Empowering Local Students to Control their Future
No teen should have to worry about violence in their daily lives. But for many in Rochester, that鈥檚 the harsh reality.
To help address this growing problem, several Rochester organizations came together to create the Teen Anti-Violence Alliance (TAVA), empowering the next generation to unite in reducing violence in their communities.
Students as Community Ambassadors
Through education, mentorship, and outreach, the TAVA program provides students with a greater understanding of structural racism, disparities, and inequities鈥攁nd how these factors influence community health and violence.
鈥淲e preach anti-violence in our community,鈥� said Eduardo, a student at Rochester Academy High School and a member of TAVA.
鈥淲e understand that the best way to save a patient is to prevent them from becoming a patient at all 鈥攑reventing that violence in the first place.鈥�
The students are encouraged to spread the word about the TAVA program and what they learn about violence prevention.
Exploring Careers and Opportunities in Health
TAVA also connects students to the Next Generation of Surgery program at the 麻豆视频.
This initiative pairs local teens with medical professionals, exposing them to healthcare careers, life-saving skills, and strategies to combat community violence.
鈥淏eyond shadowing in the OR, learning about careers in surgery, working on their college application, clinical skills and 1:1 mentorship, scholars experienced our genuine commitment to diversify surgery,鈥� said Paula Cupertino, PhD, a leader in the program at URMC.
Students involved in the program learn skills like:
- CPR
- Suturing
- Stop the Bleed
- Narcan training
By shadowing healthcare professionals, students gain firsthand experience and explore potential career paths in healthcare.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of violence in our community,鈥� said Eduardo. 鈥淎 lot of youth think that violence is the only way out, but that鈥檚 not reality. You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it.鈥�
For many participants, the program opens doors to careers at URMC.
鈥淥ne of the amazing things about this program is that I was offered a position as a Nurse Assistant at URMC,鈥� said Jonathan, a Rochester Academy High School student and TAVA member.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 really great because I actually want to be a Registered Nurse when I grow up. I want to go to college and make a career out of this.鈥�
Eduardo, too, was offered a Nurse Assistant position. From the 2024 program, six students are currently 麻豆视频employees.
Making a difference
Students in TAVA and the Next Generation of Surgery program are equipped to become advocates, sharing their knowledge with peers and the community. Armed with education and skills, they work to reduce violence and promote health.
鈥淭he students learned as much as we did. They brought us closer to the barriers our communities face to interrupt cycles of systematic racism and discrimination in education limiting diversity in health careers,鈥� said Cupertino.
鈥淎ny time we can save a life, that鈥檚 what this is about,鈥� said Eduardo. 鈥淚f we give back to our community, there鈥檚 a big payout for our futures. People die for no reason, and we can help stop that.鈥�
Empowering our Community
The TAVA program was developed thanks to the Health Equity Award, funded by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. The program was developed by URMC, EnCompass Future Ready, and Black Men Achieve programs.