2020 Maranacook Community High School
Market Decisions Mainely Character Scholarship $2500
“I have a passion for helping people.”
Collin has helped others throughout his high school years. He’s coached younger students in sports and volunteered in the local hospital. One summer he taught paddle boarding at Camp No Limits, for students with limb loss or limb differences. Many campers thought they could never learn, but his patience and empathy encouraged them to try. They gained confidence and pride as they succeeded.
During his junior year, Collin faced an unexpected challenge: he began to have difficulty walking and his joints were swollen. His life became filled with medical appointments, shots, tests, and misdiagnoses. He had to quit the ski team, after winning at States the previous year. He missed the camaraderie of his team. He was nauseous, in pain, and scared.
Eventually, his mother took him to Boston Children’s Hospital. He vividly remembers her pushing his wheelchair through the entrance. There he was diagnosed with Stills Disease, or Systemic Juvenile Inflammatory Disease. After a series of treatments, he is well. He says this experience has strengthened his desire to help others.
Collin will attend Bentley College in the fall as a business/environmental science major.