Announcing New Entrepreneurship and Social Impact Program

Before school closed for December vacation, we were informed that Hausner had been selected to receive a significant grant from the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund as part of an initiative focused on supporting pilot programs that can have a positive impact on local Jewish day school enrollment. Our project will pilot a set of entrepreneurship and social impact programs for our Middle School students as well as offer social entrepreneurship education to faculty from both Hausner and Kehillah. 

We are partnering with an expert educator, Henrik Scheel, who leads an educational organization called Startup Experience and has done extensive work with schools, colleges and corporations across the country. Henrik, with help from our own Hausner community entrepreneurs and faculty, will teach skills and habits of mind that are fundamental to social entrepreneurship.  Along the way we will integrate Jewish values, texts and philosophical reflections that provide ethical perspectives and Jewish models of entrepreneurship inspiring and guiding our students as they develop creative ideas to address contemporary challenges. 

The pilots will begin with a two-day workshop in February for all Middle Schools students. That will be followed by a 6th grade weekly course that will lead into 7th grade signature Avodah LaOlam program and our new 8th grade capstone projects. In addition, 7th and 8th graders will have the option of a social entrepreneurship elective. 

We are excited to introduce this unique opportunity that will create a curricular arc in the Middle School focused on social entrepreneurship and will showcase Hausner as an educational leader that can combine Silicon Valley innovation, traditional Jewish values, and a deep belief in the capacity of our students to make a positive impact on our world.