Pupils in Ofakim school hold virtual memorial service for city’s slain soldiers

Computerized memorial ceremony a special achievement for school using social network learning platform aimed at reducing digital gap in the periphery.

By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZI
Classroom [Illustrative] (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Classroom [Illustrative]
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
As part of the annual school memorial services, students from the Ashalim school in Ofakim, a town in the south of Israel, held a unique virtual ceremony for the fallen victims of the city.
The computerized memorial ceremony was a special achievement for the school, which takes part in the “Password for Every Pupil” project, a social network learning platform aimed at reducing the digital gap in the periphery.
As part of the ceremony, Ofakim Mayor Itzik Danino lit a candle, while each student lit a virtual one online, and prepared readings in honor of Remembrance Day.
Also participating in the ceremony were school supervisors, Administrative Director of Education Avi Bitan, chairman of Yad Lebanim Ilan Sela and head of the Password for Each Pupil project Maggie Sayag.
Password for Every Pupil provides a unique learning community, developing a partnership between the local authority, educational teams, students and parents –who share a learning experience.
According to the project’s website, each student can apply a password that grants access to a platform allowing entry to the Internet and a virtual world of lessons and education resources.
The program was initiated by Udi Angel, chairman and CEO of XT Holdings, in cooperation with the Israel Corporation, the Development of the Negev and the Galil Ministry, Matan Investing in the Community and Bazan.
To date there are approximately 80,000 students in some 200 schools participating in the program.