CHC Announces 2022-23 Scholarship Program Winners

Community Health Center, Inc. is pleased to announce this year’s College Scholarship Program winners. The CHC College Scholarship Program is aimed at supporting children of caregivers working full-time at CHC with the cost of college. Twenty $1,000 scholarships were awarded for the 2022-2023 academic year. Winners were chosen at random in a live drawing on July 22.

Meet our scholarship winners and read a sample of their submitted essays below.

Adriana Lizarraga

“My personal hero is not the typical strong and courageous person that comes to mind when one envisions a hero. My personal hero is small is size, but large in heart. My personal hero is someone who has pushed me and motivated me to be the best version of myself. To be more specific, my personal hero is my 2 year old little girl.”

Alejandra Beauchamp

“A topic that I find so engaging that it makes me lose all track of time is amusement park attractions. This topic captivates me because I have been attending amusement parks nearly every year since I was younger, and I have been fascinated by every attraction I have been on. Ironically, I am not a thrill-seeker, and tall, steel roller coasters scare me due to the height. Yet learning and seeing how they work help calm my anxiety with them.”

Ana Soto Beauchamp

“Just because someone has two mothers or a boy likes another boy doesn’t mean that those relationships are purely sexual. They are still loving and caring relationships as heterosexual ones, but are instead sexualized by those who don’t understand them.”

Ashay Narayana

“Space exploration doesn’t just provide us with cool images of stars to look at, but it also provides us with innovation and advancements that make life better on earth for everyone. Many things from scratch resistant lenses to accurate GPS were first created for space exploration and then further developed into what we know them as today.”

Difatullah Brown

“All injustice is bad, and therefore should not be measured. It does not matter how ‘severe’ it was, and comparing it is pointless, and distracts from the issues at hand. “How can the African American and LGBTQ+ communities both come together to understand and support each other?” It is time now for creating spaces and opportunities for effective dialogue between the two groups. Elevate the voices of civil rights leaders. Elevate the voice of African American LGBTQ leaders. We need to rise up, stand together, and fight the chains of oppression side by side.”

Ekaterina Taylor-Yeremeeva

“Health care is a basic human right, and as such, this tendency to overlook certain populations is a jarring violation. I think as a provider, it is important to be aware of the way a person might present differently based on various aspects of their identity. It’s important to be very intentional about taking this into account. Giving options for pronouns, sexuality, and taking the time to listen to patients’ unique histories is critical. Medical issues may appear differently depending on race, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender, so being attuned to the range of possible symptoms is critical.”

Eve Brannin

“The decision to have an abortion should only be a conversation between the individual and their provider. Ultimately, I would like to see the government support a patient’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy across the board. As a future nurse, above all else, I will advocate for what my patient feels is best for them, whether that involves having an abortion or not. What medical interventions someone has available to them should never be left for the government to decide or to criminally punish.”

Franchella Mariano

The climate clock claims that, at current rates of greenhouse gas emissions, we only have about seven years left in our global “carbon budget” until we experience highly devastating global climate impacts. With your help, and with mine, we can reverse the clock and surpass seven years. We are the caretakers of mother Earth and we must treat her as we treat ourselves because, as a matter of fact, this planet, the very soil that we are standing on at this very moment, may no longer be called our own home.

Hannah Gitman

“President Zelensky, a Ukrainian Jew such as myself, has shown the whole world what it means to truly be a leader. He started off as a comedian and actor just a few years ago and has managed to earn himself the title of one of the bravest and most altruistic political leaders of the 21st century, which I personally believe has a great meaning to anyone aspiring to be a leader. He is proof that you don’t need to have an extraordinary background to become an extraordinary person. Anyone can become a leader that inspires others.”

Hannah Mark

“I am not laying on a blow-up floaty all alone in the middle of a calm and peaceful ocean, however, it feels like I am. Instead, I am sitting upright in a fold-up chair, holding a violin under my chin, my bow hovering over the strings. To me, playing my violin in an orchestra gives me the ability to express my emotions musically. It allows my imagination to flourish, as my mind takes over to tell a story, through my music.”

Jayden Koski

“Chess is a game that is gratifying to win because it is your mind against another. It is very challenging and you have to rely on your wits to be successful. When you lose, you can analyze your mistakes and prepare for the next game. There is always room for improvement which is addictive yet rewarding. I can see my admiration of the game continuing for many years and it is something that I hope to pass on to others.”

Jessica Roberts

“A topic I find very engaging is horses, specifically on cross training. Cross training is the idea of doing different disciplines in order to improve yourself and the horse for the main discipline. Cross training reduces the chance of both the rider and the horse getting fried from working and training the same maneuvers. It adds a sense of newness and can be a good mental break for both rider and horse. It keeps both thinking and can create a better working team.”

Jiante Ward

“Eliminating racial bias and prejudice in healthcare would be a major step in the right direction to preventing many racial and ethnic minority groups from having unfair opportunities and experiences when trying to better their health.”

Kabryah Hamlet

“If there is anything my mother has taught me over the years it is to treat people the way you want to be treated while maintaining dignity and respect for myself. She taught me not to be a pushover and to stand up for what I believe is right. All of the qualities will aid me in my mission to become an ultrasound technician.”

Molly Pawlak

“I am most captivated and engaged with hindu spiritual practice, philosophy and beliefs. I have never in my life wanted to know so much about something and spend so much time doing so. Everything I have been taught I have absorbed instantly and my mind is constantly thinking of these things. I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. I will forever have something to learn and that is the most exciting part.”

Neysha Arroyo

“My hero is Lucille Ball. Lucille Ball was more than just a funny redhead, she broke the rules even in the early years of Hollywood. And she even became head of her own studio company, the first woman ever to do so. Lucille Ball was a woman ahead of her time and an icon to this very day. Today her legacy still lives on.”

Samantha Sullivan

“My dad is my hero. From teaching me important life lessons to being my biggest supporter in life and especially in sports, my dad has always made sure to mold me into a great individual. He is my go to person for any troubles in life, and he constantly strives to protect and love me unconditionally. My biggest takeaway from having my dad, my hero, in my life is that he has taught me how to be genuine, humble, balanced, and strong. It is my greatest wish that every child can have a hero in their life who can be as impactful as my father has been to me.”

Sophia Pawlak

“I never imagined I would discover my passion through something as simple as a poetry book.Viewing my life as this place where everything was happening exactly as it should and I was meeting certain people in perfect timing, changed my entire outlook on how life truly worked. Having this greater understanding of my emotions and feeling as if I had found someone who understood them, is a huge factor in what pushed me towards going into psychology and counseling. I have experienced the peace and excitement that can come with expressing your emotions while asking yourself the difficult and thought provoking questions, which is why I want to help other people experience that as well.”

Taylor Sullivan

“Growing up my definition of a hero was someone that was always available to save people in need and do the right thing all of the time. My mother fits my exact definition. Although she’s not saving people from collapsing buildings or super villains, she is always available to help people, especially children who are facing everyday life challenges in their family, home, and social settings. She is a behavioral health clinician who works with kids who are struggling with their home and family environment. These types of heroes that help with mental and behavioral health, are so needed yet there is just not enough. As I am preparing to start my journey through college, I aspire to be like my hero, my mom. I hope someday I can be that hero to a child and family in need.”

Zoe Leopizzo

“The one person who has always been my biggest hero is my dad. He has inspired me to do what I love. He has pushed me to do things out of my comfort zone, but I have learned so much from it and I am so thankful that I didn’t back down from those opportunities even though I was so nervous. One of the biggest things my dad has taught me was to work hard for what you want, and if you fail you keep doing it until you get the result you want. Another big thing he has shown me is don’t be scared of failure. He is the reason I am so hardworking and will do anything I can do to make my ideas, dreams or goals come true.”