Top recognition for two local nursing graduates

Local reporters at Historic City News congratulate students from the SJRCC nursing program who were recognized for special achievements including two St. Johns County residents Nancy Aristimuno for the Florence Nightingale Award and Tina Dalton for the Academic Excellence and Outstanding Student of the Year awards.

St. Johns River Community College recently held a pinning ceremony to recognize graduates of the Associate of Science in Nursing program. The pinning ceremony symbolized the “rite of passage into the nursing profession,” said Anna Lebesch, M.Ed., SJRCC’s vice president for workforce development. The pin is a reminder to the 29 graduates of their purpose to serve the sick and infirmed.

Lebesch described the pinning and lighting ceremony as the symbol of the care and devotion nurses provide. The ceremony is also a continued tradition of Florence Nightingale’s extended honor to her most outstanding nurses.

In addition to the ceremony, students were recognized for special achievements throughout their two-year program. Special awards went to Tina Dalton for Outstanding Student of the Year and Academic Excellence. Nancy Aristimuno received the Florence Nightingale award.

Students were pinned by family members. The recipient of the Florence Nightingale award lit a single lamp and began the Florence Nightingale Pledge with all graduates joining in. This tradition serves as an icon in nursing from Nightingale, who is known as the founder of modern-day nursing. In the 1800s, Nightingale was known as the “lady with the lamp,” tending to the sick while carrying a lamp to light the way. The ceremony was held at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts located on the Orange Park Campus.

The following graduating students are from St. Johns County: Nancy Aristimuno, Tiffany Bailey, Tabitha Coronado, Tina Dalton, Jamie Decker, Gail Easters, Jennifer Norris, Katherine Schatzinger, Sheryl Taylor and Catherine Waler.