Current Activities

Program on Women's History Month Vice Consul Shaila Manyam Addresses Women's Issues (March 30) In her presentation dedicated to Women's History Month, Vice Consul Shaila Manyam spoke to ORT high-school students on the advancement of the status of women in the U.S.  Shaila presented examples of American women leading in issues of justice, business and social development. Students learned about the progress made by American women and were eager to adopt them as role models.

English Language Fellow Dana Poole works with ORT students on developing their speaking and reading skills through using and analyzing media related topics. Project for ORT students English Language Fellow Dana Poole works with the ORT high school students on developing their speaking and reading skills through using and analyzing media related topics. They begin by making an old fashion radio program, in which the students first read about the impact of the Orson Wells, "War of The World" and discuss the context of the era in which is was written. They will then make their own programs. The next project will be to look at magazine covers and create ad busters. The final project will be to write and create a 3 minute video clip about Karmiel.   Karmiel is sister cities with Pittsburgh and these videos will be forwarded to the students there who are planning to visit Israel.

Combating Gender-Based Violence (Dec. 16) Distinguished Israeli professionals, including government officials, academics, social workers, and representatives from several NGOs dealing with combating domestic violence met at the American Corner in Karmiel to discuss the problems facing them, and possible means to collaborate and coordinate their activities.  Deputy Cultural Affairs Officer Will Stevens presented a US model for raising awareness of domestic violence through public service announcements, media outreach and use of Web 2.0.  This program raised awareness towards the issue of combating gender-based violence in general and in the North of Israel in particular.

English-Language Fellow Dana Poole teaches the adults class. English-language Classes Bring American Culture to the Citizens of Karmiel The American Corner in Karmiel has offers a six weeks course with three hours of instruction a week to adult beginner English language students.  Using a methodology called Community Language Learning, the students are working to discover what they want to say in English and therefore to find their voice in the second language.  The method is rooted in the teachers ability to value each student as an individual with needs and goals that should be supported.  The course recognizes that some students need vocabulary in order to travel while others  are looking for questions to engage their children and grandchildren who live  in the United States.  The students, with the support of their teacher actively participate in the materials created for the course, thus allowing for them to shape the class to fit their needs.  The students are learning the skills to value the language they do have and to use their own analytical skills to continue to learn when the course is complete. They are also given access to materials at the corner such as DVD's and periodicals that will support them in the future.

American Corner Karmiel Program on US Presidential Elections Vice Consul Ruben Harutunian explains the U.S. presidential election process to a group of thirty-five students, who are participants in a “American Studies and English Language” summer camp program operated by the Lingua International Center.  It was the first encounter of these students, coming from the town of Sakhnin, to communicate with an American Embassy officer.  The students learned about the American political system and the democratic election process in the US. The students also enjoyed the opportunity for hands-on learning: the group was split into two parties, each party picked a “presidential candidate” from among themselves, the chosen candidate chose a running mate and made a brief speech to the group, and the group voted and picked a “president.” A lively discussion session followed, with some of the students raising interesting questions about the viability of a third major political party, the reason behind term limits, and the importance of a secret ballot.

NASA-Sponsored DVC on Space Connects Students from Israel the U.S. and Turkey (Dec. 15) Sponsored by NASA, this DVC is the first in a series of five initiated by the Karmiel Center for Gifted Students which attracted students from Karmiel, the Misgav local council and neighboring Druze villages to the American Corner Karmiel.  It provided gifted students from Israel, the U.S. and Turkey with a unique opportunity to learn about space and astronomy, and to communicate with their peers from the U.S. and the region.

ON FEBRUARY 10, JANICE HARRINGTON, RICK COTTON, AND FONTAINE BURNETTE CONDUCTED A WORKSHOP ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND PERFORMED IN FRONT OF A FULL AUDITORIUM AT THE KARMIEL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC.

merican Studies Workshop at the American Corner Karmiel and the American Corner Beersheva

Ambassador Jones opens International Education Week program at the American Corner Karmiel.

The American Corner Karmiel (ACK) commemorates this year's 231st celebration of American independence on July 4th. A celebration of freedom, democracy, and independence. This is a day when Americans claimed their independence from Britain in 1776 and 'democracy' was born.