2004 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Rita Ralston, Sheryl Gateau and Stephanie Ralston Khurana
The 2004 award of the Jeffrey D. Ralston Scholarship was presented to Sheryl Anne Gateau of Annapolis, MD at the Senior Awards Dinner of St. Mary's High School. Stephanie Ralston Khurana, her 2 year old son, Jai, and Rita Ralston represented the Ralston family at the awards celebration held on May 25th at the Annapolis Marriott in downtown Annapolis, MD. Stephanie had some very inspiring comments during her presentation of the award to Sheryl.

Sheryl is a member of a very accomplished graduating class of St. Mary's High School, our conclusion as we witnessed the many outstanding awards received by her fellow classmates and the excellent applications we received for this award. Choosing each year's recipient of the Jeffrey D. Ralston Scholarship is a challenging task.

Sheryl is an outstanding student, a member of the National Honors Society during her junior and senior years, holding First Honors during her entire high school experience. She was active in school sports, specifically St. Mary's Lacrosse and St. Mary's Field Hockey, receiving varsity letters in both sports during her junior and senior years. She was captain of the national championship lacrosse team, Bay Area Polocrosse, and captain of the Chesapeake Lacrosse Club.

Besides sports, Sheryl was a member of Students Against Drunk Driving, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and volunteered at the Mayo Camp for Disabled Children. Delivering the Capitol newspaper, babysitting for local families and pet care for local families kept her very busy along with working at Rita's Italian Ice for 30 hours per week.

Sheryl's scholastic and athletic achievements and personal activities referenced above are impressive, but they are especially notable in view of the family situation that existed during most of her life. Her father fought cancer since Sheryl was 2 years old, having surgery and chemotherapy. After several years of remission, it recurred during Sheryl's high school years. Though suffering, her father was an inspiration to Sheryl as he worked full time, coached the teams of his three children, stayed involved with family activities, and lived his strong faith in God as he made the best of the remaining years of his life. His faith and love of life were a great source of inspiration to his family. Sheryl and her mother were his daily caretakers during his final years, a time for Sheryl to give back the attention and love that her father had lavished on her throughout her life. The nurses tending to him were especially dedicated and provided such loving care that Sheryl has committed herself to the health profession, hoping to become a pediatric nurse in the field of oncology, intending to give back to others the care her father had received. She has been accepted at the Catholic University of America to continue her studies.

The death of her father had a definite impact on Sheryl's life. She learned the same lesson that became apparent when Jeff Ralston passed away. As Sheryl wrote in her essay, "He did not have control over the time allowed him on earth but he lived his life to the fullest. On the day he died, two years ago, he was sitting on the edge of his bed looking out the window and he called me over and said, 'Look at the beautiful day God has given us. Aren't we lucky to be alive today?' This lesson is how I am going to live my life and my faith assures me that he will be there to guide me."

We are humbled by the burden Sheryl has had to endure, and so impressed with the positive outlook she has continued to maintain. Since her father's death, Sheryl has dedicated herself to achieving her goal. She has maintained a straight A average during the past two years, with challenging coursework, juggling her many activities in such a way that her academics were never compromised, according to a very impressive letter of recommendation.

The Ralston family is again pleased to present the Jeffrey D. Ralston Scholarship of $1000 to a very deserving St. Mary's High School senior. The intent to present it to a person who exemplifies a life of character, self giving and integrity is again very apparent in this year's recipient.


Rita Ralston, Sheryl Gateau, Stephanie Ralston Khurana and Sandy Gateau, Sheryl's mother