Teen volunteer takes top title
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 7 years, 4 months AGO
Photos by LOREN BENOIT/Press Mike and Lori Cuentas congratulate their son Sam at the end of an awards ceremony at Kootenai Health on Tuesday. Sam volunteered over 500 hours with Kootenai Health and was presented the Idaho Hospital Association’s Junior Volunteer of the Year Award as well as a $2,000 scholarship to help pursue higher education.
Brian Whitlock, left, of Idaho Hospital Association, presents 2018 Junior Volunteer of the Year Sam Cuentas with a $2000 scholarship Tuesday afternoon at Kootenai Health.
Brian Whitlock, of Idaho Hospital Association, presents Sam Cuentas with the 2018 Junior Volunteer of the Year Award Tuesday afternoon at Kootenai Health. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
By DEVIN WEEKS
Staff Writer
COEUR d’ALENE — On his last day of volunteering at Kootenai Health before heading to college, Sam Cuentas thought he had one final staff meeting to attend.
"I came in just expecting a closure thing, since this will be my last day here. I have to turn my badge in," Cuentas, 18, said Tuesday.
Instead of an exit survey and paperwork, Cuentas walked into a room full of applauding and cheering friends, family, colleagues and hospital officials who congratulated him on earning the Idaho Hospital Association’s Junior Volunteer of the Year award.
"I definitely didn't expect this,” he said, beaming. "It was quite a surprise."
Cuentas, a Post Falls homeschool graduate and honor student, has completed more than 500 hours at Kootenai Health since he began volunteering at age 15.
Brian Whitlock, president/CEO of the Idaho Hospital Association, shared a recommendation for Cuentas' nomination of the award.
"Sam has been a strong leader, a team player and he has an exceptional work ethic," Whitlock said. "He has led by sharing valuable ideas and observations, raising appropriate concerns but also finding workable solutions to problems. Also, Sam consistently strives for excellence in everything he does."
Whitlock said the Idaho Hospital Association represents 43 hospitals across the state. Cuentas was chosen out of 4,000 volunteers.
“To be picked as the junior volunteer of the year from all of those volunteers is significant," Whitlock said. "He’s been a contributing part of the success of Kootenai Health."
Cuentas was also awarded a $2,000 scholarship to assist him as he pursues higher education. He is enrolled at Whitworth University.
"We're proud. That’s all I can say is proud, humbled," said mom Lori Cuentas. "I have mixed feelings because he’s leaving and bittersweet because he's heading for college, but I’m super proud. He's going to do well. He wants to be an orthopedic surgeon. He’s on track."
Sam thanked those in attendance for their leadership and guidance and thanked his family for their support.
"Everybody who has been here is really a big part of what’s made me want to come back, how welcome I felt here as one of the clan, one of the group,” Sam said.
The Idaho Hospital Association is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that brings together hospital and health care leaders to identify issues of mutual concern and to address those issues to ensure quality health care throughout Idaho.
Info: www.teamiha.org