Courtney Bench
Certified School Nurse, Somerset Area School District

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
When I was going through nursing school I did a clinical rotation with a school nurse. Her dedication and excitement for taking care of children inspired me, and from that point on, it was always my dream to be a school nurse.

What do you plan to do with your award?
I plan to purchase weighted blankets for all the school buildings to help students who may be exhibiting signs of stress or anxiety. I will also update my vision screens.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
That school nursing is just handing out Band-Aids and ice packs. We keep up-to-date records on immunizations, dental and physicals; provide health screenings for every student; and take care of students' daily needs whether chronic or acute.

Debra K. Gerlach
Certified School Nurse, Millcreek Township School District

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
I love, love working with kids — especially little kids.

What do you plan to do with your award?
I plan to donate it back to the school to be put toward a driveway for our school garden or for the student garden or needy kids.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
That it is an easy job. It is a challenging job, but I would not say it is an easy job. There is a lot going on all the time and you have to be good at prioritizing, interpersonal skills, multitasking, and critical thinking.

Melinda Landis
School Nurse, Southern York County School District

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
I really enjoy working with students. I think it's important to empower teens to make healthy choices so that they can hopefully avoid chronic health problems in the future.

What do you plan to do with your award?
I plan to replace the cots in my health office and purchase equipment.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
School nurses just hand out Band-Aids and ice packs.

Eileen Ranalli
Certified School Nurse, Riverview Area School District

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
I had been a bedside nurse and manager in the hospital setting for 25 years. I was ready for something new and wanted to see the community side of nursing, and I wanted to teach students.

What do you plan to do with your award?
Because I am retiring in a few weeks, I plan to donate the money back to the school for wellness initiatives.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
That people don’t understand how unique our job is. School nurses use our specialized knowledge, assessment skills and judgment to manage students’ injuries, medical conditions and chronic health illnesses. We promote wellness and serve a critical role in improving school health and academic success for all students and adults.

Jill Schulz
Certified School Nurse, Seneca Valley School District

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
Two individuals encouraged me to become a school nurse, my mother and my aunt. My mother was employed as an elementary school secretary — she worked closely with the nurses — and my aunt was a certified school nurse. I began as a substitute school nurse and enjoyed being the facilitator for the health and wellness of students in the school setting.

What do you plan to do with your award?
Our plan is to explore the option of utilizing and/or contracting with a pet-facilitated therapy program to assist with at-risk students. Research suggest positive effects using dogs with individuals who may have emotional, physical or psychological disabilities.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
School nurses care for students when they arrive at school until they go home, but it requires more than giving out Band-Aids and ice packs. Nurses must be prepared for emergencies, to perform medical procedures, administer prescription medications, provide health screenings, track immunizations and promote wellness in the school setting, just to name a few things.

Bettina Seidel
Certified School Nurse, Capital Area Intermediate Unit

What encouraged you to want to become a school nurse?
Growing up I was encouraged by the experiences of a neighbor who served in WWII as a nurse. I began working as a nurse's aide on weekends and during the summer while in high school. It was during this time that I realized that my passion and future career was to become a registered nurse.

What do you plan to do with your award?
We would like to purchase Stop The Bleed Trauma Kits for our classrooms.

What is the most common misperception about being a school nurse?
A common misconception that many people have about school nurses is that they only deal with common and minor health needs. In reality, today’s educational environment includes many students who have diverse and complex health needs.