Scotland Health Recognizes Student Volunteers, Awards Scholarships During Board Meeting

Scotland Health recognized two outstanding student volunteers, Jayden Roland and Jaden Mitchell, during its Board of Trustees meeting Thursday morning, honoring their dedication to patient care and presenting each with a $2,000 scholarship from the Scotland Health Care System Auxiliary Department. 

The recognition was presented by Christi Meggs, senior vice president of human resources for Scotland Health, who highlighted the students' exceptional service through the hospital's Junior Volunteer Program and their commitment to enhancing the patient experience at Scotland Memorial Hospital. 

Both students are seniors at Scotland High School and will celebrate their 18th birthdays later this month. Despite balancing academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities, they have dedicated countless hours to serving patients and supporting teammates across the organization. 

Throughout their volunteer service, Roland and Mitchell worked alongside departments across the hospital, including patient experience initiatives led by LaCourtne Lindsey. Their efforts included bringing smiles to pediatric patients through special visits and activities designed to make young patients feel more comfortable during their hospital stay. 

Meggs also recognized the students for their role in helping launch the hospital's evening patient comfort rounding program. The initiative provides patients with comfort items such as eye masks, lotion, and lip balm to help improve their overnight hospital experience. When organizers sought volunteers willing to return during evening hours, Roland and Mitchell eagerly stepped forward. Despite their demanding schedules as student-athletes, both continue to volunteer during evening shifts. 

"These young men have demonstrated a genuine passion for serving others and improving the patient experience," Meggs said. "Their commitment, compassion and willingness to give their time to our patients embody the values we strive to uphold at Scotland Health. We are proud to support them as they continue their educational journeys." 

In addition to their volunteer work, both students have aspirations of pursuing careers in healthcare. Roland plans to work in pediatrics, while Mitchell plans to pursue a career as a registered nurse. 

Following the presentation, both students expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve their community. 

"I thank you all for the recognition. There's nothing like Scotland County to me," Roland said. "I loved being able to work with everybody locally, and I loved the patient experience side of things. I think that was my favorite part of the volunteer experience. There's nothing like connecting with people. Thank you all for helping me with my future." 

Mitchell also expressed appreciation for the experience. 

"Thank you for the opportunity. I just love it," he said. 

Nancy Rogers also commended the students for their willingness to go above and beyond what was asked of them. 

"I came to them the last day of their two-week session and I said, 'Look, this is what I want to do,' and they just said, 'Sure, we'll do it, no problem,'" Rogers said. "They actually stayed another two weeks with LaCourtne and then came back and did more on top of that, so I'm really proud of these two." 

At the conclusion of the recognition, Roland and Mitchell were surprised when they were each awarded the Ruth Bisbee Scholarship from the Scotland Health Auxiliary Department. The $2,000 awards will help support their educational goals as they prepare for college and future careers in healthcare. 

"Our community's future is bright because of young leaders like Jayden and Jaden," Meggs said. "Their servant hearts, dedication to others and commitment to healthcare make them deserving recipients of this recognition." 

Through its Junior Volunteer Program, Scotland Health provides students with meaningful opportunities to explore healthcare careers while making a positive impact on patients and families throughout the community.