The Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation has honored 11 area high school seniors for exemplifying thei deals of service and volunteerism in the community. The $1,000 Renaissance Service Awards were presented March 29 by Foundation Trustees Christine George,and Dr. Edward Cottle and his wife, Barbara Cottle.
“The students who were honored truly inspired us with their exceptional service, which they give with compassion, enthusiasm and humility,” says Executive Director Marcia Ferguson.“The entire foundation can be proud of the Renaissance Service Awards program and the students who earned recognition and scholarship money this year. It was a joyous occasion to spend time with these fine young men and women and their families.”
Eleven high school seniors were honored for exceptional volunteerism, representing the following schools:
Brecksville-BroadviewHts. High School – Alexander Ulintz is the son of Peter and Claudia Ulintz of Broadview Heights. Alex has over 23,000 hours of volunteer service in a wide array of settings, including in the Parma Emergency Department, where he assists staff with patient comfort needs and helps patients and families in the waiting room. He also participated in a voluntary 10-week training course through his city’s fire department to learn search and rescue techniques, emergency preparedness and first aid and his now on Community Emergency Response Team to assist local safety forces in the event of a disaster. Alex intends to become a physician specializing in emergency medicine.
Brooklyn High School – Amanda Lawrence is the daughter of Tony and Robin Lawrence of Brooklyn. She has volunteered over 500 hours at the Ireland Cancer Center and social services office at Southwest General Health Center, where she answers phones and greets patients among other duties. She is vice president and an active member of the Brooklyn Key Club, and she is involved with the youth group at her church, where she has served Christmas dinner at a homeless shelter and raked leaves for the elderly. Amanda is pursuing training in medical billing.
Cuyahoga Heights High School– Andrew Sokolich is the son of Matthew and Vicky Sokolich of Cuyahoga Heights. This Student Council president volunteers with Saint Theresa Church, where he helps organize community gatherings and assists parish teachers in preparing children for communion and confirmations. He also is an Eagle Scout, and he runs an aquatics program, among other volunteer duties. Andy plans to pursue a business degree.
Holy Name High School – Andrea Klonowski is the daughter of Scott and Vicki Klonowski of Parma. Recognized by her counselor for the quality and not just the quantity of her volunteer service, Andrea monitors the chapel’s daily maintenance, sets up for the school’s masses and other duties. She also is a retreat director and core team leader with the youth group at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma, where she has volunteered over 200 hours. Most rewarding to her has been assisting the mentally handicapped through St. Charles’ special education program. She plans to become a nurse.
Independence High School – Sydney Dawson is the daughter of Richard and Jill Dawson of Independence. Sydney far surpassed the school’s graduation requirement of 40 hours of community service, logging over 1,500 hours already. She has been active with the city’s youth theatre, where she has taught children about theatre, directed shows and worked on the crew. She went on a mission trip to Montana with the youth group at St. Michael’s Church. Sydney plans to become a special education/elementary school teacher.
Normandy High School – Jeffrey Pejsa is the son of Robert Pejsa of Parma. An Eagle Scout, he is active with the Independence Presbyterian Church and recently participated on a mission trip to build wheelchair ramps for senior citizens. The Parma Sun Post featured him as “Student of the Week” in March for having distinguished himself as a student leader with the music and theater arts programs. Jeff plans to pursue a degree in visual communication design.
North Royalton High School – Christopher Arnst is the son of Randall and Cathy Arnst of North Royalton. Involved in the Boy Scouts since Kindergarten, Chris focused his energies on his church for his latest Eagle Scout project and built a garage addition for Pleasant Hills Methodist Church. He also volunteers at Southwest General Health Center, where he transports patients, serves as an in-house courier and answers telephones. At school, he assists with the Market Day program to benefit the school band and collected additional donations to help the student body donate 40 pies to the North Royalton Food Bank. He would like to become a pathologist.
Padua Franciscan High School – Megan Walsh is the daughter of Gerald and Nancy Walsh of Parma. Megan has volunteered extensively with St. Charles Borromeo School’s special education program and youth group as well as her high school’s Campus Ministry and Teen Institutes, where she helps plan liturgies for the school and run retreat weekends. Megan plans to major in zoology.
Parma Senior High School – Tyler Sinclair is the son of Tom and Linda Sinclair of Parma. He has given many volunteer hours to his church, Ridgewood United Methodist Church in Parma, from yard clean-up and painting to ushering, fundraising and mission trips, Tyler is always ready to help. Over the past two summers, he has volunteered with the Group Workcamps Foundation on home improvement projects for families in need. Tyler plans to major in education.
Valley Forge High School – Megan Siwik is the daughter of Dan and Liana Siwik of Parma Heights. Megan organizes and recruits students for monthly visits to the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland to help families strugglingwith the pain of having a hospitalized child. She also is a familiar face around Parma Hospital, where she has volunteered in the Gift Shop as a cashier and in the Emergency Department, where she greets patients, makes beds, and assists the staff. Megan plans to major in business and/or library science.
Parma Hospital Auxiliary – Kimberly Klosz is the daughter of James and Deborah Klosz of Parma. The Valley Forge High School senior volunteers in the Radiology Department, and she also devotes community service hours to the Saint Bridget Youth Group. She would like to become a doctor.
About the Foundation: Established in 1987 with a $1 million endowment grant from the Parma Community General Hospital Association and dedicated to supporting the health and well-being ofthe Community, The Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3)charitable organization. From assuring access to physician care for the underserved and uninsured to contributing funds to the education of futurenurses and service-oriented high seniors from local schools, The Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation has supported the greater Parma community in meeting adiverse range of health and human services needs for over 20 years.