Half Hollow Hills Seniors Intern with Dix Hills Fire Department

Half Hollow Hills High School West seniors Azaan Bilal, Akul Prajapati, Anthony Torrelli and Michael Steinberg participated in an internship this spring as part of their Senior Experience coursework with the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) of the Dix Hills Fire Department’s Rescue Squad. This internship enabled the students to develop and refine their medical knowledge and skills, while preparing for pursuing collegiate work and careers in the medical field or law enforcement, and doing a great service to their community.

The group of seniors chose the Dix Hills Fire Department for their internship, after having started in the department’s junior program when they were in 8th grade. Through their modified class schedule as part of the Senior Experience program, the students were released from school early twice a week to attend their internships where they were on-call for medical emergencies. Bilal and Prajapati had completed their 6-month EMT course prior to the internship, and Torrelli and Steinberg served as observers while on-call, and are scheduled to complete their EMT course this summer.

“Each of us have learned a tremendous amount about our Dix Hills community as well as lessons on dedication, accountability and hard work,” said Bilal, who will attend UCLA next fall and is pursuing a career in medicine. “Through the Senior Experience course and the internship with the Dix Hills Fire Department, we were able to gain key skills that will benefit us when we are looking for jobs in the future.”

In addition to going on calls during their internship hours at the firehouse, the students also went over lessons on medical training, emergency response and learning about the parts of the ambulance with their mentor, Rescue Captain Maresa Spizzirri, who is also a 2014 alumna of High School West. “Without the Senior Experience course, we would not have had the tools to find an internship in a professional manner, nor the time to put our full attention towards it during the week,” added Prajapati.

Senior Year Experience is an interdisciplinary class in Half Hollow Hills that provides real-world application of the skills and knowledge students acquire prior to entering twelfth grade. In unique and meaningful ways, the course connects the learning that happens in the classroom to the larger world and business community. The course promotes independence, self-discipline, initiative, advocacy and the ability to be an effective communicator and leader.

The curricular portion of Senior Year Experience is taught by an English and Social Studies teacher and has been thematically designed around a host of modern global issues that affect students’ daily lives. The internship portion of the class gives students hands-on work experience in their chosen profession/interest for a minimum of four hours per week. The curriculum bridges themes that students study in class with their internship experiences. By gaining an understanding of these themes and real-world connections, students broaden their background knowledge and strengthen their ability to positively participate in the world around them.

“Our district encourages all of our students to participate in service learning programs to learn about the importance of volunteering, while building a life-long love of giving back to your community,” said Dr. Patrick Harrigan, superintendent of schools in Half Hollow Hills. “I commend Azaan, Akul, Anthony and Michael on finding a creative way to combine their Senior Experience internship with a way to significantly give back to the community through their time and skills.”

An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of approximately 7,500 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education. The district is committed to providing all students with equitable opportunities to excel in academics, athletics and the arts.