Lighting the way with Sparks of Science
![Sparks administrator Freihut Belay-Tadela and Hana Pergament](https://www.weizmann.ac.il/WeizmannCompass/sites/WeizmannCompass/files/styles/main_image/public/program_coordinator_belay_frai_with_hana_pergament__0.jpg?itok=or5DYXdh)
Sparks administrator Freihut Belay-Tadela and Hana Pergament
Two dozen students graduated in June from the Sparks of Science Program in Memory of Moshe Pergament, as the program completed its 15th year. To date, it boasts about 300 alumni. At the heart of the Sparks of Science Program in Memory of Moshe Pergament is the belief that offering exposure to science at a young age could lead to future success—not just in science, but in any path ahead.
The program brings together youth from 9th through 12th grades from Rehovot and a dozen municipalities in the area. Once a week, over the course of four years, participants take part in activities in biology, chemistry, computer science, and physics at the Davidson Institute of Science Education. Students also receive enrichment in English and math and participate in sessions on empowerment, decisionmaking, and time management.
The lion’s share of the budget for Sparks of Science comes from the support of Hana and Irving Pergament, a gift they made to memorialize their son Moshe. The Pergaments, Israelis who are long-time residents of New York, visit Israel every June to take part in the commencement ceremony. “In the first year, the students arrive with only a vague idea about their future,” said Mr. Pergament. “Four years later, they have a path and knowledge, and they want to pursue academic degrees. They are also better integrated into Israeli society.”