First CHOICE – RHCA Student Leader Scholarship Awarded

The Coalition Halting Obesity in Children Everywhere (CHOICE), a non-profit started by two local teens, and the River Hill Community Association (RHCA) partnered in 2013 – 2016 to promote community wellness by co-sponsoring an annual Health Fair. After covering expenses, the organizations agreed to use the remaining proceeds to fund a scholarship to be awarded to a local student interested in pursuing a medically-related career. During the Board of Directors meeting on July 10, the first CHOICE-RHCA Student Leader Scholarship was awarded to Yifan (Andrew) Zhang.

Andrew is a River Hill resident and recent graduate of Atholton High School (AHS), has served on the Association’s Teen Advisory Committee for two years, and volunteered at the Health Fair in 2015 and 2016. In addition to being a strong student, Andrew was also an officer in the Student Leadership Cadre at AHS and was involved with the school’s STEAM Team. Andrew was inspired to give back to the community and to pursue a career in medicine following a visit in 2011 to see his Grandfather in a crowded, rural hospital in China. On this visit, he was exposed to the lack of medical equipment, treatment, and facilities in countries less developed than the United States. He plans to study chemical and biomolecular engineering as an undergraduate and to obtain a medical degree with the goal of developing cost-effective medical treatments for underserved communities. We wish Andrew all the best in his future endeavors!