Some teenagers have trouble staying awake in class–but most of them have a fairly normal excuse: they stayed up too late.
Then there are teens who actually do have a good excuse for nodding off: they have narcolepsy, a chronic, incurable condition that causes them to have excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), uncontrollable bouts of falling asleep, and sometimes cataplexy.
For those students, it takes great determination to excel in the academic environment.
Project Sleep, a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness about narcolepsy, recently announced the names of 10 recipients of the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship.
Project Sleep founder and president, Julie Flygare and the Graham Family, began the scholarship program last year, when two students received $1,000 each. Through a $5,000 matching contribution from Jazz Pharmaceuticals, the program was able to add eight more scholarships.
Thirty-four applications were received from residents in 20 different states. The winners were selected because the organization felt they best represent students with narcolepsy who exemplify courage, as well as personal achievement. Said Flygare,
“This year’s recipients have overcome significant adversity and represent a brighter future for narcolepsy.”
For a list of the scholarship recipients, click here.
