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Lone Tree Voice
With dreams of careers in health care, four recent Douglas County and Cherry Creek high school graduates have been honored with Future Careers Student Scholarships from Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree.
For five years, Sky Ridge has provided students hands-on opportunities in departments throughout the hospital.
“The firsthand experience of watching skilled doctors and nurses work together to save lives has been nothing short of inspirational,” said Nandhana Vivek, a Legend High School graduate.
This year, $5,000 in scholarships were awarded to graduates from Legend, Rock Canyon and Cherry Creek high schools. All are currently assigned to the Emergency Department and donated more than 2,000 service hours to Sky Ridge.
With plans to attend the University of Colorado Boulder, Vivek wants to go into either neuroscience or personalized medicine. She is also a hospice volunteer and a certified nursing assistant at Stonegate. Reflecting on experiences at Sky Ridge, she said she exceeded what she would have learned in a traditional classroom.
“It’s in these moments, amid the controlled chaos, that I’ve learned the most about the resilience of the human body and the impact of quick, decisive action,” said Vivek.
Another Legend graduate, Melanie Angelo experienced just how much the emergency room connects to the community. Although she volunteered in five different departments, volunteering in the emergency room opened her eyes, saying that she never realized how sheltered she had been from her community’s needs and issues.
Interested in emergency medicine, Angelo will be attending Arizona State University.
The direct connections with patients and families in the emergency department also caught the attention of Rock Canyon graduate, Sydney Geary. She has been enamored by the versatility of what comes into the department and its unlimited learning opportunities such as admitting patients and the process of patient care.
Hoping to pursue a career in neurology, pediatrics or emergency medicine, Geary will be staying in state as she plans to attend Colorado School of Mines.
Another recipient is Paige Scully, who recently graduated from Cherry Creek High School. She plans on attending the University of Tennessee where she is interested in studying marketing, hospital administration and emergency medicine.
“I am impressed with how the team handles life-threatening events with composure and professionalism,” Scully said.
The student volunteer program is led by Volunteer Director John Penn. As his father and brother were doctors. Penn wanted a way to give back to the next generation and encourage their academic pursuits.
Wes Ayres, chief operating officer at Sky Ridge also wants to help young adults pursue their dreams to become medical professionals, which is why he believes these awards are important.
“Helping students see the rewards of working in medicine and caring for their community is a gift,” said Ayres. “I am excited we can help our young students pursue further education.”
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