In December 2019, two teams of Kennedy High School’s science students participated in the Northwell Health Spark! Challenge.

The teams visited Northwell Hospital sites for a day of career shadowing while learning about the role of each member of a health care team in a particular hospital department.

The team of AP Biology students visited the Southside Hospital Neurology Department on Dec. 13, 2019; and, the team of ASR students visited the Schneider’s Children Hospital Pediatric Trauma Department on Dec. 12, 2019. After the visits, the teams worked with their teachers to create posters that promoted the role of one of the professionals they met on site.

“I am so pleased to announce that our ASR team has won first place in the Spark! contest for their career poster promoting the role of a Child Life Specialist,” explained Robert Soel, district science department chairman. “They are awarded $2,000 for their winning entry.” The district congratulates the team members: Julia Levine, Callie Burns, Seth Gorelik, Danielle Kacaj, Arjun Maystry, Alexis Krayevsky, Ashley Camisso, David Frank, Eric Giannaris, Noah Kava, Katherine St George, Mikaela Milch, Jordy Krinsky, Josh Farber, Liam Boyle, Matt Cohn, Jacob Kamler and their Spark! coach, Barbi Frank.

Northwell Health’s SPARK! Challenge is an annual program for high school students across the New York area that brings together educators, schools and lots of passionate Northwell team members. By bringing together educators, schools, and clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals, the Spark! Challenge is helping to inspire students to explore healthcare careers. More than 900 11th and 12th grade high school students from Long Island, Staten Island, Westchester and New York City participated in the fifth annual Spark! Challenge. See this year's winners here https://jobs.northwell.edu/blog/2020/04/02/meet-the-winners-of-this-years-spark-challenge/