A colorful happening was held last Friday at Daliyot School.  Attending the event were Yokneam mayor Simon Alfassi, director of the municipal education department Mr. Moshe Harel, parent committee representatives, school principal Sima Nesselbaum, regional Excellence coordinator Dafna Levi, and numerous students accompanied by their parents.  The goal of the event was to present the Excellence program at Daliyot and grant visibility to the work being done to nurture excellence in different spheres, i.e., sports, music, art, mathematics, science, and, of course, value-based leadership.

The day opened with a ceremony for the entire school body, which included a look at all of the fields of excellence being cultivated at Daliyot School.  Participating in the ceremony were students as well as graduates of previous Excellence cycles.  There were artistic performances such as a musical ensemble of outstanding students led by teachers from the Jerusalem Academy of Music as well as light athletics displays by the challenge sports group.

The climax of the event was the mention of children recognized for their ideological excellence by virtue of their giving to others, to the community and society while exhibiting an ethic guided by respect and tolerance.  They were awarded certificates of merit from the school principal and shook hands with the mayor and the director of the municipal education department.  The entire ceremony was run by Excellence students.  Especially conspicuous was the efficient use of "New Horizon" ("Ofek Chadash") instructional hours for imparting excellence in small groups.

Following the ceremony there were scientific thinking activities based on a Hanukah theme as well as mathematical quizzes in groups.  Student participants in the Excellence 2000 project led the activities under the guidance of the project's teachers Miri Shmuel and Nehama David.

This was an extremely successful day that highlighted the daily and joyful pursuit of education at Daliyot school.  Dafna Levy, the regional Excellence coordinator who attended the happening, summed things up by saying: "This happening was a one-of-a-kind event and was especially moving, mainly in that it accentuated the diverse facets of excellence—of different ages and different fields of excellence—at your school.  I salute your leadership.  And to your staff of teachers, I hope you continue along the path of excellence for many years to come and I commend you for adopting the concept.  Thank you for allowing me to take part in this exciting morning."

Carmit Hoval-Ton, mother of Noam, a 1st grader who was awarded a certificate of ideological excellence, said to Daliyot's principal: "As a parent I want to support and encourage you; I hope you hold many more ceremonies that underscore the importance of ideological excellence rather than merely scholastic excellence."

Haim Leck, regional education supervisor, conveyed his best wishes: "Congratulations to all of you involved in this valuable enterprise, who invest their energies to create and build a world that is more loving for our children.  It's obvious you view the pursuit of teaching and education as an earnest endeavor rather than just another profession."