My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls High School. I want to take the time to thank you for this opportunity and considering me for this scholarship. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sport. Awards I have received in the past are first team lake division for baseball in 2023, 2024 and 2025, rookie of the year in 2022, and the MVP award in 2025. For basketball I received the coaches award in 2023, and 2024. I was team captain for basketball and baseball for 2024 and 2025. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support most during the darkest times in my life. Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, compassion and hope.

My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls High School. I want to take the time to thank you for this opportunity and considering me for this scholarship. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sport. Awards I have received in the past are first team lake division for baseball in 2023, 2024 and 2025, rookie of the year in 2022, and the MVP award in 2025. For basketball I received the coaches award in 2023, and 2024. I was team captain for basketball and baseball for 2024 and 2025. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support most. During the darkest times in my life, Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, compassion and hope.

My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls High School. I want to take the time to thank you for this opportunity and considering me for this scholarship. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sport. Awards I have received in the past are first team lake division for baseball in 2023, 2024 and 2025, rookie of the year in 2022, and the MVP award in 2025. For basketball I received the coaches award in 2023, and 2024. I was team captain for basketball and baseball for 2024 and 2025. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support most. During the darkest times in my life, Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, compassion and hope.

My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls High School. I want to take the time to thank you for this opportunity and considering me for this scholarship. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sport. Awards I have received in the past are first team lake division for baseball in 2023, 2024 and 2025, rookie of the year in 2022, and the MVP award in 2025. For basketball I received the coaches award in 2023, and 2024. I was team captain for basketball and baseball for 2024 and 2025. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support during the darkest times in my life. Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, and hope.

My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls High School. I want to take the time to thank you for this opportunity and considering me for this scholarship. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sport. Awards I have received in the past are first team lake division for baseball in 2023, 2024 and 2025, rookie of the year in 2022, and the MVP award in 2025. For basketball I received the coaches award in 2023, and 2024. I was team captain for basketball and baseball for 2024 and 2025. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support most. During the darkest times in my life, Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, and hope.

My name is Grady Gervais and I am a senior at Enosburg Falls Middle and High school in Enosburg Vermont. Thank you for taking the time to read my essay and give me this opportunity to tell my story. Growing up, school has always been closely connected to sports for me. Athletics gave me a place to grow, compete, and learn discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Throughout high school, I have been a four-year varsity athlete in golf, baseball, and basketball. Sports have shaped who I am both on and off the field, and they have taught me the importance of commitment, leadership, and hard work. Baseball, in particular, has been a major part of my life, and I have been fortunate to receive awards recognizing my dedication and performance in the sports. I am proud to say that I have committed to continue my baseball career at Hudson Valley Community College, where I will study Psychology. My experiences throughout school have inspired me to pursue a career as a school counselor. I want to be someone students can trust and turn to during difficult times, just as counselors were there for me when I needed support most. During the darkest times in my life, Living with Tourette’s has not always been easy. Growing up, I was often bullied for being different, and there were times when I struggled deeply with my mental health. Not only do I have Tourette’s but I have a disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis disease. In short, this means that my esophagus is allergic to certain food groups. I have to take a lot of medications and on a typical day, I am often not able to eat much. My stomach does not tolerate food that well at times. I am currently not able to eat gluten, dairy, fin fish and shell fish and I am anaphylactic to all nuts. I have always felt weird, different, and have lived with anxiety and depression most of my life. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they also helped shape my passion for helping others. Counseling truly changed and saved my life. My freshman year of high school things were really hard and I did not think I could push through with life anymore and could not see my purpose in life. I attempted to take my own life. Having people who listened, supported, and believed in me gave me the strength to keep moving forward. Because of that, I want to dedicate my future career to helping students who may be facing challenges of their own, whether it is bullying, anxiety, depression, or simply feeling alone. Outside of school and sports, I enjoy golfing, working out, and helping coach youth sports. Coaching younger athletes has shown me how important positive role models can be in a child’s life. I enjoy encouraging kids, helping them build confidence, and teaching them lessons that go beyond sports. This summer, I will continue working at Hannaford Super Market while also playing Legion Baseball. Balancing work, athletics, and community involvement has taught me responsibility and time management while helping me continue to grow as a person. As I move into the next chapter of my life, I am excited to continue pursuing both academics and athletics while working toward a meaningful career in psychology and counseling. My experiences have taught me resilience, empathy, and the importance of supporting others. I hope to use those lessons to make a positive difference in the lives of students who may need encouragement, understanding, and hope.

I would like to receive this scholarship because despite my disabilities I have achieved goals that I never thought I could achieve. I have tourette's and eosinophilic esophagitis disease and both of these things in my life had made me feel different, made me physically sick, and at times held me back from doing the things I have wanted to do. Growing up I was the son of a single mother and receiving this scholarship will help take some financial burden from my mom. My mom has worked more than one job for my whole life to make sure I have all that I need and want. I am attending and committed to play baseball at Hudson Valley College and this scholarship will be used towards my tuition and or books. Sports have been a constant place where I have felt accepted, gained confidence, and given me purpose when I could not find one else where. The sport that has really impacted my life has been baseball. Being on the pitchers mound has become my home and place that makes me feel such happiness and joy despite having some really hard days physically with my disabilities. In my elementary days I was not invited to birthday parties or sleep overs because my EOE does not allow me to eat a lot of food groups and parents were afraid to feed me. This made me hate who I was and my disability. During middle school I started getting picked on by my peers for my tics. Instead of asking questions, they often imitated me and called me names. This was really the time that I started spending a lot of time on baseball. I worked with a coach once a week on pitching and hitting. I dove head first in working hard to find joy in something and that became baseball. Finding joy in baseball was easy but working through my disability while playing baseball was the hard part. I am a pitcher so I had to learn how to work through the tics while pitching so that it did not effect my performance negatively. This was really hard but I have managed to figure this out and have become successful on the mound. There have been times that I did not know if my dream of becoming a college athlete was obtainable because of my disability. During the summers, I traveled with some of the best players in Vermont playing baseball. I played in front of so many scouts and one of the things that always came up was how twitchy I was and how it affected my mechanics. This feedback was really hard but I have worked tirelessly to work through this and I believe I have. Another huge factor that has made me who I am is attending counseling. Counseling has become other then baseball, the thing that has saved my life. High school has been really hard on me with peers not understanding my tics, or just making hurtful comments about me. My freshman year of high school things were really hard and I tried to take my own life. I felt like I had no other option. Counseling has given me the tools and skills to work through those hard days. There is nothing that can get in my way of achieving my goals because I finally believe in myself. I finally believe that my disabilities do not define me and will not hold me back at achieving my goals and dreams. In the fall, I will study psychology to eventually become a school counselor.

I have demonstrated perseverance through my disability by always pushing through and staying positive. Throughout my life, I have been bullied and treated poorly by peers for being different. Peers have not always understood why I make so many movements and cannot control my body and that often led to being called names and picked on. During middle school, I decided to take the things that had happened to me and turn it into something positive. I started mentoring other kids, befriending other kids who were seen as "weird" and different. During this time I made a difference in the lives of peers who had not made friends and were excluded from a lot of activities. I took it upon myself to create opportunities to include these peers who were excluded and or picked on. I would invite them to sit with me at lunch, play games at recess, and just have conversation with them. Today, I still remain very close to some of the peers that I mentored and befriended. As I have grown older, I have learned to accept my physical disability and realize that I can achieve all of my goals if I work hard and stay positive. Days are often hard, my body hurts, I feel sad and frustrated not being able to control my body but I push through because achieving my goals is very important to me. Baseball has always been something that has motivated me, given me confidence, and given me purpose. I have been able to become a successful baseball pitcher and have faced adversity with my disability but I have been recruited to play baseball in college and I want to be a role model for other kids with physical disabilities. I have shown perseverance by reaching my goal to become a college athlete when at times I just wanted to give up. In the future my goal is to become a school counselor because being in counseling has saved my life. There was a time I tried to take my life and through counseling I have learned to love my life and when things are hard, I have learned the skills to be able to manage. I want to make a difference in the lives of others. That is my number one goal and mission in my life. I know that if I can achieve the things I have with my physical disability, then so can many other people. I want to help others see their worth and capabilities when they themselves struggle to see that in themselves. I know that my physical disability does not define who I am and I am unstoppable.