RCH Auxiliary presents healthcare scholarships to seven students

Posted 4/13/17

Recipients of the 2017 Rochelle Community Hospital Auxiliary $1,000 healthcare scholarships were recognized at the annual RCH Auxiliary Volunteer-Scholarship Brunch on April 10.

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RCH Auxiliary presents healthcare scholarships to seven students

Posted

ROCHELLE — Recipients of the 2017 Rochelle Community Hospital Auxiliary $1,000 healthcare scholarships were recognized at the annual RCH Auxiliary Volunteer-Scholarship Brunch on April 10.  
Recipients include Celeste Almaraz, Stacia Burke, Haley Griffith, Sarah Murray, Paige Myroth, Kellee Parker and Marla VanVickle.

Celeste Almaraz

Celeste Almaraz
Almaraz is a senior at RTHS and will attend Kishwaukee College after she graduates. She is currently a member of the Interact, Spanish and Green Team Clubs where she has supported her community and helps others in need. Her junior year she took the Kishwaukee Education Consortium Health Occupations class and completed her training to become a certified CNA. Her parents are her motivation to be successful and make them proud.  They taught her Spanish and with this beneficial skill she feels she will be able to assist English and Spanish speaking patients equally.

Stacia Burke

Stacia Burke
Burke is the recipient of the Ward and Mabel Miller Award. Memorial funds donated to the hospital in honor of the Millers have made this scholarship possible since 2009.
Burke is currently a sophomore at the University of Dubuque with a 4.0 GPA and soon to be starting the nursing program.  She is a 2015 graduate of Oregon High School and a past Auxiliary scholarship recipient.  
Through her recent experience job shadowing a nurse practitioner at a local clinic and volunteering for a daycare, she has determined that becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner is the perfect career choice for her.  Health has always been a top priority for her family as she has seen how medical staff has cared for her brother throughout his lifelong battle with a brain tumor near his pituitary gland.  They have saved his life and Stacia hopes to do the same for others throughout her career.

Haley Griffith

Haley Griffith
Griffith is a third-year nursing student at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She was in the top 15 percent of applicants for this program and has gone on to achieve a 3.48 cumulative GPA.  She has participated in several clinical rotations this year including geriatrics, psychiatry, and medical surgery.  
She is also a 2014 RTHS graduate where she was involved in Student Council, Office Monitor, Concert Choir, Tennis, Dance and also received the Auxiliary scholarship in 2015. Griffith is very passionate about fulfilling her dream to become an Emergency Room Nurse.

Sarah Murray

Sarah Murray
Murray is currently a senior attending Oregon High School and has been accepted to attend the University of Illinois at Springfield. She has developed her passion for caring for others through her experiences with her church, job shadowing at KSB Hospital, volunteering at Pegasus Special Riders and her activities with Cheerleading.  
She would like to pursue a career working as an OB/GYN so she can continue to impact the lives of children.

Paige Myroth

Paige Myroth
Myroth was the recipient of the Deanie Springmire award. This scholarship was given by the Springmire family in honor of their mother who was very active in the RCH Auxiliary. She provided handmade quilts for the holiday raffle for several years. Deanie’s sons, Peter and Jack, were in attendance at the brunch to congratulate Myroth.

She is currently a senior at Rochelle Township High School with plans to attend Marquette University or the University of Iowa when she graduates.  She has steadfastly followed the honors track taking almost every AP, Advanced or Honors class available to prepare her for a career in Biomedical Engineering.  Paige knows that this career will differ from more hands-on medical experience but she feels that it will directly impact patients by laying the foundation for future generations through research or developing new medical equipment.

Kellee Parker

Kellee Parker
Parker is currently a senior at RTHS and plans on attending the University of Minnesota in the fall. She has had a well-rounded high school career including AP Honors, Science, Math, French and four years of Music.
She has also received the Daughters of the American Revolution Award and is recognized as an Illinois State Scholar.  She has set a goal for herself to become a nurse practitioner after witnessing several of her family members in the medical field experience satisfaction and dedication to their work.

Marla VanVickle

Marla VanVickle
VanVickle became a nurse nine years ago and has always had a desire to further her education. She is currently an employee at Rochelle Community Hospital where being able to care for members of her community is extremely rewarding.  She is seeking a degree to become an Advanced Practice Nurse through Upper Iowa University.
Her new goal will allow her to utilize her skills to promote the health and wellbeing of every individual she has the privilege to care for.