Patrick B. Moore Memorial Scholarship

My last name starts with the letter W. As a student at Lafayette High School, this determinant meant Mr. Moore was my student counselor. During my sophomore year of high school, I had one goal in mind, to get accepted into the Governor's School of Science and Technology. To do this, I had to take on extra online coursework in addition to my eight core classes to meet the prerequisites required for this selective program. Upon completion, I submitted my application and waited. Several weeks later I was called into Mr. Moore’s office. He had a huge smile on his face, and the positive atmosphere he radiated immediately made me feel at ease. The smile never left his face after he relayed the good news, I had been accepted into the Governor’s School. I will never forget how Mr. Moore’s attentiveness impacted my life and educational career. As I arrive at the doorsteps to a new chapter in my life, I look back and am extremely grateful for the opportunities the Governor’s School has opened to me. This upcoming fall, I will be attending a four-year university to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Becoming a nurse opens the door to a world of fulfilling career opportunities that will allow me to play a critical role in improving patient care throughout different hospital settings. Beyond this broad encompassment of nursing, a nurse must also focus on treating each patient based on their whole person, not just the health issue they possess. By incorporating this value of personalized care into my work as a nurse, I can ensure I am touching each patient’s life according to their needs. I will ensure each patient feels seen, heard, and understood as they battle with the challenge of whatever health issue they may possess. This past summer, I volunteered at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center to acquire new experience in the medical field. At this point, I was greatly unsure of what career path I wanted to pursue within the field of medicine. While volunteering in the surgical department, I was able to see firsthand how important interpersonal communication is between patients and their nurses. During this time, I wheeled out countless post-op patients from various walks of life to be discharged. I interacted with children, young adults, older adults, and seniors all coming out of taxing surgeries, ranging from colonoscopies to breast biopsies. Some of these patients were still suffering in pain and preferred not to talk. In this case, I learned it is best to limit verbal discussion and focus on reading their nonverbal cues, such as gesturing to where they need to go. Other patients were largely conversational, granting me the chance to perceive their surgical experience. Because of this experience, I not only became sure of the career path I wanted to pursue, but I also learned exactly how I could touch each person and give them the most positive experience while they were enduring something so negative. Though it was this experience that allowed me to realize what I wanted to do with my life, it was Mr. Moore who shaped my future education by putting forth his best efforts to ensure my success. Because he so passionately touched my life, I have developed a strong motivation to use my career to positively touch the lives of others, in turn, impacting the world.