Toms River’s Dylan Wallace Earns Top 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 Dylan Wallace, 18, of Toms River.

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.

“In my mind my Tourette’s is not something that can hold me back, but something that gives me a story and sets me apart from everyone else around me,” states Dylan in his essay. In high school Dylan participated in many extracurricular activities including the basketball team, Key Club and volunteering several times with Habitat for Humanity. Dylan dreams of becoming a filmmaker. He is graduating from Toms River High School South and will be attending the University of Tampa in the fall.

“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.”

Dylan’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.