In late March, South Huntington’s "Hospital for a Day" program brought our high school science students, under the direction of College-to-Career Coach Mr. Rob Callahan and STEM Coach Ms. Mari Scardapane to Silas Wood for a day of exciting on-site medical activities. The students collaborated with volunteers from local health science agencies, as well as North Shore LIJ and the Long Island STEM Hub to create a remarkable discovery experience.
The middle school’s classrooms were transformed into various healthcare scenarios including a scene paramedics would typically arrive at, complete with stretchers and first aid equipment; a radiology reading room, and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), among other things. Silas Wood students experienced four of their typical classroom periods in these settings, learning about careers in nursing, child life, neurology and other areas. One room was dedicated as a medial laboratory, another focused on the local group Canine Companions, and still another had our 2nd Precinct Officers Andrew Fiorello and Angela Ferraro, who are medical first responders, show what they need to do since they typically get to a scene before an ambulance does.
Students learned about patient airlift services from PALS, and volunteered to have a cast applied to their arm in a room dedicated to orthopedics. “It’s meaningful to be talking to these students about these careers now so that they’re more aware of what their options are in the future,” said Ann Marie Di Francesca, director of child life at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
Ms. Di Francesca was one of a handful of North Shore-LIJ staff members educating our high school and then our sixth-grade students, including Lana Pinkhasov, administrative director of neurology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset; Janice Licari, executive office supervisor of neurosurgery at North Shore University Hospital; Gloria Collura, director of patient care services at the Center for Advanced Medicine; Pamela Klatman, director of social work at Cohen’s; Kathy Altner, NP, a member of orthopedics at Syosset Hospital; Thomas Knichel, administrative director of radiology at Huntington Hospital; Betty May, NICU nurse manager at Cohen’s; Franselisa Matulich, clinical laboratory educator at LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park; Donna Sidoti, supervisor of point of care testing at Huntington Hospital; Eric Schmeirer, RN, emergency department nurse at Huntington Hospital; Tess DelaPena, RN, talent acquisition specialist at North Shore-LIJ; Kathy Alpy, PA, orthopedic surgery at Syosset Hospital; Ray Smith, paramedic supervisor at the Center for Emergency Medical Services; Richard Nevader, paramedic II at CEMS; and Willie Walker, Jr., senior neurophysiology lab technician at North Shore.
We would especially like to thank Suffolk County Police Officer Angela Ferrara and Officer Andrew Fiorello, Canine Companions, and PALS Airlift Services, as theyreally added to our program. A big thank you to Cheryl Davidson and Lauren Pearson from North Shore LIJ who helped us plan this event and brought their wonderful staff members listed above. Our high school students were amazing presenters and our sixth-graders were eager and ready to learn. One of the wonderful surprises at "Hospital for a Day" was the participation of our new Video Production class at Whitman who did such a great job capturing the event, and specifically senior Nicole Dia who was responsible for all three of the Spark videos. Special thanks to the Silas Wood custodial staff, who prepared not once, but twice (the snow-out back in February) for this event.
Thanks so much to everyone for making this event so memorable!
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