As a captain and four-year player on the Edina varsity tennis team, a peer tutor, co-president for standardized testing nonprofit Genesis Test Prep and a three-year captain for the junior volunteers at Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina High School senior Shrey Ramesh is nothing short of a remarkable teenager.
Because of his community involvement and desire to benefit the lives of others, Shrey was recognized last year by the Edina Community Foundation’s Connecting with Kids program, alongside four other community members.
Founded in 1998 from a partnership with an Edina Asset Building Steering Committee and Minneapolis-based Search Institute, Connecting with Kids was established to build a healthy community for Edina youth. Recognizing individuals who actively participate in helping kids become their best, the program honors awardees—nominated by community members— for their community contributions at an annual leadership breakfast.
As the student award recipient, Shrey was nominated by Nancy Schaber, the volunteer specialist at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital along with the entire volunteer department. Schaber says the honor is a reflection of Shrey’s outstanding work ethic and commitment to helping others.
“Shrey is an exceptional person,” Schaber says. “He is very dependable, responsible, good with his schedule and he communicates well.”
Shrey’s involvement in the Fairview program was in part motivated by his interest in pursuing a career in the medical field. By channeling his desire to aid those in need, he has volunteered more than 700 hours at Fairview Southdale Hospital over the past four years.
Since eighth grade, Shrey has worked with over 70 other students across the metro area in grades eight–12 to help transport and discharge patients; field calls throughout the hospital; and deliver blood and lab specimens. Now as a captain, he does all this while overseeing six junior volunteers for four hours each Saturday morning.
“It is really gratifying to see these students really invest in their community in this way and invest in their growth and on behalf of the hospital,” Schaber says. “It is a really positive program and they grow in confidence, maturity, decision making skills and social skills.”
Though Shrey has developed into an ideal candidate for the honor, he credits his ability to perform in such a high-level environment to Schaber.
“Spending time around people who also give their time is a really beneficial,” he says. “To be nominated for the award by someone that I look up to as a really good leader meant a lot to me. It’s just really cool.”
Other 2019 Recipients of a Connecting with Kids Award include:
- Caroline Correia: Community Volunteer
- Ryan Elbing: Edina Hockey Association Coach
- Craig Lebakken: Scoutmaster
- Beth Swanson: Scoutmaster and Historic Cahill School Marm
All have been featured in the pages of Edina Magazine. To nominate candidates for 2020 or to attend this year’s Connecting with Kids leadership breakfast, check out edinacommunityfoundation.org.
M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital
Fairview Southdale Hospital
6401 France Ave. S., Edina
952.924.5000
Edina Community Foundation
Facebook: Edina Community Foundation
Instagram: @edinacommunityfoundation
