JVN Blog

39 pupils from JCoSS proudly took to the stage on Monday night to collect their Innovation Award and a £500 prize at the Yoni Jesner  Award Ceremony.

It was an emotionally charged evening with incredible speeches from The Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, HE Ambassador Daniel Taub and The Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles, MP. Yoni Jesner’s mother also spoke with great passion about her pride at seeing the spirit of her son live on through the kind deeds of the young students in the audience.

Other schools competing were JFS, Yaveh, Imannuel College,  King Solomon and  Hasmonean Girls School.

It’s clear from talking to Naomi Minsky  Formal Jewish  Education and social action co-ordinator at JCoSS that volunteering is embedded into the ethos of the school. Students have the opportunity to volunteer in their break and lunchtimes.

Part of the behaviour policy of the school is to ‘Strive to be a mensch.’

JCoSS is the only school in the country to send a group of students to the Limmud Conference in Northhampton. 10 students ran sessions for Reception and Year 1 children. Other volunteering activities included visits to Jewish Blind and Disabled as well as making sandwiches for Norwood and The Homeless Action Centre in Barnet.

Rachel Leveney a year 7 student and Yoni Jesner Award recipient who earned  over 60 hours of volunteering says ‘I am really proud of JCoSS and the money that we won means that we can continue to volunteer next year’.

Head Teacher Jeremey Stowe-Linder comments ‘We were thrilled to receive the award for innovative volunteering. The fact that as the smallest Jewish school we had the greatest number of Yoni Jesner participants just goes to further demonstrate the positive impact that our school and students are having on our community.’

And we at JVN congratulate you for your amazing commitment to volunteering. We will be watching all of you as the future lights of our community.