Medical Staff Youth Advisory Board Completes Another Year
The Memorial Health Meadows Hospital Medical Staff Youth Advisory Board recently completed another successful year under the direction of Dr. Susanna Meredith, Meadows Gynecologist and Obstetrician. The Board is composed of area seniors with exceptional academic records and interests in a medically related career. Seniors from Montgomery County High School, Robert Toombs Christian Academy, Tattnall County High School, Toombs County High School, Treutlen County High School, Vidalia Heritage Academy, Vidalia High School, and Wheeler County High School were all represented on the board.
The Board began meeting on a monthly basis in October. Programs varied each month, from topics on healthcare and community issues, to special guests discussing topics that were interesting and informative to the students. Students learned both cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during the year, and about the healthcare industry and how integral it is to the wellness and vitality of a community. The motto for the program is “Leading Today’s Youth to a Healthier Tomorrow.” The Memorial Health Meadows Hospital Medical Staff hopes this program will provide participants with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to encourage them to pursue a healthcare related career.
In April 2009, the Medical Staff established two $1,000 scholarships for high school students interested in healthcare careers. One scholarship was named the Ernest Driggers Scholarship after long time Memorial Health Meadows Hospital employee Ernest Driggers for his dedication, loyalty, and hard work. Driggers served as the Director of Engineering with over 40 years of service to the hospital and was a driving force behind the success of Memorial Health Meadows Hospital. Shortly before Driggers passed away in December 2009, the Medical Staff named the scholarship in his honor. The 2020 Ernest Driggers Scholarship was awarded to Jackson Williamson, a senior at Vidalia Heritage Academy who and plans to study nursing at the Georgia Southern University in the fall.
In addition to the Ernest Driggers Scholarship, the Memorial Health Meadows Hospital Medical Staff awarded four additional $1,000 scholarships to the following 2020-2021 Medical Staff Youth Advisory Board students: Taylor Crawford, Toombs County High School; A. Jackson Crawley, Vidalia High School; Olivia Harrelson, Tattnall County High School; Mikenna Salem, Toombs County High School.
