“It was an amazing journey. I learned so much from my students while passing my knowledge to them. I am committed to repeating these workshops and expanding them to impact even more students.” -Batool Jaber
Would you ever have thought that a 16-year-old could host a five-day workshop on biochemistry—all on her own? Or that a 15-year-old could create a life-saving device that could impact people worldwide? At Horizons, our students don't just aspire to succeed—they strive for excellence. They don’t just compete—they aim to win. And they don’t just learn—they teach, inspire, and spread knowledge. Months after our students obtained first and third places in the 2024 NFTE World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in New York, we continue to see them thrive and succeed in all different aspects.
A great example and a true inspiration, Batool Jaber- an 11th grade student in Horizons who has recently completed a workshop under the title: Catalyze – An Experience in Biochemistry and Molecular Modeling.
The workshop, held over the course of 5 days, aims to introduce high school students in Palestine to bioinformatics, protein structure, and enzyme function through engaging lectures, molecular visualization, docking simulations, and accessible wet lab experiments. Beyond the lectures, Batool guided students through interactive lab experiments, where they analyzed proteins, observed enzyme functions, and explored how pH and temperature affect protein structures. She cautiously planned each session to ensure accessibility and engagement, allowing every student the chance to create their own project and gain hands-on experience.
“It was so fun to feel so independent in the lab with supervision and help. Also we got to choose our own protein to visualize on PyMOL and make a quick search in sites such as ncbi to explore how it works. We also got time to assay our redocking with the help of our lovely mentor Batool.” - A participant
“Joining Catalyze was a wonderful experience with a bright impact on me personally, as I got to dive deeper into previous school knowledge and enhance it by experimenting with proteins' shapes, bonding and functions.” - A participant
Batool made sure this workshop was smooth and accessible for all the students as she prepared a day by day plan while maintaining a realistic experience by engaging students in lab experiments. This workshop has impacted many students that now look up to Batool and learn from her dedication and efforts, which shows us that everything is possible when we put our hearts and minds into it.
"As a passion project leader, I firmly believe that in every student there’s a hidden genius waiting to be discovered and nurtured." - Sireen Alawi
In our Passion Projects course, students embark on a journey of self-discovery, identifying their interests and recognizing challenges within their communities. They learn to develop project plans, set timelines, and work with dedication to bring their ideas to life.
Whether it’s designing a device that addresses an urgent local problem or organizing an event to raise awareness about an overlooked social issue, our young leaders continue to show us that we have the power to create meaningful change.
"At Horizons, we don’t just teach students—we empower them to become the change-makers of tomorrow." - Sireen Alawi
