12 sleepy eyed WBAIS GAIA students together with GAIA directors Dr. Stuart Fleischer, Mary Wescott, Margret Ellwanger and ornithologist Dr. Motti Charter gathered at Ben Gurion Airport in the wee hours of the morning and checked in for the flight to Prague.
2015 GAIA Research Camp in Czech Republic
GAIA students learn about native and invasive species in the Czech Republic
The third annual Global Awareness Investigation Action (GAIA) research trip to the Czech Republic was held October 8–12, 2014 in Prague and the surrounding areas. GAIA high school students from Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS) in Israel joined GAIA high school students from Gymnázium Arabská and Gymnázium Botičská in the Czech Republic for a week of learning and research.
GAIA and Jisr az-Zarqa students work together on International Coastal Clean Up Day
GAIA Baby Falcon Ringing Event
EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — On Tuesday, May 9th, Project GAIA (Global Awareness Investigation and Action) had their official baby Falcon tagging event at the Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS). Students who participate in GAIA gathered outside to watch the gathering of the chicks from their homemade bird nest up above. Ornithologist and Motti Charter carefully selected the six babies to bring them down to weigh, measure and tag them. Students inside the school could also watch via the live stream that WBAIS has installed to track and film the Falcon family. (To watch the live feed, go to www.ustream.tv/channel/wbais-gaia.)
GAIA Wildlife Conservation Event
EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — On Tuesday, January 29th, Project GAIA held their biggest on-campus event of the year at Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS) to promote and spread awareness about environmental concerns. The evening began with GAIA schools showcasing their research, findings and equipment. Schools in attendance included Mevoot Yam Marine Biology School, Beit Ekstein, and Kfar Galim Youth Village and WBAIS. Presentation tables allowed students, parents and special guests to view the research of each school. Of special interest to the students was feedback from one guest in particular, the keynote speaker of the event, the 2009 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Professor Ada Yonath.
The Beginnings of the GAIA Project in Prague
PRAGUE, Czech Republic — In early March 2012, Tomáš Pojar, the Czech Ambassador to Israel, was checking his Great Tit (Parus major) bird box on the campus of the Walworth Barbour American International School in Even Yehuda. His box was cramped with seven little chicks and it was clear that the project at WBAIS using birds to reduce insects and rodents was producing positive results. I took the opportunity to ask Ambassador Pojar if there would be any interest in the Czech Republic in collaboration and the sharing of research among students on this topic. Two weeks later, the Ambassador returned from Prague with good news. There were two schools extremely interested in joining GAIA.
GAIA Partners with TowerJazz Semiconductor
by Dr. Stuart Fleischer – GAIA Israel Director
EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — The Global Awareness Investigation and Action (GAIA) program sponsored and directed by WBAIS Students received its first Corporate Donation last week. Russell Ellwanger, CEO of TowerJazz Semiconductor, presented Dr. Stuart Fleischer with a check for $5,000 for their commitment to the GAIA ‐ Israel Project. The funding will sponsor the Kfar Galim Foster Care School near Haifa on the Carmel Coast. Kfar Galim is one of the six participating GAIA Schools in Israel.
Students from Kfar Galim are jointly researching Biological Pest Controls with our students at WBAIS. TowerJazz has committed another $5,000 for 2012‐13. They will also send their top engineers and other personnel to Kfar Galim to set up a mentor program with students.
Russell Ellwanger’s approach is not to just send funding but to establish a relationship with the Kfar Galim’s teachers and students and provide opportunities for growth and integration into the high tech work force here in Israel.
So if the funding is going directly to Kfar Galim, how do WBAIS students benefit? Our GAIA team benefits because we have a sharing partnership with each of the GAIA schools. At Kfar Galim, they have some top facilities that our students can visit and participate; such as the student’s GOFt dairy farm, aquaculture, agriculture, food and biotechnology center, robotics, astronomy and more.
The WBAIS Board and Administration have been very supportive of the GAIA Project. WBAIS has enabled GAIA to flourish and become a serious project among grass root, environmental initiatives.
If your company would like to become a GAIA Corporate Donor and sponsor a GAIA local school, support the purchase of equipment or joint field trips, please contact Dr. Stuart Fleischer: sfleischer@wbais.net.
GAIA – Israel continues to open avenues of opportunity for our students through our unique partnerships with universities, environmental agencies, technology and engineering companies.
GAIA Gala
by Kamie Robinson
EVEN YEHUDA, Israel — GAIA Gala is an annual Global Awareness Investigation and Action (GAIA) Israel event that brings together students, parents, community leaders, and representatives from supporting organizations.
This year's event was hosted by Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS). Keynote speakers were world renowned bird researcher Dr. Yossi Leshem, and Israel's Czech Ambassador Tomas Pojar. Following their speaches, students from each GAIA school presented project summaries of their previous year's research and outlined their newly formulated research projects.