karen Herron; Scott Hoffman; Doug Korn; Ken Lande; Bret Pearlman; Ilene Penn; Allison Rosen; Bennett Rosenthal; Jordan Sall; Robert Sheft; Deborah Simon; Hope Taitz; Ross Weiner.