HOPE Program a Beacon of Light in Brentwood
November 2016-Amidst recent news reports about drugs and gang violence in the Brentwood area, one Stony Brook Medicine program offers a beacon of hope to high school juniors and seniors from the Brentwood School District who are considering healthcare careers: the Health Occupations Partnership for Excellence (HOPE) program.
Since its inception in 2005, the HOPE program has helped students from high need/low resource school districts prepare for health related careers.
Each year, approximately 36 high school juniors and seniors from Brentwood, Wyandanch and Longwood High Schools participate in the program receiving mentorship, support and guidance aimed at helping them achieve their college and career goals. Yvonne Spreckels, MPA, Director of the Department of Community Relations, oversees the program.
With recent events, most notably in Brentwood where crime rates have been increasing, the importance of the HOPE program is underscored. Despite their external circumstances, HOPE’s students find the inspiration they need to secure bright futures.
For some, hearing the stories of our physicians has moved them to work even harder. Veronica, a senior from Brentwood, recalls a presentation given last year by a Stony Brook surgeon who faced many hardships on his path to becoming a physician.
“[He] talked about his inspiring past and how he became a doctor,” Veronica said. “He inspired me so much because I want to become a doctor at Stony Brook too. My family situation is like his but not as bad as his journey. I love learning about how people struggle to become something they wanted to be. I struggle to become a doctor one day too.”
Many of the students HOPE serves come from underserved communities and treasure the program as a positive force giving them the extra support and mentorship they need.
Smelanda, a current senior from Longwood High School said, “HOPE is an amazing program. We get the opportunity to talk with different doctors. This allows us to get firsthand experience into what we all hope to be part of.
“This program also encourages us to pursue our goals and allows us to have a full team supporting us. I’m very grateful that I was lucky enough to be accepted into HOPE. This program has made me want to work harder to achieve my goals.”
With the proper support and preparation, these passionate students are prepared to make change in their communities. A number of HOPE graduates return on their own after the program to volunteer their time at the hospital.
A recent survey of alumni found that almost 60 percent plan to pursue healthcare careers, and many are currently studying a variety of health related fields including health sciences, biology, pharmacology, social work, and biomedical engineering. Seventy percent of respondents strongly agreed that the program influenced their career decisions.
One respondent stated, “Another great aspect of HOPE was the fact that it reached out to minorities. Many people nowadays face many obstacles because of their race and social status. Encouraging and informing young people is a wonderful thing and should be continued.”
Included in last year’s graduating class was Katterin De La Cruz, a former Brentwood student. Upon joining HOPE in 2014, she hoped to learn more about different healthcare professions and narrow down her career choices. After completing HOPE and connecting with Stony Brook physicians, Katterin now has the hands-on experience and knowledge that helped her decide to pursue a career in emergency medicine.
Over the past decade, HOPE has positively impacted a number of promising students in need of extra support. In the coming years, we anticipate many of HOPE’s alumni will achieve their dreams and create positive changes in their communities.
Photo caption: This year's graduates from the HOPE program
