Paramedic Arallia Scullark Celebrates 20 Years of the FDNY High School

In the 20 years since Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety first opened its doors, countless graduates have gone on to join the FDNY in its lifesaving mission. Among them is Arallia Scullark, a 2011 graduate of the high school.

As graduation approached, Scullark wasn’t sure what direction to take in life, but she was encouraged to enroll in the Summer Youth EMS Academy (SEMSA). That experience turned out to be a turning point. “I was going with the flow,” recalled Scullark. “I had mentors who were guiding me, and it worked out really well. I ended up loving the world of medicine.”

After completing the program, Scullark’s hard work paid off when she was accepted into the FDNY EMS Academy a year later. She believes her success in the Academy was due in large part to the foundation she built at the high school.

“We entered the EMS Academy with a confidence that no one else had,” Scullark recalled. “The high school had already prepared us with much of the material, so we felt ahead of the game.”

In 2019, Scullark reached a significant career milestone when she was promoted to Paramedic, becoming the first female graduate of the high school to reach this accomplishment. She said she felt the need to progress in her career and advance her knowledge in medicine. “I definitely wanted to learn more and do more for my patients,” she said.

Reflecting back, Scullark says she is incredibly grateful to the instructors and teachers at the high school who were patient with her, who guided her and encouraged her when she needed it. “There were people at the high school who realized that I was bright and helped me discover that about myself and pushed me to my full potential.”