Adam Metzger - Young Pioneers Award 2017 Recipient

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Sara Duani | Andrew Paull | Rabbi Mara Young | Adam Metzger | Eliana Light

ADAM METZGER, JCC MANHATTAN

Adam Metzger has been working at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan for the last 8 years, serving in 2 separate yet intertwined roles that share a common thread: building an inclusive and thoughtful community. During the school year he is a Head Teacher in one of the JCC Manhattan’s Pre-Kindergarten classrooms, working with his teaching team and supporting teachers to develop differentiated and individualized instruction for each student. The program is an inclusive educational setting, and approaches learning by meeting the students on their own terms and embracing unique learning styles and challenges. Adam enjoys drawing from aspects of his interests outside the classroom, such as art and construction, to illuminate the ongoing learning and foster the inquiry of students as they co-construct the various strands of curriculum together. Adam serves on the school’s leadership team, comprised of a handful of experienced teachers and the administration staff, whose mission is to serve as a conduit to the teaching staff and work to implement policies and practices that continuously develop and improve the culture and philosophy of the institution. During the summer, Adam serves as Director of Camp Settoga, an extension of his classroom community both in enrollment numbers and geographic location.

From the Recipient:
“While my road to realizing my life’s passion was somewhat circuitous, including a brief career in construction management after graduating college, in retrospect I have been preparing my whole life to be a camp director,” says Adam. “There is no better feeling than hearing my words about the importance of community repeated to me by students that I taught half a decade ago as they greet me each summer morning as members of my camp community.“

“Education is in my estimation the most satisfying profession, but is often just as hard to qualify –especially in early childhood education.  I have learned over the years to be hypersensitive to the nuances of growth and mastery – a child being able to tie their shoe, or more importantly helping a peer with theirs—is often the extent to which we are able to gauge our influence concretely.  As such, it was an immense honor to be recognized for my work by experts in Jewish Education.  The opportunity to be highlighted and acknowledged has been both vindicating for the work I have already done, and inspiring for the work still to be done.”

Reflections from Colleagues:
“Adam Metzger is a shining light in our nursery school and day camp; we are so proud of all he has accomplished. This award means that his work towards building community throughout our institution is publicly valued and recognized, something that we could not be more grateful for.” - Noah Hichenberg, Director of JCC Manhattan’s Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School

“Camp Settoga is exceptionally proud of Adam! He is tremendously deserving of this award. Adam is our leader, our innovator and our inspiration. Our campers and staff benefit daily from his work, and I am lucky to call him my partner in this work!” - Genna Singer, Director of Camps at JCC Manhattan