Gina Sheehan

2010 Recipient

As a freshman at Shrewsbury High, Gina collaborated with her assistant principal and a representative from a local nursing home to start a club called, Adopt a Grandparent. High school students visit the Shrewsbury Nursing Home on a regular basis to share conversation, companionship and activities with residents. The club is now in its fourth year and thriving. As president, she coordinates volunteers to support the director. “The two generations learn from each other, while the seniors enjoy socializing with the students,” Gina states.

A member of the National Honor Society with a challenging academic schedule, Gina also is a volunteer in the UMass Hospital Teen Volunteer program where she works in the pediatrics department with children that have serious obstacles to overcome. For the last five years, Gina has been a member of the Special Peer Connections Club working with autistic classmates. “Through my volunteer work at UMass Hospital, public schools and nursing homes, I have developed an interest in the issues that affect these particular age groups,” Gina says. She intends to pursue an undergraduate degree in mathematics with a minor in secondary education.