It’s not a joke. It’s not a punchline. It’s not an excuse. Those are the refrains from four Youth Advocates who live with Tourette Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder characterized by uncontrollable movements or vocalizations known as tics. The disorder is… Continue Reading
Daniel was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay he included with his application. I was in elementary school when I was first diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at age ten. I still remember the first… Continue Reading
Julianna was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay she included with her application. Looking back, I can recall the countless sleepless nights where I would stay up, staring at the ceiling, just waiting for… Continue Reading
Gavin was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay he included with his application. I’ve faced many obstacles for something I had no control in doing. I expected my peers to not understand, but I… Continue Reading
Ethan was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay he included with his application. Most people perceive me as an average seventeen-year-old. They would describe me as a friendly, hand-working, and goal-oriented boy from my… Continue Reading
Ryan was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay he included with his application. I gazed upon the vast audience as I began to recite my speech. My mind was racing, knowing that I had… Continue Reading
Erin was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay she included with her application. “Breathe, Erin… you’re in control.” These words echo in my mind all the time. It has always been my mother’s way… Continue Reading
Paige was a winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay she included with her application. “Yep! She’s got it!”, my doctor pronounced over the speaker phone as I stood in my living room. My sister, who… Continue Reading
Natasha was a second place winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay she included with her application. “Do not let us speak of darker days; let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not darkdays:… Continue Reading
Jordan was a second place winner of a 2021 NJCTS Scholarship Award. This was the essay he included with his application. Tourette has been a defining part of my life, and dealing with it has shown my growth inmany different… Continue Reading