WHMS Awards Healthcare Scholarships To Local Youth

ATKINSON — West Holt Medical Services Foundation (WHMSF) and West Holt Memorial Hospital (WHMH) recently announced their 2019 spring healthcare scholarship award recipients.

West Holt Medical Services Foundation Scholarships

Christa Wentworth and Sidney Braun, both of Atkinson, have been selected to receive $500 each toward their degrees in the medical field.

Wentworth is a 2016 graduate of West Holt High School in Atkinson and is currently in her third year of undergraduate studies at Chadron State College in Chadron where she is a participant in the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP).

Wentworth plans to graduate in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in human biology and go on to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha where she will pursue a doctorate in physical therapy.

“My hope is to return to Atkinson to practice physical therapy. Atkinson is where I first fell in love with physical therapy and learned that it is much more than just helping someone through the physical pain of an injury,” she said.

Braun is a 2017 graduate of West Holt High School and is currently pursuing a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln.

Upon graduating in 2022, Braun hopes to return to Atkinson to practice nursing in the hospital emergency room and trauma setting. 

“I want to put my education to work in my hometown,” she said.

Since 1988, WHMSF has awarded more than $55,000 to 237 students, many of which have returned to the area for employment.

West Holt Memorial Hospital Scholarships

Leighton Mlady of Atkinson and Samantha Pulis of Stuart have been selected to receive $500 each toward their degrees in the medical field.

Mlady is a 2019 graduate of West Holt High School. This fall she will attend Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD, and pursue a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Upon graduation, Mlady hopes to apply to the nurse practitioner program at Mount Marty College.

“There is a great shortage of nurses in the U.S. today, especially in rural areas. I plan on coming back to Atkinson because I feel it is important to give back to a community who has given me so much,” she said.

Pulis is a 2019 graduate of Stuart Public School. This fall she will work towards an associate's degree in the paramedic program at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. Upon completion of her paramedic degree, Pulis plans to work towards a nursing assistant license and become a member of the fire department.

“Working as a nurse aid has gotten my feet wet in the healthcare field. I have been able to make my passion of helping others grow even stronger,” she said.

“Our hospital and foundation are proud to continue our scholarship legacy with hopes that these students will return to the area to provide much needed healthcare services to our community,” said Jessica Prussa, foundation and marketing director at WHMS. 

For more information about scholarships available through the foundation and hospital, visit www.westholtmed.org or call (402) 925-1956.