Monmouth Medical Center Presents Arts Impact Scholarship Award at 12th Annual Basie Awards

Photo: Eric Carney, chief operating officer, Monmouth Medical Center, congratulates Lucas Angelo DeGirolamo of Ocean Township High School, as RWJBarnabas Health Monmouth Medical Center Arts Impact Scholarship winner.

For the fourth consecutive year, Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, served as a sponsor for the Basie Awards, a yearly celebration of excellence and achievement in Monmouth County high school theater.

At the 12th annual awards celebration held recently at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Monmouth Medical Center presented the RWJBarnabas Health Monmouth Medical Center “Arts Impact Scholarship” award to Ocean Township High School Senior Lucas Angelo DeGirolamo of Oakhurst.

In his essay titled “Impact of the Arts in My Life,” DeGirolamo says “Without theater in my life, I wouldn’t be the globally and intellectually-minded person I am today. I see theatre as a tool for change. By working as a director, writer, and actor, I want to tell stories that reflect our current global issues… I would also like to see my career come full circle by furthering my education, so that I too can educate younger people.”

“Monmouth Medical Center is proud to continue our partnership with the Count Basie Theatre to support arts in our local schools and community and promote awareness of the importance of the arts in physical and mental well-being,” said Margaret Fisher, M.D., chair of pediatrics and medical director of The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. “Every year, we’re impressed with the incredible level of talent of Monmouth County high school theatre students and are proud to be involved with this effort and help shine the spotlight on students.”

For more information on the Basie Awards, visit www.countbasietheatre.org.

About Monmouth Medical Center
Located in Long Branch, N.J., Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, along with The Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center, is one of New Jersey's largest academic medical centers. From its earliest days, Monmouth Medical Center has been a leader in surgical advancement and has introduced many technological firsts to the region, including robotic surgery and other minimally invasive techniques. Monmouth Medical Center is the only hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties to consistently receive an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization of employer purchasers of health care and the nation’s leading experts on patient safety. It is one of eight New Jersey hospitals to receive a four-star rating from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the highest hospital rating in the state.