2017 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Rita Ralston, Margaret Rice, and Stephanie Ralston Khurana
In Annapolis to present the Jeffrey D. Ralston Memorial Scholarship, Stephanie Ralston Khurana and Rita Ralston recalled the many previous award ceremonies and so many valued friendships. Again, this year's event couldn't have provided a more rewarding, soul-satisfying experience. They felt so fortunate to be able to connect again with the wonderfully inspiring, graduating seniors at St. Mary's High School and marvel at their energy and passion.
This year's recipient of the $1000 scholarship award was Margaret Rice. Her high school years were filled with athletics: track, lacrosse, swim team and field hockey where she was voted MVP and captain of the JV field hockey team. Excelling scholastically, she is a member of the National Honor Society, a Neumann Scholar, a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and an Environmental Studies Degree Candidate. She served as an officer in many organizational and student affair positions and was commended by the faculty for her character and leadership. She was a Kairos retreat leader. Not surprisingly for this truly inspirational student, she applied to several challenging colleges and was accepted by all. She aspires to a career in medicine.
Volunteering seems to be Meg's passion, providing leadership and help with a variety of student activities during her four years at St Mary's. Keeping with her interest in biology, her volunteering interest led her to travel, twice, with a team of medical professionals, educators and health policy workers to a remote village in Honduras. Working in this third world country was challenging, her own health continually at risk because of the minimal sanitation conditions. Her personal safety was guarded. But her real concern, as she noted in her application, was seeing people in such poverty and not having the time or the resources to help them all.
Even though the challenges were severe, Meg found her time in Honduras life altering. Her ability to translate Spanish was of special value to the pediatricians of this medical group and allowed her an intimate connection and vantage point to the services this team was able to provide. She could easily assess how needed and appreciated these services were to the native Hondurans.
As Meg noted in her application, she eagerly looked forward to returning the second time. "Perhaps it was the simplicity of humans using their gifts to help one another, or the hundreds of people lined up on a dirt path awaiting our arrival. Perhaps it was the important role that I played in the intimate communication between doctors and patients, or the deep gratitude in the eyes of a mother when we treated her infant's fever. These experiences gave me an opportunity to see the world in a different light and from other people's perspectives. I learned that things we take for granted in our daily lives, like potable water and basic medical care, are unimaginable to others around the world. These trips gave me the gift of global awareness and the drive to understand and help others."
As Stephanie noted in her award speech, "the Jeffrey Ralston Memorial Scholarship is intended to reward the qualities of strong character, service to others and leadership. Meg truly understands the power of human connections and relationships. Or in her words, 'the simplicity of humans using their gifts to help one another.' That is the essence of how we create meaningful lives, no matter how long or short. In life, if one is able to make the most of their talents, capabilities and time, along with a commitment of service to society, our world will surely be a better place." There is no doubt that Meg Rice understands this role and is on her way to making the world a better place.
Meg's parents, Jim and Jennifer Rice, join Rita Ralston in congratulating Meg, this year's award winner.
This year's recipient of the $1000 scholarship award was Margaret Rice. Her high school years were filled with athletics: track, lacrosse, swim team and field hockey where she was voted MVP and captain of the JV field hockey team. Excelling scholastically, she is a member of the National Honor Society, a Neumann Scholar, a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and an Environmental Studies Degree Candidate. She served as an officer in many organizational and student affair positions and was commended by the faculty for her character and leadership. She was a Kairos retreat leader. Not surprisingly for this truly inspirational student, she applied to several challenging colleges and was accepted by all. She aspires to a career in medicine.
Volunteering seems to be Meg's passion, providing leadership and help with a variety of student activities during her four years at St Mary's. Keeping with her interest in biology, her volunteering interest led her to travel, twice, with a team of medical professionals, educators and health policy workers to a remote village in Honduras. Working in this third world country was challenging, her own health continually at risk because of the minimal sanitation conditions. Her personal safety was guarded. But her real concern, as she noted in her application, was seeing people in such poverty and not having the time or the resources to help them all.
Even though the challenges were severe, Meg found her time in Honduras life altering. Her ability to translate Spanish was of special value to the pediatricians of this medical group and allowed her an intimate connection and vantage point to the services this team was able to provide. She could easily assess how needed and appreciated these services were to the native Hondurans.
As Meg noted in her application, she eagerly looked forward to returning the second time. "Perhaps it was the simplicity of humans using their gifts to help one another, or the hundreds of people lined up on a dirt path awaiting our arrival. Perhaps it was the important role that I played in the intimate communication between doctors and patients, or the deep gratitude in the eyes of a mother when we treated her infant's fever. These experiences gave me an opportunity to see the world in a different light and from other people's perspectives. I learned that things we take for granted in our daily lives, like potable water and basic medical care, are unimaginable to others around the world. These trips gave me the gift of global awareness and the drive to understand and help others."
As Stephanie noted in her award speech, "the Jeffrey Ralston Memorial Scholarship is intended to reward the qualities of strong character, service to others and leadership. Meg truly understands the power of human connections and relationships. Or in her words, 'the simplicity of humans using their gifts to help one another.' That is the essence of how we create meaningful lives, no matter how long or short. In life, if one is able to make the most of their talents, capabilities and time, along with a commitment of service to society, our world will surely be a better place." There is no doubt that Meg Rice understands this role and is on her way to making the world a better place.
Meg's parents, Jim and Jennifer Rice, join Rita Ralston in congratulating Meg, this year's award winner.
Rita Ralston, Meg, Jennifer and Jim Rice