ST. PAUL, Minn. - For more than 20 years, Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota has recognized extraordinary young people who have overcome tremendous adversity in life to achieve academic excellence, demonstrate leadership in their communities, and aspire to attend college.
The above traits are exhibited by recipients of the Beat the Odds scholarship.
Southwest senior selected to receive Children'Defense Fund scholarship. Sebastien Lannelongue
This year, six of the most deserving Twin Cities-area high school students have been selected to receive a $5,000 scholarship.
This year’s scholarship recipients are: Christopher Oquist, Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis; Domenic Johnson, North Community High School, Minneapolis; Hennessey Carlbom, Takoda Prep, Minneapolis; Sebastien Lannelongue, Southwest High School, Minneapolis; Shamaria Jordan, Edison High School, Minneapolis; and Mela Nguyen, Great River School, St. Paul.
What does it mean to beat the odds?
"To me, it means that you overcome big obstacles in your life," said Lannelongue, who's family lived in Mexico. His father died when he was 6, immigrated to the U.S. with his mom and brother when he was 12, and then things got worse.
"The end of my sophomore year my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer," Lannelongue said.
"One of the biggest barriers I've had is finding a space that I was very welcome to," said Oquist, who, at 4 years old, was taken away from his biological mother. She was selling drugs in hopes of making ends meet.
Both Oquist and Lannelongue have a common career goal - wanting to help others.
CDF-MN will recognize the six students at its annual Beat the Odds awards celebration on Saturday, April 9 at McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis.
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