Whiz Kid: Laura Nance Benefits from Volunteerism at Hospital

Each week, West Bloomfield Patch features students doing amazing things in their schools and in their communities. 

Laura Nance

• Grade: 11th
• School:
• Achievement: Laura is really good at an important job, according to Emmy Verdis of the Volunteer Services department at Laura has been a volunteer at the hospital, where she helps one day weekly as a lobby assistant and as a coordinator of labor and delivery tours for expectant mothers using the hospital's facilities, since she was 14. According to her mother, Michele Nance, of Novi, Laura has been "putting her feet in the water" to gauge her true interest of a possible course of study in the field of physical therapy, which she has been interested in she was young. Indeed, beginning this fall, Laura will participate in the Oakland Technical Center program of the Novi Community School District next fall to study health sciences while continuing to volunteer at the hospital. In addition, Laura also volunteers twice weekly at a Farmington branch of the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints.
  
  
• Key to awesomeness: Laura has been able to turn her volunteering work with the hospital into a mutually-beneficial relationship, according to Michele. While she gets a lot out of it, she helps a lot of people. "(Laura) just can't stand to be bored. She's friendly and she likes customer service," said Michele. "She makes the right decisions and I can count on her to do something right away. Her younger sister looks up to her an awful lot."
  
  According to Emmy, Laura immediately came to mind when she began to think of teenage volunteers who are great at what they do for the hospital. Emmy said that Laura gives expectant mothers a great deal of relief with her tours thanks her good nature and natural intelligence. "She's a smart kid. She's a good kid and she works hard," Emmy said. "She likes to go the extra mile to help out and she's a big help."
  
  

Do you know our next Whiz Kid?

West Bloomfield Patch welcomes suggestions for students, youth groups and even sports teams who wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or email the information to editor Tim.Rath@patch.com. Please include all these details:

• Nominator's name
• Whiz Kid's name and age
• Whiz Kid's school
• Whiz Kid's accomplishment
• What makes him or her successful