𝘽𝙊𝙀 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙨 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙞-𝙈𝙚𝙙 𝘼𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩
LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ — Six weeks. Long evenings. Big questions. Last fall, Linden High School students enrolled in the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) Mini-Med Internship Program stepped into a demanding, eye-opening experience that offered more than lessons in medicine — it delivered clarity, confidence, and a powerful glimpse of what’s possible.
That experience brought together five Linden High School students — Vianka Abreu (Senior), Marina Lopez (Senior), Amy Velez Vargas (Junior), Valentina Franco Vargas (Senior), and Dazayah Santiago (Senior) — whose interest in science and healthcare deepened through weekly evening sessions led by NJMS medical students and faculty.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
The students’ achievement was recognized soon after the program concluded. In December, they reflected on their experience during a conversation with Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins, Assistant Superintendent Annabell Louis, Supervisor of Science Cynthia R. Apalinski, and their science teacher and club advisor Pramila Natarajan, in the Linden High School Information Commons.
Days later, they were formally recognized by the Linden Board of Education at its December 15 meeting, underscoring the district’s commitment to celebrating academic initiative, rigor, and excellence beyond the classroom.
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢-𝐌𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
Running from October 6 through November 7, 2025, the six-week Mini-Med Program immersed students in a wide range of medical and public health topics, including cardiology, neuroscience, mental health, infectious diseases, health equity, and social justice. Meeting weekly from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., the program blended academic instruction with real-world insight, offering students direct exposure to both the challenges and rewards of careers in medicine and the health sciences.
What emerged from the experience — and from the reflections that followed — was a powerful reminder that opportunity, when paired with belief and support, can change trajectories.
Expanding Access and Igniting Ambition
For Pramila Natarajan, Linden High School science teacher and advisor to the Linden Youth Enjoy Science Club and Science Careers Club, the Mini-Med Program is part of a broader, intentional effort to expand access and ignite ambition.
Over the years, Linden students have participated in a growing portfolio of competitive STEM enrichment opportunities, including the SMART Program (Science, Medicine, and Technology), the Rutgers Mini-Med Program, and RUYES, a mentored cancer research experience that spans two summers. Each opportunity, Natarajan explained, is designed not only to build content knowledge, but to build confidence.
“These programs expose students to what is out there,” Natarajan said. “They develop curiosity and help students believe that excellence in STEM is possible.”
Proof of Impact Beyond the Classroom
Natarajan pointed to former Linden student Martyna Karwowski as a compelling example of the lasting impact of early exposure. With sponsorship support, Karwowski developed a strong interest in neuroscience, pursued research in neurodegenerative disease, and is now listed as a published co-author on a scientific paper — an achievement reached while still in high school.
“That’s when you see the real impact,” Natarajan said. “One opportunity leads to another, and suddenly a student’s entire sense of what’s possible expands.”
Equally meaningful, she added, is the personal growth she sees when students return from these experiences.
“Some begin shy or unsure,” she said. “They come back confident, asking questions, speaking up. Sometimes I don’t even recognize them — and that’s the most rewarding part.”
Leadership That Builds Belief
Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins echoed that sentiment during the December discussion, using the moment to recognize both the students and the educator guiding them.
“Hearing Ms. Natarajan’s passion speaks volumes,” Perkins said. “Her commitment — in the classroom, through clubs, and beyond the school day — is what opens doors for students.”
The superintendent emphasized that before curiosity can flourish, belief must come first.
“It starts with helping students believe that they belong,” she said. “When that door opens, confidence follows.”
Turning directly to the students, Perkins acknowledged the dedication behind their success.
“You’ve talked about sacrifice — long evenings, time, and energy,” she said. “But what I see is commitment to who you are called to be.”
She concluded by praising the students for representing the district with distinction.
“You represent Linden Public Schools in a truly prestigious way,” Perkins said. “Your discipline, curiosity, and commitment reflect the very best of who we are.”
Momentum That Continues
For Abreu, Lopez, Velez Vargas, Franco Vargas, and Santiago, the Mini-Med Program may have concluded last fall — but its impact continues. It sharpened interests, strengthened resolve, and reinforced the belief that futures in medicine and science are not distant aspirations, but real, reachable goals.
