FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AREA STUDENTS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO PURSUE NURSING EDUCATION
VNA of Somerset Hills Encourages Nursing Careers

Claire Drake	Amanda Bassiacos	Samantha Cembrook

BASKING RIDGE, NJ (June 24, 2009) – Three area high school seniors were awarded scholarships towards their college education by the Board of Trustees of Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills (VNA). All three students will begin college in the fall and major in nursing. Ridge High School senior Amanda Bassiacos of Basking Ridge will attend Fairfield University; Bernards High School senior Samantha Cembrook of Bernardsville will attend Villanova University; and Claire Drake of Long Valley and West Morris Central High School will attend Boston College. The recipients, who were presented with the scholarships at their schools’ award ceremonies, will also spend a day with VNA nurses exploring opportunities in home health care.

“These young women were very impressive in their academic and extra-curricular achievements and showed a strong desire to establish a career in nursing. The VNA is very committed to increasing the number of nurses for the future,” said Evelyn K. Savage, VNA of Somerset Hills CEO.

Each year, the Board of Trustees of the VNA awards college scholarships to high school seniors from Somerset or Morris County who plan to pursue a degree in nursing. The nursing scholarship was created in 1991 and is funded with proceeds from the VNA’s bi-annual Rummage Sale.