LOTTIE MENDELSON SCIENCE PROJECT ROOM

PJA dedicates science project room

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2008-10-01T00:00:00

Portland Jewish Academy dedicated and placed a Mezuzah on its new Science Project Room Sept. 23.

PJA’s excellent science program is greatly enhanced with the addition of this room in which students are encouraged to plan, build and keep science projects for the competitions in which many of the students participate, on a local, regional and national level, according to PJA Head of School Patricia Schwartz.

In a fitting tribute to his late wife Lottie, Dr. Robert Mendelson made a donation to PJA to have the room built in her name. The Lottie Mendelson Science Project Room is open to all PJA students looking to enhance their scientific practice and experimentation.

“Lottie would have loved this,” said Dr. Mendelson during the tribute.

This sentiment was echoed by PJA’s Director of Development Patti Nemer, a close cousin of Lottie’s.

“She was totally committed to and believed in education,” Nemer said in a separate statement, “She was totally blunt about the difference education and science can make in an individual’s life and always encouraged not only her own kids to get more than they might have but reached out to our entire family stressing the need and importance of that knowledge.”

As a young mother Lottie Mendelson received her master’s in nursing education and then became a pediatric nurse practitioner. For many years, she wrote a newsletter for her husband’s pediatric practice. “News and Clues” gave tips to young parents and those too that were not so young.

Together the doctor, nurse couple gave talks about parenting all around the country and locally as well, with some guest spots on local morning television.

Over the years, the pediatric practice, now called Pediatric Associates of the NW, has blossomed and welcomed another family member, Dr. Jay S. Rosenbloom, a PJA father, and husband to Michelle Mendelson Rosenbloom, Bob and Lottie’s youngest daughter.

Michelle and her three daughters, all PJA students, joined her father for the dedication. The three Rosenbloom sisters each will have the opportunity to practice science in a room named for their grandmother.

“Lottie was always a source of thought provoking conversation, guidance and sought after advice. She was to put it simply an unbelievable woman who did reach for her goals,” concluded Nemer. “She was an amazing role model and to say the least my hero!”