The Joseph Meyerhoff Youth Center for Advanced Studies

Overview

The Joseph Meyerhoff Youth Center for Advanced Studies (YCAS) at the Hebrew University provides young Israelis of diverse backgrounds and ages from all over the country with outstanding, academic-level and hands-on education in the sciences. Active for over 50 years, the YCAS encourages independent critical thinking and seeks to inspire curiosity and creativity among young people through their in-depth exposure to science.

The Center’s distinctive approach lies in its teaching methodology whereby it develops tailor-made programs — combining interactive lessons with practical hands-on experiments in labs and elsewhere — for each group of pupils according to their specific needs and characteristics. This approach is anchored in the understanding that in order to optimize the effectiveness of the learning process it must be attractive, thought-provoking and enjoyable.

NSM

All YCAS programs expose childs (grades 3-12) to science as it is studied and researched in higher education: by asking questions, by exploring, researching and inventing. Program offerings cover a broad range — one-time sessions, programs for outstanding middle and high schoolers, annual and multi-year programs, laboratory classes and seminars, programs for target populations, on- and off-campus science fairs and lectures, and tours of the Hebrew University’s Edmond J. Safra sciences Campus. The YCAS staff comprises education professionals and highly experienced and enthusiastic graduate students from the Hebrew University

Facts & Figures

At the green and beautiful Edmond J. Safra Campus, the YCAS’ center is a part of the Hebrew University Youth division “mini” Campus. The YCAS’ two-story building opened in 2000 and includes three classrooms, two laboratories, two computer rooms and one small auditorium.

YCAS serves over 35,000 visits of school pupils aged 8-18 per year.

12,000 hours of study in summer camps and annual programs.

*  Over 400 outstanding high schoolers in excellence programs and 1,000 high schoolers in the "Exposure to Science" program in the periphery of Israel. 600 pupils from the ultra-Orthodox sector attend daily science seminars.

*  Over 60 STEM education projects per year.

 

To the Hebrew Website of the Joseph Meyerhoff Youth Center for Advanced Studies, click here