Courtesy photo
Ian Reardon Awarded CES Scholarship
Chatham Emergency Squad
Ian Reardon received the 2023 Christine K. Grobert Chatham Emergency Squad (CES) Scholarship, granted since 2014 to a graduating Chatham High School student who has been committed to volunteerism and/or has displayed an interest in the field of medicine or science.
Ian, also an Eagle Scout, is going to attend the Nursing and Healthcare Management program at the University of Pennsylvania this fall. “The goal of the NHCM program is to get a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the School of Nursing and a Bachelors of Science in Economics (BSE) with a concentration in Healthcare Management from the Wharton School in five years,” he said.
During this summer, Ian plans to become a certified EMT. “I hope to stay involved with CES for as long as I can. At UPENN, I will be involved with the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT). This is a club that provides EMS services to the college campus and gives EMS medical training to students.”
Ian learned about the cadet program from a fellow boy scout, Brad Rindos, who encouraged him to apply to the program. At that time Ian was interested in the field of marine mammal veterinary, and found emergency medical experience fitting this field. He had also witnessed many emergency medical events and wanted to be the person who could help. “From the moment I first started on the Thursday night crew, I felt welcomed. Everyone was very supportive and pushed me to learn as much as I could. The crew was a very big help when I went through the EMT course at Union County College. I have learned so much from being around my crew and on calls,” he said. CES Captain and Deputy Cadet Manager, Nicole DiMaggio, said: “Ian is a perfect example of the quality of student that makes our cadet program shine. He is smart, inquisitive, mature and both learns from and teaches his fellow EMTs. We are so proud of him and all our cadets.”
The scholarship applications were judged by an 8-member team who did not know the identity of the applicants as they were assigned a number. Each applicant was scored based on their volunteerism, their essay, and the financial impact to the applicant. In his essay, Ian wrote about how the cadet program and being a part of CES has changed his life and inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. During the nine years of the CES scholarships, cadets have won it six times while three previous winners were not affiliated with the CES cadet program, CES President Evan Skinner explained.
The CES Scholarship program was spearheaded by long-time CES volunteer and former president Christine K. Grobert who was amazed by Chatham’s cadet volunteers. “Right from the beginning of the cadet program, our young adult volunteers have displayed an impressive level of dedication, compassion, and maturity for their patients and their roles as EMTs. The Board of Trustees wanted to be able to acknowledge and highlight the spirit of our cadet volunteers and similar teens in the community who are donating their time to improve the lives of others. This scholarship focuses on service, which is the backbone of the Emergency Squad,” Grobert said.
“Ian embodies the characteristics that make the Chatham Emergency Squad such a successful organization. He values respect for others and continuous dedication for service to his community. Another standout attribute that set Ian apart from the other impressive applicants this year, was his recognition of the importance of a collaborative team effort and open communication when working with others, respecting everyone’s role and voice,” Grobert stated.
CES is an all-volunteer organization funded through donations and never charges for its services. CES provides stand-by support for community and school athletic events. CES also provides free CPR training to residents, teachers, coaches, crossing guards, and emergency personnel. New members are always welcome. To learn more, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.chathamemergencysquad.org.
