Auburn, Calif. – Two local students, Rochelle Mercado a graduate of CORE Charter High School and Tani Thomsen a graduate of Placer High School, have been selected to each receive a $1,000 scholarship through the April Moore Memorial Scholarship Program.
Mercado graduated from CORE Charter High School in Colfax in 2012. She has been working toward her Nursing Degree at Sierra College and will be transferring to Ameritech College of Healthcare. She hopes to become a Registered Nurse. Mercado is a member of the Walker River Paiute Tribe and hopes to make a positive difference by joining the Peace Corps after completing her studies.
Thomsen graduated from Placer High School in Auburn in 2015. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. She hopes to become a Dermatologist. Thomsen is a member of the Pit River Tribe and hopes to give back to the American Indian community through community service and possibly by practicing on a reservation.
Mercado and Thomsen are the first recipients of a new annual scholarship available through Chapa-De Indian Health. The scholarship was established in memory of Chapa-De’s longtime Board Chair, April Moore who passed away in the Fall of 2015. “This scholarship is fitting because April dedicated her life to advancing American Indian people and devoted herself to both health and education,” said Lisa Davies, CEO of Chapa-De Indian Health, “she would have been elated to support these young American Indian women in achieving their dreams.”
The April Moore Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to an American Indian student planning to pursue a career in healthcare. Additional information is available online at www.chapa-de.org or by calling 530-889-3760.
Chapa-De Indian Health (Chapa-De) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1974 and operates community health centers in Auburn and Grass Valley, California. Chapa-De provides comprehensive primary medical care, dental and orthodontics, behavioral health counseling, psychiatry, nutrition and health education, women’s health, pharmacy, and optometry services to American Indian, low income and limited income community members.