South Jersey Region celebrates a great year of fun and activities

BBYO BLOCK



SJR’s 58th Regional Board (from left), having a great time before their term ends, Julia Rothman, Chloe Castro, Sophie Sable, Kyle Krell, Ruthie Douglass, Ben Savitch, Lauren Petrone, Elliot Arking, Jordan Wathstein, and Owen Soler.

SJR’s 58th Regional Board (from left), having a great time before their term ends, Julia Rothman, Chloe Castro, Sophie Sable, Kyle Krell, Ruthie Douglass, Ben Savitch, Lauren Petrone, Elliot Arking, Jordan Wathstein, and Owen Soler.

What a year it has been for South Jersey Region! This BBYO year, we saw the 58th Regional Board get elected at our Spring Convention last May, and it is now time to start thinking about the next group of teens who will take a leap and further help lead this region to success and greatness. Although it is sad to think about all of the seniors leaving the Executive Regional Board and ending their BBYO careers, it is also uplifting to realize the true potential that all of our younger members have to be our next leaders in the community. Recently, the packet of information to elect the 59th Regional Board was released to the members of the region, and members will decide if they want to run for a position at our last convention, “Spring Thing 2019.” We are all excited to see what is to come for the future of our region!

At our recent BBYO Night, which takes place on a Sunday once a month, teens dropped off hundreds of children’s books to be donated to the organization BookSmiles! Each month, South Jersey Region focuses on a different Stand Up Cause which is selected by our amazing Shlichim, Vice Presidents of Judaic Education, Ruthie Douglass and Elliot Arking.

“Our Stand Up Cause this month is childhood education, in honor of Read Across America month! We sent an email out to the region with the facts of our cause and organized a successful book drive. BookSmiles is an organization that promotes literacy and education for underprivileged youth in New Jersey,” said Ruthie Douglass. We are all very happy and proud of our members for helping contribute to our Stand Up Cause of the month.

Also coming up in the region is our annual IT (in-training) Convention for younger and new members of South Jersey Region BBYO. This is a great convention for teens to learn more about the organization as well as meet new people from other chapters. It will be taking place at Appel Farm Camp, which is where we held WinterCon 2018. The venue was well liked and the heated cabins are definitely a plus! It is not too late to sign your child up for this convention if they are new and/or young in the region. We are excited to see all of these younger members elevate their leadership qualities and be positive influences in their friend groups as well as the community.

Finally, new to the region is SJR Presents, which is a talent show open to the entire community. All chapters are welcome as well as parents and non- Jewish friends to come support the BBYO members who are performing on stage. It will be an amazing night full of fun and teens showing off their talents. This is also a fundraiser for the region to support scholarship and programming, so it would be nice to see everyone there and maybe even put an advertisement in our playbill! This will take place on April 14 from 5-7:30 p.m. at the JCC! Tickets will be $18 for general admission and $12 for performers. For information on how teens can get involved, an email was sent out with a link to sign up, and there will be more links on upcoming social media posts on behalf of the South Jersey Region! We cannot wait to see our teens show off their talents in front of their friends and family! s

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