Jun 19, 2009
LOCAL STUDENTS WIN NATIONAL MS SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIPS
Hampton Roads, VA-- Two local high school students have worked hard to overcome many obstacles. Shelby Daniel of Norfolk and Emily King of Suffolk have been awarded the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Scholarship - created to assist people and families living with MS who are striving to attain a higher education.
Daniel and King are two of510 people nationwide receiving the scholarship, which provides financial relief for people affected by MS who are pursuing a post-secondary education. Scholarships totaling $1,021,600 range from $1,000 to $3,000 and are for one year – non-renewable.
Recipients were chosen based on financial need, academic record, school and community involvement, as well as on a personal essay discussing the impact of MS on their life. Winning this scholarship was essential to Shelby Daniel who was diagnosed with MS in 2008 at the age of 16. Even after missing several weeks of school, she was determined to work through the challenges to graduate from Maury High School one year early. Her dream is to become a psychologist to help others who are living with autoimmune diseases cope with the challenges they may encounter.
“I don’t consider my disease a limitation on my abilities,” says Daniel. “I consider it the push I need to get a head start on surpassing my goals and beginning my life journey to become the person I have always wanted to be.” Daniel has received a $2,000 scholarship and will be attending Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall.
Emily King has been affected by multiple sclerosis since her father’s diagnosis in 2000. She has watched her father struggle with his loss of vision due to the illness. As a result of MS, King’s father is no longer able to work, making her mother the main source of income for the family. As a family, the King’s participate in the annual Bike MS event on the Eastern Shore. Emily and her mother volunteer, while her father rides his bike guided by his brother in-law. “I began volunteering due to my father’s disease,” says King. “When he rides, I go with him and volunteer. I intend to continue volunteering and to help out any way I can in the fight against multiple sclerosis.” King, who is graduating from Lakeland High School in Suffolk, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship and will attend either the Virginia Polytechnical Institute or Tidewater Community College in fall.
“We know so many families are struggling to cope with the financial impact of MS,” said Sharon Grossman, President, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Hampton Roads Chapter. “We know situations where kids have deferred college acceptance to work and save, young people who can’t bring themselves to ask their parents to co-sign student loans, even situations where a scholarship has been turned down for lack of funds for all the non-tuition expenses. This is why we are fighting this frequent side effect of MS – because MS shouldn’t stand in the way of an education.”