This fall, Spark Philadelphia engaged 50 students from four area middle schools, Samuel Gompers Elementary, Middle Years Alternative, Henry C. Lea, and Tilden Middle School. With the support of our dedicated and generous corporate partners, Spark planned career exposure experiences and facilitated social emotional learning opportunities with the 7th and 8th graders.
Through a combination of hands-on workshops, in-school presentations and job site visits, the participating students gain a deeper understanding of career options they may not have otherwise considered, from architecture and engineering to financial and pharmaceutical fields. In collaboration with the Schools and the Companies, PEF’s Program Manager Stacey Sandle curates engaging and relevant experiences weekly for students, designed to help motivate them to pursue the possibilities for college and beyond. Positive feedback and support from the families of Spark students has also affirmed the value of this program, as parents and caregivers are seeing the benefits of ongoing participation.
New for 2024, we were pleased to welcome Merck and Nasdaq Philadelphia as new Spark partners! On November 18, professionals from Merck visited Gompers Elementary to engage the students in a STEM-related activity. And on November 19, Tilden Middle School students had an exclusive opportunity to spend time on the Nasdaq trading room floor, tour the office, and learn about the finance industry through interaction with the employees.
Thank you to the gracious teams of volunteers from Merck and Nasdaq, along with Spark partners Ballinger, KieranTimberlake, Citizens, Drexel University, Community College of Philadelphia, and The Campbell’s Company, for spending time with our students, helping to broaden their horizons and sparking excitement around career opportunities and the educational pathways necessary to pursue them!
Special shout out to Citizens Bank, who gifted the Spark program with 15 tickets to see the Philadelphia Phillies play against the New York Mets on a Friday in September, in recognition of our meaningful partnership over the years. Several lucky Spark Philadelphia students, along with their families, enjoyed an afternoon at Citizens Bank Park compliments of our Spark Philadelphia partner.
If you or your company is interested in learning about ways to become involved in our Middle Grades Initiatives, please contact Liza Rangel, Senior Program Manager, at lrangel@philaedfund.org.
