Two local high school seniors with aspirations of careers in healthcare are the recipients of the Putnam Hospital Center Auxiliary’s continuing education scholarships.
Junior volunteers Olivia Hillard and Jonathan Baccay each received $500 to go toward their educational pursuits.
“We offer a scholarship to Junior Volunteers as a sign of our appreciation for the many hours of community service students provide to Putnam Hospital Center,” said Michelle Piazza, director of volunteer and pastoral services. “We have a very talented and dedicated group of junior volunteers. Olivia and Jonathan are exceptional and we are very proud of their accomplishments.”
Hillard, a Wappingers Falls resident and a student at Aquinas High School in the Bronx, will attend the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale in the fall to study nursing. She has volunteered at Putnam Hospital Center for one year.
“Volunteering has helped me to learn about the different departments in the hospital,” Hillard, 17, said.
Baccay, a Bedford resident and senior at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, will attend Boston College in September on a pre-medical degree track, he said. He has volunteered at Putnam Hospital Center for three years.
“I’ve learned people skills,” Baccay, 17, said of his service.
Hillard and Baccay were selected by a committee. Both volunteer in a variety of ways including transporting patients and greeting guests in the reception area.
This is the second year the Auxiliary has awarded these educational scholarships.