Rohm Stark '19 - Software Development with a Purpose

When Milken junior Rohm Stark signed up to participate in the first-ever Gamifying Pediatrics Hackathon, a competition held by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to encourage the development of new digital health tools, he expected to grow his programming skills and gain valuable experience. He did not anticipate walking away with first place and a paid summer position developing state-of-the-art computer software in Paris. It was a remarkable accomplishment – and, he notes, just par for the course for a student at Milken Community Schools.

 

“Milken gave me an amazing starting point, as it taught me the essentials of coding,” he says. “This is a place where we are empowered to acquire knowledge, go after things we want and stay focused to thrive.”

 

Sponsored by BCG Capital Ventures, the global corporate venture and incubation arm of Boston Consulting Group, the hackathon brought together nearly 200 participants (including caregivers on the frontlines of pediatric medicine, as well as engineers, developers and experts in virtual reality, augmented reality and gaming) to envision innovative ways of strengthening children’s health. Rohm partnered with an up-and-coming French startup called Mila to pitch a music-based game for kids with learning differences aged seven to 10.

 

The goal, says Kenneth Burns, Mila’s CEO, was to answer one driving question: “How can we use music and technology to help people?”

 

Rohm was the only non-adult participant in the event, but his Mila collaborators quickly realized his value. Following the team’s hackathon win, they invited him to join them in Paris and continue his work at the end of the school year. He accepted the job and, with his parents’ approval, set off for Paris on his own; Mila colleagues arranged housing and met him at the airport on the other end.

 

“This was an incredible opportunity for Rohm, and we were thrilled to encourage him,” says Rohm’s dad, Mike Stark. “Once he arrived, people at Mila saw how high his skill level was and promoted him to lead developer on the project, which was just astonishing. Even college computer science graduates don’t get offers like that!”

 

As Mike sees it, Rohm’s native ability and drive have been important factors in his achievements, but equally critical have been Milken’s nurturing environment and emphasis on excellence. “It’s a testament to the school’s exceptional computer science program, which has helped developed Rohm’s talent. To be learning [computer languages like] Python and Java in high school is simply extraordinary,” says Mike, who is himself in the computer business.

 

Rohm’s experience, Mike observes, is not a one-off Milken success story, but rather, forms part of a larger pattern he has seen emerging from the school over a period of years. “I’m the father of three boys, all of whom have passed through Milken,” he says proudly. “One is a JAG lawyer in the Navy; another is an assistant producer for ABC News in New York. Milken instilled in each of my kids a strong moral framework, a tremendous work ethic and a real passion for diverse interests. These things will serve them their entire lives.”

 

Returning from France for his senior year, Rohm is balancing a full-time student schedule with a part-time portfolio working remotely for Mila. He plans to pursue a computer science major in college, pointing out that, “Thanks to Milken, I have a real head start in building a high-impact career.”