Video: Amory Students Receive State and National Recognition for Volunterring

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AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – Twice a week, some Northeast Mississippi high school students bring smiles and a ray of sunshine to some senior citizens. Their work has won them national recognition. But as WCBI’s Alyssa Martin discovered, the students are more proud of the lessons they are learning than the accolades and attention.

Amory High’s 31 health sciences students volunteer each week at the Golden Living Home near downtown Amory. It’s a short trip that pays big dividends.

“They get excited every week that we come and play games with them and exercise with them and visit them in the Alzheimer’s unit and they’re always glad to see us,” said Bo Bulducci, a senior health sciences student.

The students are being recognized on a state and national level for their hard work.

“We received the Mississippi Health Care Association Group Volunteer Of The Year award and from there we were submitted for the National Award and we won the American Health Care Association Group Volunteer Of The Year Award and that was such a humbling experience,” said Sara Beth Pearson, the class instructor.

A different class won similar recognition a decade ago. This year, Pearson’s students had no idea they were being honored. It made the results of their service even more special.

“We came back to school and Mrs Pearson said ‘hey, we won something from Washington!’ and we were like ‘great!’ It was just good to be recognized for all the hard work we put into it, but really it’s all about the residents,” said Cole Chandler, senior health sciences student.

“I enjoy it a lot. It’s really fun to come every week and there’s always people coming and going, new residents every week that you get to see and introduce yourself to,” said Bulducci.

Developing relationships with the residents can teach the students something also.

“They’ll tell us stories about their lives and stuff and it’s a different perspective, like, there’s things you would never think about that they talk about and you more understand it,” said Liz Sawyer, senior health sciences student.

Pearson says she is excited for her students and what they have accomplished the past year.

“I’m so glad that they can see that their actions can be rewarded,” said Pearson.

The students were selected for the national award for their group volunteer efforts out of more than 11,000 other members.

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