Homeless Teen Could Win $100,000 Science Prize and New Future for Family
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Samantha Garvey is one teenage girl who would rather read something called The Journal of Shellfish Research than Glamour magazine.
“What I’m doing is the American dream,” she says.
The 17-year-old high school senior maintains a 3.9 grade point average at her Brentwood, N.Y., high school, studies Italian and plays the violin. She also has an unusual interest that has recently caught some attention: On Wednesday she was named one of 61 Long Island semifinalists in the national Intel Science Talent Search because of her work studying the effects of predators on ribbed mussels.
“I get so excited to tell people about my mussels and crabs that I become a completely different person,” she said.
There’s another reason why Garvey and her family are so excited about her nomination. The teen, along with her parents and her 13-year-old siblings, are now living in a homeless shelter. The top prize for the award is a life-changing $100,000.
“It’s unbelievable,” she told ABC News today. “It might as well be the lottery.”
Garvey and her family have lived in shelters and hotels since she was a little girl. Seven years ago, they were able to move into a house, but in February 2010, her parents were involved in a car accident. They were forced to leave.
“It hurts leaving everything behind and just having to be rushed out of your home,” she said of the experience.
Even though she doesn’t have a place to call her own, or even a desk to do her homework on, the teen has continued to excel at school. Ranking No. 4 in her class, she said she works hard in school for a reason.
“I want to do better for myself,” she said. “I want a better life.”
In two weeks, she’ll find out if she becomes a finalist for the Intel prize, and if she will be given the chance to get her and her family a more permanent place to call home. With so many children across America finding themselves in a similar situation, Garvey has some advice.
“I’m right there with you,” she said. “I hope things get better, because they do.”
That’s just one lesson from a young woman whose future shines bright.
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It was an extremely poor choice of words at the end of the story to say this homeless teen was living the American Dream. Really? Homelessness is the new American Dream? Maybe the disparity between wealthy news anchors and the rest of us has gotten too great that they encourage the rest of us to become poor and homeless. Can you say out of touch?
Posted by: Willie Stubbs | January 12, 2012, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm
It will be her version of the American Dream if she wins the prize. But along with being motivated by her family situation, she certainly seems to have a passion for science. That’s something that often starts from a young early age, making the quality of early eduction a key to the future…
Posted by: Alex J | January 12, 2012, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
boy, wish my grandson could read about you and absorb some of your spirit! oh, he’s an intelligent kid but seemingly is doing NOTHING with it. YOU not only have intelligence, young lady, but the spirit to go forth into the world to make it your own! Here’s all my fingers and toes crossed for you to win the award. truly, it would be going to the right person.
Posted by: kathy | January 12, 2012, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
This wonderful young woman is just more proof that poverty is NOT an excuse to give up or to live a life of crime and blame everyone for it! Go girl GO! She will do great things!
Posted by: BIG JIMMY | January 12, 2012, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm
I agree with Alex — it’s her dream, her vision for herself in spite of of her current situation. She’s an inspiration in my book and the embodiment of the American Dream!
Posted by: Michael | January 12, 2012, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
I am really inspired by this story. How can I, and hopefully many others, contribute to a fund to help Samantha and her family?
Posted by: Royal | January 12, 2012, 9:52 pm 9:52 pm
Good luck, Samantha! We are rooting for you! God Bless You and your family!!
Posted by: velvers | January 12, 2012, 9:57 pm 9:57 pm
@willie stubbs, it is you that is out of touch, you miss what the girl is saying, but maybe it went over your head,,,, anyway, I hope she does win the money, and gets nice place to live, she surely has a very bright future
Posted by: dave | January 12, 2012, 10:36 pm 10:36 pm
Uh … she hasn’t won yet. There are many kids contending for that top prize. I wish they had not interviewed her. It’s just going to increase the disappointment and let down if someone else ends up winning. Having said that, she’s a remarkable young woman and I hope she is able to realize her dreams one way or another. Isn’t it nice to hear a teen express joy and gratitude over the opportunities she has in this country? It’s a nice change. *sigh*
Posted by: Joyce | January 12, 2012, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
Typical story from the feminist industry of how young women are such overachievers and so intelligent. At 17, I didn’t have time to study mussels and crabs. I was working evenings and on the weekends as a busboy trying to pay for the normal costs of dating and being a teenager.
What about the students that placed ahead of her in class? This is the problem of the female dominated news media. Every little success from young woman is celebrated and cheered and the only time we hear about young men is when they are arrested or in sports.
Young men didn’t lose their brains because of feminism but it is obvious that so often young women are getting so much more emotional, educational, career and financial support in our schools, colleges and especially in the home. Mothers dote on their daughters slightest achievement while their sons have to find their own way. It is really sad that even now, after 40 years of feminist power, boys do not have an advocate.
Posted by: Andrew Regan | January 12, 2012, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm
I was likewise deeply moved by Samantha’s story. I would like to make a donation to a fund for her and hope that people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would donate to this remarkable young lady.
Please advise to whom and where I can make a donation. Good luck in your future endeavors Samantha.
Posted by: Marshall Cohen | January 12, 2012, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
Shame on you, Joyce. You don’t see this kind of stamina, spirit, hope and intelligence often, boy or girl. It deserves to be celebrated and not shredded by someone with an ax to grind. Bravo, Samantha. You’ll win whether you land this prize or not. That is VERY clear.
And thank you, media, for sharing this story. Hopefully other kids in challenging family circumstances will be inspired by Samantha as well. Boys AND girls.
Posted by: jfo19 | January 12, 2012, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
That is a beautiful and intelligent young lady. We should all be encouraging people like that instead of finding ways to criticize the news or even the young lady herself. America needs more young people like her, both boys and girls and win or lose, that kind of spirit and stamina and charm will get her many of the things she deserves. Bravo! And a bit of bravo to the parents for doing their part in getting her there.
Posted by: Mad Dog | January 13, 2012, 12:17 am 12:17 am
I work at this high school and was wondering what the ABC news truck was doing at the school today. Im happy to have read such an inspirational story from what seems like a find young lady.
Posted by: Leslie | January 13, 2012, 12:30 am 12:30 am
Good for her. That’s the spirit. It’s better to promote education and awareness than popularity by way of religion. Seems America places too much attention on religion and less on humanism.
Posted by: Yuliq | January 13, 2012, 12:56 am 12:56 am
In a world full of hate political ads, soldiers urinating on dead bodies, we now have this great wonderful story of a young girl who is pulling herself out of a dead end existance. This is wonderful. It shows that even with all of its faults, it is still very possible to make something of yourself in America.
Posted by: Bob Ramos | January 13, 2012, 4:25 am 4:25 am
Even if she doesn’t win I hope some wonderful person or organization provides this lovely girl with money for college!
Posted by: Miss Macy | January 13, 2012, 4:44 am 4:44 am
For whatever reasons Samantha’s family has been homeless and living in homeless shelters for half her life. These are circumstances under many people, especially young people, would allow themselves to give up; give up on wanting to succeed; give up on themselves; give up on pursuing a particular interest; and yes, give up on the American dream. The American dream is often thought as owning one’s home replete with 1.9 children, a white picket fences and 2 cars in the garage. But the American dream changes as our society progresses. During the Great Depresion it was “A chicken in every pot — and window to throw it out of.” The $100K prize isn’t the main part of Samantha’s dream; her dream is to continue to pursue her interest in marine life species. Even if she doesn’t win first place, enough people with the means to do so are inspired by Samantha and will see to it that she and her family won’t be homeless much longer.
Posted by: anm | January 13, 2012, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
She has taken nothing and created something, she isn’t waiting for someone to give her anything, she is not providing excuses – she is providing results, she is using the only thing she has left that can’t be repossessed and is excelling… this is an example of individual grit and it is in short supply now-a-days. For the few comments that have taken away from her accomplishments – you should use you time more constructively as the 17 year old homeless girl did, and maybe you will not be so jealous in the future.
Posted by: James | January 13, 2012, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
WHERE do we send MONEY????
Posted by: fred ayers, md | January 13, 2012, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
Wow. I can’t think of a more hateful comment than Andrew Ragan’s. Instead of celebrating this young lady’s achievement, Mr. Ragan wishes that we were back in the 1950s, when only the man worked and women were worth nothing but being a wife and homemaker. It is sad that in 2012, there are still people that will still believe that boys are better than girls. How many of you here on this thread agree with me? Shame on you, Andrew Ragan!
Posted by: ETHAN YOUNG | January 13, 2012, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
How can we donate money to a legitmate fund established for Samantha?
Posted by: Alice | January 13, 2012, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
There are so many Homeless people in Hati(other parts of the world) that’ll never get a break like this. O well the fix is in!
Posted by: Tim | January 14, 2012, 12:03 am 12:03 am
Stories like this often end up being vehicles for subtle (or not so subtle) preaching. I’m left wondering whether Andrew has something of a chip on his shoulder, and whether James would be disappointed if Samantha has ‘taken’ any benefit from a social safety net, or developed her science passion at one of the better public schools. We don’t know. Nor do we know how things would’ve turned out if she lived in a slum within a purely “bootstrap” society. Maybe she’s one of the rarer type that would still go on to great things. I certainly don’t discount the possibility. In any case, good luck to her.
Posted by: Ryan | January 14, 2012, 12:57 am 12:57 am
Good for you Sweetheart. Don’t give up. I know you can do it.
Posted by: wolfstarr | January 14, 2012, 1:49 am 1:49 am
Ms. Garvey – You are a shining example of the possible! You have clearly worked very hard all of your life and you are deserving of the best opportunities life has to offer. Passion and commitment will take you wherever you want to go.
Posted by: Cheryl | January 14, 2012, 10:06 am 10:06 am
She is not homelss if she lives in a shelter. That is absurd…..
Posted by: Joe in Missouri | January 14, 2012, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm
Joe in MO- Your comment is what is absurd, not your misunderstanding of what the term “homeless” means. The LEGAL definition of homelessness, from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act includes “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence,” which is further explained to include children who live in “emergency or transitional shelters.” If we go by the phrase “home is where the heart is,” anyone with a heart is not homeless. If we go by the legal use of the term (which, by the way, seems FAR more applicable than any colloquialism) she’s homeless, and you’re wrong.
Posted by: Capstone | January 15, 2012, 7:43 am 7:43 am
If that young lady does not win the Intel prize I’m going to be furious. Not sure what I’ll do, but I’ll be furious.
Posted by: Zuhair Al-Masri | January 15, 2012, 11:56 am 11:56 am