By Cypress Cove Resident Marsha Addis, Member, Cypress Scholarship Committee
Abigayle “Abby” Pierre is the daughter of Marjorie Saintheard, a dietary aide at Cypress Cove for the last 12 years. Abby is also a remarkable Cypress scholar.
Soon to be a graduate of Florida Southwestern State College, Abby’s associate degree in nursing will be the springboard, ultimately, for working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN). Meanwhile, Abby has earned her home health aide certification and is working toward earning a phlebotomist certificate “to get more healthcare experience that’ll benefit…my future nursing career.”
Abby chose nursing for her major because “I have always had a passion to take care of people. I feel that there’s no better thing to learn than the human body and the different illnesses that can occur as well as the way to help (the body) heal and recover.” Ultimately, Abby wants to be a pediatric nurse. “I will be able to wake up every day doing something I am devoted to.”
This semester, Abby received her sixth Cypress scholarship—the Chalmers & Beatrice Sechrist Scholarship. That scholarship also helped fund her fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters. The first award she received was the Bill & Janet Nichols Scholarship (Spring 2020), with the Bert & Joanie Jenks Scholarship for Persistence funding her fall 2022 semester and the Robert and Peggy Kleckner Scholarship covering her spring 2023 tuition.
At the 2022 Celebration of Scholars event, Abby met Jonathan Sechrist, the son of Chalmers and Beatrice Sechrist. From him she learned about his mother’s history as a nurse. “It was nice to know that my sponsor had something in common with me. It gave me motivation to continue so that I may be able to do the same in the future for aspiring nursing students.”
What kind of person is Abby, in addition to being an excellent student? The letters of recommendation accompanying her scholarship application reveal that, as a volunteer, “She has proven to be a young woman of integrity with strong moral values, and she has put a lot of effort and dedication toward enriching the lives of…less fortunate children and families…” (Lunise Celeste, Founder/CEO of Youth Transformation Foundation, Inc). As an employee, “Abigayle…quickly earned respect and admiration from her peers, largely (due) to her amazing work ethic and kind personality.” (Carolina Lerma, Assistant Manager Merchandising, Old Navy).
Abby balances her academic work with reading, especially self-development and mystery/thriller books. And her artistic side is evident from her graphic designs that she creates on her MacBook and sells on Etsy (see Abby’s Graphics).
The Cypress family looks forward to following Abigayle Pierre’s progress as she continues on her path to becoming a pediatric nurse. We are sure that her future patients will be well taken care of by her.