On Friday June 7, in honor of Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day, NJCTS presented the two top scholarship awards to graduating New Jersey seniors. The second-place recipient was Christian Conception, 18, of Piscataway.
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurobiological disorder characterized by uncontrollable movements and sounds known as tics. As many as 1 in 50 people show signs of TS or other tic disorders which is frequently accompanied by mental health disorders including ADHD, OCD, and anxiety.
Christian was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome when he was six years old. However, his tics did not stop him from thriving both academically and socially. Christian was very busy in high school, participating in Model United Nations, Youth and Government, German Club, Origins Club, Choir and Theater, to name a few.
“I made a promise to myself that I have kept to this day: do not let others define you, and be true to yourself,” he states in his scholarship essay. “I have accepted who I am, tics and all.” Christian is a graduate of Saint Joseph High School and will be attending Rutgers University in the fall.
Academic achievement, community involvement and accomplishments all play a part in the NJCTS Scholarship Committee’s decision in selecting winning candidates each year.
“We are so proud of these young men and women for all they have accomplished during their high school careers,” said Santina Reichenbach, Acting Executive Director of NJCTS. “We cannot wait to see what they will do in college and beyond, as they continue to prove that Tourette Syndrome does not have to hold you back.”
Christian’s scholarship winning essay can be found at www.njcts.org/teens4ts/