Lindenhurst High School Is One of the Winners of the Second Annual Spark! Challenge

Students from Lindenhurst High School were among the winners of the Northwell Health Spark! Challenge, a contest where Long Island and Queens public and private high school students spend time in Northwell Health facilities to learn about healthcare careers and compete in an advertising/poster competition based upon a career they observed during those visits.

Thirty-four Northwell Health departments hosted approximately 350 students at the end of last year so that they could learn about clinical and non-clinical healthcare career options that ranged from hospital chef to pulmonary medicine physician. Many of those who participated in the program paid it forward in various ways such as hosting an organ donation drive and educating other students about what they learned by creating a “Hospital for a Day” program in their schools.

After the students spent time at a Northwell Health facility learning about a specific healthcare specialty, they created advertisements for jobs in that field and presented those pieces at the Cradle of Aviation Spark! Challenge Celebration on April 6.

“I am so proud of the advertisements these students created; it showed understanding of the skills and education needed for successful careers,” said Cheryl Davidson, director of Northwell Health’s workforce readiness division. “We also really appreciate all the Northwell Health teams for taking the time to create wonderful, educational programs for these students that led to such fruitful experiences.”

Richmond Hill High School won top prize for its students’ advertisement of Northwell Health’s Core Labs; Massapequa High School took home second for its students’ work with Cohen Children’s Medical Center; and there was a tie for third place with Baldwin High School students who visited LIJ Valley Stream’s culinary staff and Lindenhurst High School students who shadowed Southside Hospital staff.

In the presentation category, Syosset High School students, who visited Northwell Health’s Project Access, and Bellmore-Merrick John F. Kennedy High School students, who worked with Northwell Health’s pulmonary medicine team, took home top honors.

Photo: Richmond Hill High School students at the Spark! Challenge celebration.