High school seniors have a lot on their “To Do” list. From graduation plans, to applying to college, to getting the highest score on the SAT/ACT possible, it can be a tough task to remember they still have to get good grades to pass their classes. For one senior at Greenbrier High School, he’s also adding in fundraising for a non-profit that supports leukemia and lymphoma patients receiving treatment at the Georgia Cancer Center.
“I’ve been selected as a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s ‘Student of the Year’ award,” said Matt Wilson. “If I win, I get a $2,500 scholarship. This money would be huge for my college career and furthering my education.”
Wilson is competing against 12 other students. While he was not familiar with leukemia or lymphoma when he was nominated, he is no stranger to cancer’s impact on a family. He lost his grandfather to cancer, while his grandmother is living with lung cancer.
“As part of my fundraising and education efforts, I talked to a leukemia and lymphoma survivor support group,” he said. “We hear about the statistics of cancer. But, it’s a different feeling and experience when those statistics become real people and real stories.”
The “Student of the Year” award started between two to three years ago. Wilson was nominated by classmates who were previous nominees.
“When I found out I had been nominated I couldn’t get the smile off my face,” he said. “As I started thinking about what it meant, I got even more excited. It’s a great opportunity to channel my love for competition into doing something positive for these patients and their community.”
The winner of the “Student of the Year” competition will be announced on March 8. In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about the program, visit this link. If you’d like to make a donation to Matt, you can do that here.
