Spark Philadelphia CHOP mentoring program Vice President Peter Grollman with Spark students from John Barry Academy. There are a number of initiatives at CHOP that allow employees to donate their time serving as mentors to children and adolescents in our community. Employees have relished in the opportunity to “give back” to children, particularly by supporting their education and career development. 

  • Career exposure workshop: Every quarter, OGACRA holds a career exposure workshop where students from local schools enjoy lunch, presentations by CHOP employees, networking and a tour of the Hospital. In February, 38 students from Roxborough High School and local nurse aide trade school heard from six CHOP employees about their career path and current position at CHOP. 
  • Philadelphia READS: As part of CHOP’s new partnership with Philadelphia READS, a classroom of first-graders from Horatio B. Hackett School in Philadelphia visits the CHOP offices in the Wanamaker Building in Center City every week for personalized reading support. Fifty-two CHOP volunteers from various departments work with 28 students as “power partners,” spending time reading, playing language games, and bonding through this perfect supplement to their education. 
  • Spark Philadelphia: CHOP partnered with Spark Philadelphia for its second year in a row to provide middle school students an opportunity to explore careers at the Hospital. Spark re-engages underserved seventh and eighth grade students with apprenticeships that bring students out of the classroom and into the workplace to prepare them for high school and beyond. For 10 weeks, 16 students from John Barry Academy in West Philadelphia work with a CHOP employee on skills such as networking, goal setting, time management and public speaking.