Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island – To support the creation and expansion of the school’s TikkunXDesign and Beta Midrash programs, which integrate Jewish texts, traditions, and values with human-centered Design Thinking and STEAM education.

Through this grant, the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Islane (JCDSRI) will focus on two related programs, the expansion of its TikkunXDesign (pronounced Tikkun by Design) program in its elementary school and the creation of a Beta Midrash supplementary program for middle and high school students.

TikkunXDesign will be expanded to include all 75 students in pre-K through 5^th grade. JCDSRI will use Design Thinking – a methodology used by designers to solve complex problems and to find desirable solutions – to focus on the intersection between STEAM learning and Jewish values, texts, and mitzvot. Students will be provided the opportunity to connect their classroom study to work in a Design Lab where they will brainstorm, prototype, and invent. The Program Coordinator will expand and deepen the learning in the existing Design Lab and will develop, pilot, and refine the associated classroom curriculum for each grade.

JCDSRI will also develop Beta Midrash, a supplementary program for post b’nai mitzvah students. This program will engage the students in meaningful Jewish learning that combines empathy with STEAM learning and Design Thinking.