2026 - Smile Scholarship Winners
"More Than a Smile: The Impact of Selfless Kindness"
Andrea Leyva
A smile can ease tension, but sometimes making a positive impact begins with a simple decision to stop and help. One afternoon, I met a man who was clearly distressed and searching for help. He spoke only Spanish and explained that he needed legal help but did not know where to go or how to communicate with the people around him. As the child of immigrant parents, I immediately understood the fear and frustration he was experiencing, having seen this situation many times. At first, I hesitated. I did not know this man, and I questioned whether I should get involved. Thoughts raced through my mind. Was his story truthful? Was helping him my responsibility? Like many people, I was cautious about assisting a stranger. However, I also thought about my own parents and how often they had relied on me to translate important information throughout my life. Then another thought crossed my mind: what if I were the only person willing and able to help him at that moment? That realization became my call to action. I decided that even if I could not solve his problem, I could at least help him be heard. Together, we visited several law offices and asked whether someone would be willing to speak with him. I translated his questions, explained his situation, and helped him understand the responses we received. While many offices turned us away, we continued searching. Throughout the process, I saw his anxiety slow down because someone was finally listening to him and helping him navigate a system he did not understand. There was no reward for helping him. I did not receive money, recognition, or even the assurance that his legal issue would be resolved. In fact, after we exchanged phone numbers, he never contacted me again. Yet I do not regret a single moment of the time I spent helping him. This experience taught me that compassion is often a choice rather than a feeling. It is easy to help when there is something to gain, but true kindness means stepping forward even when there is no personal benefit. I also learned that I am willing to act when others need support, even when I feel uncertain or uncomfortable. Sometimes making a positive impact does not require changing someone’s entire life. Sometimes it means giving a person hope, dignity, and the reassurance that they do not have to face a challenge alone.
Alex Rodriguez
It was a nice spring day back in 2025. It was sunny, not too hot, and there was a slight breeze. The perfect day for an outdoor sporting event. On this day was the conference track meet and I was determined to win my events. I was getting my stretches in everything seemed right to perform my best. While we were warming up for the discus throw, I noticed something off in one of my competitor’s technique while he was throwing. His power was centered on the wrong side of his body and his left arm wasn’t level at the finish, which was causing him to pop up the discus when he threw it. I debated whether or not I should be giving advice to this guy. A little bit about this guy, he was the reigning shot put state champion and he was definitely much stronger than I was. I knew he had much more potential to send the discus flying. So despite knowing this about him, I decided to go up to him and explain what he could have been doing better and gave him cues to use in his technique. He was able to realize it, and used those cues in his throws. He ended up throwing much further than he did in his warmups. Actually not only did he throw much further, he also ended up taking first and beating me by a total of two feet. I did not take first like I had planned to, but instead I was able to learn something much better. I learned that seeing someone get better despite getting no personal gain is a great experience. Yes, I was pretty disappointed when I couldn’t take first. But I instead got to see someone improve with cues that I was personally able to see and provide. He would actually throw about 12 feet further after that meet, if he used my cues then I wouldn’t know. So the lesson I learned is that even though everytime you help someone, you may not get something in return, but you get the benefit of seeing someone else succeed.
Anna Lopez
The Person Beside the Patient On my very first EMS clinical shift, I expected to learn how to treat medical emergencies. Instead, I learned that sometimes the person who needs help the most isn't the patient, but the person standing beside them. Our first call was for an elderly, bedbound man. When we arrived, the scene was difficult to take in. His condition reflected the challenges of long term caregiving, and he was too disoriented to understand what was happening. His wife, however, understood everything. She repeatedly apologized for the state of their home and for her husband's condition, visibly embarrassed and overwhelmed. As a student, I was overwhelmed too. Standing beside two experienced EMTs, I felt out of place and questioned whether I could contribute anything meaningful. Then I noticed that while the EMTs focused on caring for her husband, his wife kept looking toward me. She wasn't asking for medical expertise, she was searching for reassurance. I talked with her while the rest of the team cared for her husband. I listened as she shared her worries and gently reminded her that she had nothing to apologize for. I told her that calling for help was the right decision and that no one was judging her. As we talked, I watched the weight of the situation begin to lift from her. Her apologies became less frequent, and she seemed to realize that she was not facing the moment alone. The guilt she had been carrying seemed just a little lighter. In comforting her, something unexpected happened; I became calmer myself. Until that moment, I had been focused on whether I knew enough or whether I belonged in the room. Shifting my attention from my own uncertainty to someone else's needs reminded me why I had chosen healthcare in the first place. We each found comfort in different ways. She found reassurance that she was not alone, and I found confidence that kindness could be just as valuable as experience. There was no personal gain in that interaction. My actions did not change the patient's diagnosis or earn me recognition. However, they changed the atmosphere in the room. A genuine smile, a listening ear, and a few reassuring words helped someone through one of the hardest moments of her life. That experience taught me that positively impacting another person does not always require the most knowledge or the most experience. Sometimes it simply requires being present. I discovered that even in unfamiliar situations, I can offer compassion and help others feel seen. I will carry that lesson with me throughout my life, remembering that while skill is essential, empathy is often what people remember long after a difficult day has passed.
Claire Boudreau
Rubi De La Torre
When I started my CNA clinicals at a nursing home, I expected to learn how to provide care for residents. What I didn't expect was to build such a special connection with one of them in only two weeks. She is a hospice resident, and from the first time I cared for her, I found myself wanting to stop by her room whenever I had the chance. Sometimes I was there to help with her oral care, brush her hair, wash her up, or help feed her. Other times, I would visit simply because I had a few free minutes and wanted to see how she was doing. We could sit and talk for what felt like forever. She told me stories about her life, and I loved asking her questions because every conversation taught me something new. She would ask about my family, school, and my plans to become a nurse, and before long I looked forward to seeing her every shift. One day, I helped her get her television working and asked if there was anything she wanted to watch. She smiled and told me to look up a song on YouTube. As I searched for it, she mentioned that it was her favorite. When it started playing, I realized I knew the song too. Without even thinking about it, we started singing along together. We laughed, danced as much as we could, and for those few minutes, it didn't feel like I was taking care of a hospice resident. It felt like I was simply spending time with a friend. Not every moment with her has been lighthearted, though. One day, she looked at me and quietly said, "I'm dying." My heart broke because I knew there was nothing I could do to change that. I didn't have the perfect words or any way to fix what she was going through. Instead, I sat with her, listened, and reminded her that she wasn't alone. She has told me more than once that I make her feel good, and every time she says that, I am reminded why I chose healthcare. Before meeting her, I thought being a CNA was mostly about helping people with their physical needs. She taught me that caring for someone is so much more than that. It's about making them feel seen, heard, and valued, especially during one of the hardest chapters of their life. Even though I am helping take care of her, I honestly feel like she has taught me just as much as I've helped her. As I continue working toward becoming a nurse, I hope every patient feels respected, supported, and never alone. Selfless kindness isn't always about doing something big. Sometimes, it's simply choosing to stay a little longer, listen a little more closely, and remind someone that they matter.