Community

Empowering Local Students to Control their Future

Nov. 13, 2024
How our teams help local high schoolers find opportunity and educate their communities

No teen should have to worry about violence in their daily lives. But for many in Rochester, that’s 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—and how these factors influence community health and violence.

“We preach anti-violence in our community,” said Eduardo, a student at Rochester Academy High School and a member of TAVA.

“We understand that the best way to save a patient is to prevent them from becoming a patient at all —preventing that violence in the first place.”

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 University of Rochester Medical Center.

This initiative pairs local teens with medical professionals, exposing them to healthcare careers, life-saving skills, and strategies to combat community violence.

TAVA students shadow urmc medical professional

“Beyond 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,” 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.

Jonathan TAVA student quote: One of the amazing things about this program is that I was offered a position as a Nurse Assistant at URMC.

“There’s a lot of violence in our community,” said Eduardo. “A lot of youth think that violence is the only way out, but that’s not reality. You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it.”

For many participants, the program opens doors to careers at URMC, often through collaborative programs.

One collaboration is with the Teen Health & Success Partnership (THSP) at UR Medicine’s Center for Community Health & Prevention. The THSP matches students in the City of Rochester with employment opportunities at the University and provides hiring and employment assistance to support their long-term success.

“One of the amazing things about this program is that I was offered a position as a Nurse Assistant at URMC,” said Jonathan, a Rochester Academy High School student and TAVA member.

“That’s 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.”

Eduardo, too, was offered a Nurse Assistant position.

“Eduardo and Jonathan showed interest by asking great questions, showing up for their pre-hire compliance appointments (early in most cases), and completed onboarding with smiles," shared Veronica Leva, hiring navigator for the Teen Health & Success Partnership. "I have no doubt they’ll excel in their new roles and continue to grow within URMC!"

From the 2024 program, six students are currently URMC employees.

Making a difference

Two students in an emergency response training
Students Jonathan (left) and Eduardo (right) in an emergency response training.

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.

“The 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,” said Cupertino.

“Any time we can save a life, that’s what this is about,” said Eduardo. “If we give back to our community, there’s a big payout for our futures. People die for no reason, and we can help stop that.”



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.

About TAVA