A team of students from Massapequa High School’s Healthcare Explorers Club won second place in the Northwell Health Spark! Challenge for their creation of a career advertisement for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nursing, an honor that came with a $1,500 prize.
The Spark! Challenge is designed to immerse local high school students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)/health careers through coordinated career day events with the hope of igniting their interest in the healthcare field.
The Spark! Team from Massapequa visited Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center where they learned about clinical and non-clinical jobs within a pediatric setting. Students took part in a mock trauma scenario in the pediatric emergency room and were given a tour of the hospital where they learned how multiple disciplines work collaboratively to deliver exceptional patient care. The students then chose one career they learned about and created a career advertisement and student presentation that was exhibited at the Spark! Student Showcase at the Cradle of Aviation in April. The team from Massapequa won second place after competing with more than 30 teams from schools all over Long Island.
“We are so proud of the achievements of our Health Explorers Club and the valuable opportunities that club members are afforded through the Northwell Health Spark! Challenge program,” said Denise DeLury, Massapequa High School’s school-to-career coordinator and advisor of the Explorer’s Club.
The MHS Healthcare Explorers Club gives students an opportunity to explore careers and trends within the healthcare field through trips to hospitals, job shadowing and internship opportunities, and participation in events such as the Spark! Challenge. It is open to students in grades 10-12.
