
Hobbies and interests
Basketball
National Honor Society (NHS)
Community Service And Volunteering
Key Club
Biomedical Sciences
Biotechnology
Reading
Classics
Contemporary
Young Adult
Adult Fiction
Realistic Fiction
I read books multiple times per week
Kayla D´Angelis
1x
Finalist
Kayla D´Angelis
1x
FinalistBio
I'm a senior at Methacton High School, planning to study nursing and become a pediatric nurse practitioner. I love committing my time to help others and have always had a passion for working with kids. I work part-time as a swim instructor for little kids, play basketball, am a member of different mentorship programs, NHS, and volunteer. I am looking for scholarships to help support students pursuing careers in healthcare.
Education
Methacton High School
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
- Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
Career
Dream career field:
Medicine
Dream career goals:
Swim Instructor & Lifeguard
Goldfish Swimschool2025 – Present1 year
Sports
Basketball
Varsity2023 – Present3 years
Public services
Volunteering
Community Cares — I served as a mentor, led monthly meetings, and attending 20+ hours of mental health conversation & leadership training.2025 – PresentVolunteering
Bread Pantry — I distributed food, clothes, hygiene products, and drinks to families in need.2022 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Evan James Vaillancourt Memorial Scholarship
Before I understood job security, competitive salaries, and flexible scheduling options, I understood comfort. It was the kind of comfort offered by a nurse´s gentle touch, a stuffed bunny, and glow sticks wrapped around breathing tubes. I plan to pursue a career in pediatric nursing because I believe in the power of care, especially for those who are most vulnerable, children. Kids are not only our future, they are our present and deserve care and love in every moment of their lives, especially in times of illness and fear.
As a child, I remember being hospitalized for asthma. I was wrapped in tubes and wires that I didn't understand, struggling to breathe, and I didn't know why. I was so young that a lot of the details have faded, but what remains vivid is the kindness of the nurses on shift. Despite being overwhelmed with patients, they took the time to wrap my tubes in glow sticks. That small gesture turned a frightening experience into something brighter. I didn't just glow in the dark, I felt seen and cared for. That moment lit a spark in me: the desire to be that light for someone else, even if it's just a flicker on their darkest day.
Years later, I fractured my arm playing soccer. It was broken in I think three different places, and I need surgery. I was terrified. The mask over my face, the sterile room, with bright lights, and the looming anesthesia. But then a nurse with a gentle voice stroked my forehead; her touch grounded me in safety. I don´t remember anything else before or after that, just the kindness that has stuck with me to this day. When I woke up, my arm was cradled in a blue cast, resting on a stuffed bunny the nurses had given me earlier. That bunny wasn't just a prop to keep my arm elevated; it was a symbol of care, of humanity in medicine.
These experiences stuck with me and inspire me every day to try to be a light in someone's day. I want to be the nurse who wraps wires in glow sticks, who offers comfort in the form of a stuffed bunny, who makes a child feel safe enough to close their eyes. Pediatric nursing is more than a career to me; it's a way for me to offer hope, make real connections with patients, and directly help children in pain. I want to make a real contribution to the future of patient care by nurturing the well-being of those in need. That is why I chose nursing: to be a source of light, kindness, love, and strength when it's needed most.