Kennedy High School Leadership Projects Drive Lasting Change

Two student-led initiatives launched in last year’s Leadership II course at John F. Kennedy High School continue to make an impact this school year, advancing safety measures across Nassau County and earning regional recognition for student advocacy. 

To turn civic engagement into meaningful action, students Ava Robinson and Ethan Robinson partnered with Nassau County Legislators Seth Koslow and Michael Giangregorio to advocate for Robbie’s Law. The proposed legislation calls for the placement and maintenance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at public athletic fields. 

Working closely with Legislator Giangregorio, Jill Levine and the Forever 9: Robbie Levine Foundation, the students helped prompt the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums to develop and install informational signage and park maps identifying the locations of AEDs throughout county facilities. Their efforts demonstrate how student advocacy can help advance practical safety improvements in the community. 

Meanwhile, Leadership II students Madeline Weiner and Hannah Yoselowitz focused their civic engagement on federal health care policy and community health awareness. As part of their action project, the students contacted their federal representatives to advocate for the passage of the Find It Early Act, bipartisan legislation designed to require health insurance plans to cover essential breast imaging screenings without out-of-pocket costs for patients. 

Recognizing the importance of pairing advocacy with education, Weiner and Yoselowitz also partnered with the Maurer Foundation last school year to bring breast health education and early detection workshops to Kennedy. 

In recognition of their leadership and advocacy, the students were honored by the Maurer Foundation at its annual gala on Friday, Oct. 2. 

“Our objective in the Leadership program is to move students from discussion to action,” said Brad Seidman, a Leadership teacher at Kennedy. “Ava, Ethan, Madeline and Hannah exemplify what it means for students to find their voice. Rather than treating their work as a one-semester assignment, they have maintained their commitments into this school year, leaving a mark on our school community and the region.”