William Floyd High School students enrolled in the Medical Assisting Academy recently took first place in Northwell Health’s Spark! Challenge video competition for their unique video highlighting the hard work of emergency medical technicians or EMTs. The video, made using Lego toys and complete with sound effects, shows EMTs responding to a motor vehicle accident and ends with the tagline, “EMTs, like doctors, but at 70 mph!” The team, consisting of students Tara DiMaio, Sarah Duenzl, Madison Hoffman and Joshua Sutherland, under the direction of teacher Jason McKay, won $3,000 for the Medical Assisting program, which will be used for future opportunities for students.

This year’s Spark! Challenge competition had approximately 60 schools creating career-themed posters and 90-second promotional videos, judged by a team of professionals for most creative and impactful. Winners were announced during a full-day ceremony with interactive and collaborative opportunities built into the schedule.

Since 2014, Northwell has opened its clinical and non-clinical facilities to students each fall, allowing them to observe employees from such diverse fields. Then in the spring, the students present what they have learned to Northwell’s senior leadership based on the theme assigned by Northwell. Created and facilitated by Northwell’s workforce readiness team, the Spark! Challenge got off to a modest start with 300 students in its first year. To date, the event has introduced more than 7,000 students in the New York City and Long Island area to the array of careers available in healthcare.