Summit's Annual Career Assembly
On June 3, The Summit School held the Work-Based Learning Program's Career Assembly. This assembly, held annually at Con Edison's headquarters at Irving Place in Manhattan, marked the end of this school year's work program. Over 300 people attended, including students, faculty, parents, and business partners who participate in the program. Robert "Bill" Donohue, President of Summit's WBLP Business Advisory Board, provided a warm welcome to everyone.
Highlights included:
Recognition was given to Edna Turner, foster grandparent, for ten years of service. (photo below, top left).
This year's theme was "It's Not Work If You Like What You Do." A t-shirt was given to Michael Cummings, from the Graphic Communications class, who captured our theme (photo below, top right) and created the winning t-shirt design.
This year, Awards of Distinction were presented by Marian Corbett, Director of Summit's Work-Based Learning Programs, for superior salesmanship to Joe Serpico and Rudi Weinberg (photo above, bottom left) and for outstanding achievement to Adam Granger, Simon Weeks, Zachary Diamond, and Tara Marley (photo above, bottom right).
The Employer of the Year award was presented to Con Edison's Chemical Laboratory (photos above), which has been a business partner for four years. To date, Con Ed has hosted twenty students at this facility. Accepting the award from Con Ed were Jose Burgos, Jean Celestine, Nancy Shannon, and Tom McCreight. 
This year's Employees of the Year were seniors Michael Franzese, Jamie Weiner, Ashleigh Goldberg, and Peter Serras (photos above, left to right). Employee of the Year status is given to deserving seniors who best exemplify the goals of the program of the work program throughout all four years of participation.
Summit student Joe Serpico interviewed our featured entertainer and speaker Gina Naomi Baez (photos above) after her inspiring opening song. Actor-singer-songwriter, Gina Naomi Baez -- a native New Yorker -- has been performing since the age of 8. At just 13, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and after a long, courageous fight is cancer-free today. Her love of the arts -- singing, acting, dancing, and songwriting truly inspired her recovery and from that experience alone, has pushed her to where she is today. Gina has performed in numerous theatrical productions, music festivals, and she will be appearing in season four of "Orange is the New Black." Gina took time at the end of the assembly to sign autographs for our students and guests.
The Honorable Scott Stringer, Comptroller of the City of New York, appeared as a special guest speaker. He was invited, introduced, and interviewed by senior Rudi Weinberg (photos above). Rudi worked at the Comptroller's Office for his senior internship assignment. In addition to talking about the magnitude of the work in the Comptroller's Office, Mr. Stringer provided a personal perspective of his and Rudi's family while growing up together in New York.
He was highly complimentary of Rudi's work in his office and also had high praise for the Work-Based Learning Program as a way to gain valuable career experience while still in high school.
