The Impact of B’nai Shalom Through the Eyes of an 8th Grade Student

At this years Greensboro Jewish Federation Campaign Kickoff, 8th grade student Madelyn Renne was asked to speak about B’nai Shalom and the impact the school has had on her life. See what she said below or click the video to watch her speech.

Have you ever been to a place so special in your life that it had a huge impact on you? Hi, my name is Madelyn Renne and I am an 8th grade student at B’nai Shalom Day School. I first joined B’nai Shalom when I was 2 years old. I stayed through Pre-K and left at the beginning of Kindergarten to go to a public school. In 4th grade during COVID I joined back and I will never in my life regret that choice. B’nai Shalom is an amazing school. I am so lucky I get to attend B’nai Shalom as my Middle School, and I have the Greensboro Jewish Federation to thank for that. 

There are so many things I love about B'nai Shalom. For starters, I love my amazing teachers and friends. When I came back in 4th grade, I remember feeling so nervous and scared of what these kids and teachers would be like. I was thinking to myself “what if they don’t remember me and don’t like me?” I  was completely wrong. As soon as I walked in those doors a lot of my old preschool teachers greeted me with familiar faces and told me how much they had missed me. Even though COVID was really bad at that point, I got to see all of my old friends. Turns out some of them even remembered me. Although I had already met most of the kids in my class, I fit in right away. I will always remember my return to B’nai Shalom. 

I can’t believe I am an 8th grader now. Being in 4th grade felt like yesterday. It is so crazy being in a class of 12 8th graders now, but I enjoy it so much. My class and I are really close; we are practically siblings at this point. Having a small class is perfect for the way I learn. I can actually ask the teacher a question without 17 other kids raising their hands also. I feel like I am understanding so much more than I did when I was in a public school. I also feel like I have made lifelong friends at B’nai Shalom. Maybe it is because we connect so much because we are Jewish? Or it could be because we are all together so much. I  have 11 really close friends that I will have for the rest of my life, and I am so happy that the Greensboro Jewish Federation supports us.

Being at B'nai Shalom you are going to learn a lot about Judaism. As a student I am surrounded by Judaism everyday. Whether it's going to services, Hebrew class, or even Judaic Studies. I have learned so much about Jewish History and have had several memorable experiences where my class and I got to meet some Jewish members of our Greensboro community that came and talked to us. Every year the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders take a trip with our Alliance group. Alliance is when Jewish Day Schools from all around the country come together to go on a Zoom every Thursday and talk about different topics depending on your grade. 6th grade focuses on civil rights and takes a trip to Alabama. In 6th grade my class read a realistic fiction book that took place during the civil rights movement. The 7th graders talk about advocacy. We got to write a 1 minute speech about something we cared about and was important to us to advocate for. At the end of the year my class went to Washington D.C. and we had the incredible privilege of sharing our speeches with Representative Kathy Manning. In 8th grade the students talk about anti semitism and past classes have gone to Israel. B’nai Shalom has done various things that have been very helpful for my learning and to prepare me well for the future. For example, B’nai prepared me so much for my Bat- Mitzvah because in services the kids get to lead everything. We learn so much from these experiences. From 2nd graders to 8th graders any one can lead if they chose to. I really love these experiences at B'nai Shalom. I think they are really important and great ways to learn, and I am surrounded by these opportunities daily, thanks to the Federation. 

I am so thankful that B'nai Shalom is a school full of so many opportunities.  I am currently President of the Student Council, and I am so proud of how far I have come. B’nai Shalom is such a special place. To me, it is the place that has had the most impact on me in the world. I have the best teachers and best friends. I  have everything that makes a space special. I also feel like B’nai Shalom is a safe spot that I can always come back to, as well as an amazing place and such an incredible community. Even when I go to High School I feel really prepared and feel like I have been set up for High School very well. I would like to thank the Greensboro Jewish Federation for supporting B’nai Shalom Day School. Without the Jewish Federation, I don't think B’nai would be as amazing as it is. Your support means that our Jewish community is strong, not only today but also for generations to come.