A North Brunswick High school graduate is one of the top scholarship recipients awarded by The New Jersey Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders.
Adyan Khondker, 18, was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome (TS) while in the eighth grade.
TS is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by uncontrollable movements known as tics. As many as 1 in 100 people show signs of TS or other tic disorder which is frequently accompanied by mental health disorders including ADHD, OCD and anxiety, according to a press release through the New Jersey Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS).
Khondker’s diagnosis did not stop him from thriving both academically and socially.
He was the varsity captain for the lacrosse team, on the varsity soccer team, the vice president of DECA and the vice president for the National Honor Society at North Brunswick High School.
In honor of Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day, NJCTS presented Khondker a scholarship award on June 4. He was one of nine awarded high school seniors.
“Coping through my Tourette’s has made me stronger, taught me to show humility and have resilience and kindled my passion for helping others,” Khondker wrote in his winning scholarship essay. “I will incorporate my own experience from TS in order to bring as much benefit as possible to both myself and my community.”
Khondker will be attending Rutgers University School of Engineering in the fall.
Academic achievement, community involvement and accomplishments all play a part in the NJCTS Scholarship Committee’s decision in selecting winning candidates each year.
“We are so proud of these young men and women for all they have done during their high school careers,” said Patricia Phillips, executive director of NJCTS. “We are excited to see what they will do in college and beyond, as they continue to prove that TS does not have to hold you back.”
Khondker’s scholarship winning essay can be found at www.njcts.org/teens4ts.
NJCTS, the nation’s first Center of Excellence for Tourette Syndrome, is a not-for-profit organization committed to the advocacy of children and families with TS and its associated disorders.
The Center is dedicated to delivering high quality services to individuals with TS. The Center recognizes the importance of educating the public, medical professionals, and teachers about the disorder through programs and affiliations with public schools, health centers and universities.
For more information about TS and the programs available from NJCTS, visit www.njcts.org.
