Kootenai Health Foundation awards $33,500 in scholarships

The Kootenai Health Foundation scholarship committee announced Monday it has awarded 27 scholarships totaling $33,500 for 2024.

The scholarships were created by three local families: The Yuditskys, Pierces and Espinozas. The scholarships receive additional funding from supporters at Kootenai Health and in the community. They are awarded to individuals working to further their health care educations.

“It is such a pleasure for us to partner with these generous donors,” Cara Nielsen, president of the Kootenai Health Foundation, said in the news release. "They understand the important role an educated and skilled health care workforce plays in our community, and they have stepped forward to help fund that.”

The Yuditsky Family Clinical Excellence Scholarship was established in 2009 by Jack and Helen Yuditsky. Its purpose is to assist employees of Kootenai Health with continuing education costs in the pursuit of advancing clinical excellence. This year, the scholarship fund awarded 11 individuals a total of $13,064. Since its inception, it has awarded 129 scholarships for a total of $95,156.

The Pierce Family Scholarship was established in 2017 by certified registered nurse anesthetist Sarah Pierce and family. Pierce began her career at Kootenai Health in 2001 as a nurse in the intensive care unit. She eventually returned to school to become a CRNA. She is passionate about helping others advance their careers. This year, the scholarship fund awarded 11 individuals a total of $12,759. Since its inception, it has awarded 72 scholarships totaling $63,481.

New this year is the Delaney Espinoza Pediatric Education Scholarship, started by Kootenai Health’s Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Espinoza and family. This scholarship was established to honor the life of the Espinoza’s eldest daughter, Delaney, who was born with a rare congenital condition known as Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Their intent for the scholarship is to help recipients advance clinical excellence in pediatric care, especially for patients with challenges such as those faced by Delaney. In its first year, the scholarship fund awarded five individuals a total of $7,615.

“Investing in our people is one of the characteristics of a great organization,” Kootenai Health CEO Jamie Smith said in the news release. "When generous donors join us by investing in scholarships, we all benefit by having a more skilled health care workforce available when we need it.”

Nielsen said donations to scholarship funds help staff members increase their skills, which also helps with employee retention.

"The recipients of these funds are continuing to work while they further their educations," she said. "This is a way to keep people in our workforce while they prepare to advance."