July 5, 2002

FOR IMEDIATATE RELEASE

Contact: Kate Loomis
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
(410) 778-3300, ext. 4010

The Chester River Health System has awarded $1,000 scholarships to three local high school graduates planning careers in the healthcare field. The recipients are Sherise Black of Chestertown, Abby Gaudette of Queenstown, and Kira Pinder of Chestertown.

Black is a graduate of Kent County High School and plans to pursue nursing studies at Delaware State University. She realized at a young age that “people are always in need of help and the people who give help are doctors and nurses.”

Black is a member of “Who’s Who Among High School Students” and was on the honor roll. Her high school activities included peer mediation and a book club.

Gaudette will enter Drexel University in September where she will study biomedical engineering and take pre-med classes with a career objective to become an orthopedic surgeon. Her scholastic honors included National Honor Society, scholar athlete, Maryland Distinguished Scholar and leadership honors. She graduated from Kent Island High School where she was a member of the swim team and cross-country team. She was also a student government delegate and a mentor for freshmen.

Pinder graduated from Queen Anne’s County High School and plans to major in nursing when she enters Wesley College in the fall. Ultimately she would like to be a nurse practitioner. During high school she participated in an internship program at Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital which helped her realize that she wanted to work in a career where she could make patients comfortable and provide education. “I want a career in which I am constantly learning new things and in which I can make a difference,” she explains.
Pinder was a member of the National Honor Society and Queen Anne’s County High School’s It’s Academic team, chairman of the prom committee and captain of the swim team.

Established by the Board of Directors of Kent & Queen Anne’s Hospital, the scholarship program assists local students pursuing healthcare careers with a goal of helping to increase the supply of qualified healthcare professionals. The scholarships are awarded annually to graduating seniors of the three high schools in Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties.

The Chester River Health System, which includes Kent & Queen Anne's Hospital, Chester River Home Care & Hospice and Magnolia Hall Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, provides community-wide healthcare through a network of community-based services.

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