Gloucester City’s Damion Sanderson Earns Scholarship from NJCTS

One year since the Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day was instituted in New Jersey, the NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, Inc. (NJCTS) celebrated with an awards ceremony at the War Memorial in Trenton on Thursday, June 6. During the ceremony, NJCTS presented fifteen scholarships to graduating New Jersey seniors, including Damion Sanderson, 18, of Gloucester City.

Scholarships were given by NJCTS to accomplished high school seniors who live with Tourette Syndrome (TS)—an inherited, neurological disorder that affects 1 in 100 individuals.

Described by his mentors as a “treasure” and “compassionate,” Damion spent his high school career pushing himself “to achieve past expectations,” He was on the school soccer team for all four years, played on the bowling team for two years, ran track for one year and participated in the high school Gaming Club. Outside of school, he worked at the firehouse in the Junior Academy and has been employed for the past two years working as a produce clerk at Acme. Even with his busy schedule of extracurriculars, Damion was very successful academically and intends to begin Camden County College in the fall with a major of Fire Science. He hopes to become a fireman and eventually enroll in the military.

“We could not be more proud of these young men and woman and all that they have accomplished during their high school career,” said Faith Rice, Executive Director of NJCTS. “They have shown that TS does not have to hold you back. We wish them well in college and in all of their future endeavors.”

Damion’s scholarship winning essay can be found at www.njcts.org/teens4ts.

The NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, the nation’s first Center for Excellence for Tourette Syndrome, is a not-for-profit organization committed to the advocacy of children and families with Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders. Dedicated to delivering high quality services to these individuals, the Center recognizes the importance of educating the public, medical professionals, and teachers about this disorder through programs and affiliations with public schools, health centers, and universities. To learn more about Tourette Syndrome and the programs available from NJCTS, visit www.njcts.org.