Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 07:05 PM

Three Junior Volunteers Earn Auxiliary Scholarships

Teen volunteers working at Marshall North learned that hard work does pay off. The hospital’s Volunteer Auxiliary awarded three scholarships to high school graduates who spent their senior year getting hands-on experience in the medical field.

Scholarships in the amount of $2,000 were presented to three of junior volunteers in May.

Caleb Graves of Holly Pond is a home-schooled student who volunteered in the ambulance and emergency departments at Marshall North. He started in January 2023 and worked more than 330 hours until he graduated. He has been accepted to the Alabama Fire College and plans to become an EMT/paramedic. Caleb hopes to return as an employee after he becomes licensed.

“During my time here, I have been taught how to do multiple things associated with my future career choice including how to use an EKG machine, how to take important vitals like blood pressure and oxygen levels, as well as how to speak to patients in an intense situation helping to soothe any fears or concerns,” Caleb wrote in his application.

Gabriel Morris of Union Grove, also a home-schooled student, plans to become a nurse. He became a certified nursing assistant at the age of 15. Gabriel started volunteering at Marshall North in April 2023. He worked 142 hours in acute care and in the emergency department. He took patients’ vital signs, changed beds, bathed and fed patients. He plans to attend UAH to earn his nursing degree.

Isabel Horton, a Fairview High School graduate, became a junior volunteer in October 2022. She started out helping the gym staff in the Marshall North Wellness Center and then worked in the Obstetrics department for a total of 96 hours. She is planning to attend Auburn University in the fall where she will major in law.

“We are extremely proud of these hard-working students who spent their limited free time helping the hospital staff,” said Auxiliary President Kelly Stenson. “We are honored to help them start their education. The Auxiliary hopes to award scholarships every year to qualified junior volunteers.”

Volunteers in the Marshall North Auxiliary raise money for scholarships and equipment purchases by holding fundraisers and running the hospital gift shop. In addition to the $6,000 in scholarships awarded this year, the group has purchased chemo pumps for the Marshall Cancer Care Center and wheelchairs for the hospital.

The Volunteer Services department welcomes applications from people 15 years and up. Online applications can be found on the Marshall Medical website at mmcenters.com. Click on the About tab and Volunteering. For more information, call (256)571-8010 or email rose.myers@mmcenters.com.