CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Clarksville Volunteer Auxiliary awarded five $1,500 Grace P. Ford Scholarships to graduating seniors from local high schools who completed service through the VolunTeen program at Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital. The 2026 recipients — Taeyoon Nam, Mahi Patel, Ava Roberts, Alexis Perras and Anna Marie Adams — collectively contributed more than 840 hours of volunteer service to the hospital during their tenure, and each was recognized for academic excellence, leadership and community involvement.
The VolunTeen program offers high school students between the ages of 14 and 18 hands-on exposure to real-world health care across the hospital, from nursing floors and central supply to the gift shop and reception desks. The scholarship recognizes students who have gone beyond the program’s requirements to demonstrate sustained commitment to service.
The Grace P. Ford Scholarship, established in 2005, honors a volunteer who gave more than 50 years of service to the Clarksville hospital community. Ford began her work in 1954 and played a central role in building the relationship between the institution and the broader community. Since the scholarship program’s founding, the Clarksville Volunteer Auxiliary has awarded more than $337,000 in scholarships to students who have volunteered at the hospital.
“Each year, we are inspired by the incredible applicants who share their stories, goals and passion — and this year was no exception,” said Auxiliary President Steve Ahlf. “We celebrate these outstanding students for their achievements and for the bright futures ahead of them.”