My name is Jason McKelvey, and I’m deeply passionate about pursuing a career in physical therapy. As a young boy, I learned about the importance of helping people. I grew up with a father who was confined to a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis and a brain tumor. He lost function in his legs and right arm/hand and needed help with all the essentials of daily living. His disabilities meant our time together was different from the typical father-son bonding; I couldn’t throw a football or play basketball with him, instead I helped with things like feeding him, putting on his shoes or jacket, or opening doors. When the physical and occupational therapists were at our home, I often joined in and sometimes helped with his exercises when they weren’t there. His playful attitude made these times fun for me and helped ignite my passion for helping others. In a world where people only seem to focus on themselves, I hear in my head the lesson he taught me: “Be a helper whenever possible.” My dad passed away when I was nine, and soon afterwards I began what has now become another passion for me, playing basketball. Basketball provided me with a place to not only find some peace of mind, but also reiterated the importance of physical health and rehabilitation. Playing on a high-level AAU team that competed along the northeast region was grueling at times, but I loved pushing myself. Because of my drive on the court, I was a 4-year varsity starter in high school, named team captain and MVP, received many other honors and acknowledgments throughout my career, and was recruited to play men’s basketball in college; all while also working part-time and maintaining a 3.5+ GPA. The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is a six-year program and affording college has always been a concern for my mother, she’s been the only income since I was a year old. My Social Security benefits ended in June which was also a huge loss to our household income. I plan to work part-time while also focusing on my academic and athletic career so being awarded the Schmid Memorial Scholarship would help by removing some of the financial burden and alleviate some of the costs associated with tuition, books, and fees. It would also allow me to dedicate more time to my studies rather than working as many hours as I had planned. Pursuing a career in physical therapy is deeply personal to me because I understand the emotional and mental toll that physical disabilities take on both patients and their families. Becoming a physical therapist will not only provide me with a rewarding career, but also the satisfaction that comes from helping people recover from surgery or injuries, manage chronic pain, and live more independent lives. Helping others achieve their physical best is what motivates me and, in my heart, I believe my father’s disabilities greatly influenced my career path and is a tribute to his memory.

From the squeak of sneakers on hardwood to the thunderous applause of the crowd, my passion for basketball ignited in fourth grade and has burned ever since. Every dribble, every layup, and every victory has etched itself into my heart and soul and pushed me to be a better person on and off the court. I never could’ve imagined how much the ups and downs I faced on the court could shape my attitude towards life and my personal growth. The many hours I’ve dedicated to practicing shows the value I place on discipline and hard work, and my constant will to improve has given me a strong work ethic that serves me well both on and off the court. All of my hard work paid off as I finished high school and was a 4-year varsity starter, 2024 MVP, Team Captain, Shore Sports Network Player of the Week, Ranked 7th in the Shore Conference for points per game, Shore Sports Network A-South All-Division First Team, NJBCA Basketball Coaches Association - All NJBCA First Team All-Division, All-Shore Conference Team nominee, 39th Annual WOBM Christmas Classic First Team All-Tournament, Shore Conference Senior All-Star Game participant, and received the Man Amongst Boys Award, and Defensive Stud Award. However, my biggest accomplishment on the court has been committing to play men’s basketball at Ramapo College of New Jersey. During school, I maintained a 3.6 GPA while juggling my high school basketball commitments and competing with a year-round AAU team along the East Coast. My favorite subjects were physical education and science, and I have my sight set on earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I also enjoyed volunteering as a basketball coach for youth teams and refereeing for the summer league. Prior to moving a few years ago, my family and I also volunteered with our church and I was a Vacation Bible School helper, and helped with the building & grounds cleanup, cemetery cleanup, Somerset County Food Bank, Bountiful Backpacks, and meal preparation supporting SHIP (Samaritan Homeless Interim Program). I’m looking forward to college life where I can find opportunities to contribute to my new community. My goal of becoming a physical therapist goes back to my childhood. As a little boy, I grew up with a father who was confined to a wheelchair and who passed away when I was nine. Our time together was different from the typical father-son bonding; I couldn’t throw a football or play basketball with him, instead I helped with things like feeding him, putting on his shoes or jacket, or opening doors. Sometimes, I joined in during his exercises taught by the physical and occupational therapists. His playful attitude made these times fun for me and helped to ignite my passion for helping others. In a world where people only seem to focus on themselves, I hear in my head the lesson he taught me: be a helper whenever possible. To help with the costs of attending college, I plan to work part-time while also focusing on my academic and athletic careers. Being chosen as a recipient of the St. Hilaire Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship would help reduce some of the financial burden that falls upon my mother and myself, allow me to dedicate more time to my studies, and also help set me on the path to becoming a catalyst for people facing challenges. To be able to aid people in their recovery, empower them to lead fulfilling and independent lives, and inspire hope, replacing disability and despair with possibility, is my goal. Thank you for your consideration.

As a child of a single parent, one learns early on that obstacles are not necessarily roadblocks but stepping stones to greater heights. Our single-parent household didn’t technically occur until my father passed away, but it always seemed that way because my dad was sick and in a wheelchair from the time I was an infant until he died when I was nine. There was very little he could do and as a young boy not having an able-bodied dad was hard; I struggled with feelings of jealousy, exclusion, anxiety, and sadness. Admitting I felt jealous of my friends and learning how to work through those feelings was challenging. I always felt different because my dad was disabled and because he died, and I felt alone at times even though I had people around me that loved me. I worked with a counselor who taught me coping skills to help manage a lot of the feelings I was having. Another obstacle was learning to do things without the guidance of a male role model. My mom was always available, but a boy still needs that male figure in his life. Family, being involved in sports, and having great coaches, played a big part in my development. My emotional strength and independence developed earlier than many of my friends out of necessity, but this also allowed me to navigate problems with a sense of confidence knowing I can handle problems on my own, yet my mom was still there with insight and advice. Losing my dad and watching my mom take care of everyone and everything has taught me about hard work, self-reliance, and resilience; we can’t control a situation, but we can control how we react to it. I saw my parents handle setbacks with laughter and sarcasm, which has helped me shape the way I confront many situations. Sports has been a huge part of my life. Basketball hasn’t just been a game I’ve played, it’s been a journey of personal growth and development. As someone who’s passionate about the game, I see it’s changed my attitude and view on life. I never could’ve imagined how much the ups and downs I faced on the court could shape me. The many hours I’ve dedicated to practicing shows the value I place on discipline and hard work, and my constant will to improve has given me a strong work ethic that serves me well both on and off the court. Basketball has also taught me the importance of cooperation and teamwork. Acting as one to overcome the challenges in a game and achieve a common goal made our team stronger. The strong bonds I’ve developed with teammates has taught me how to communication openly which has prepared me well for working in a team setting in the future. The intense nature of playing for a competitive team put my emotional and mental toughness to the test and helped me learn how to handle the stress of competition, the highs and lows of wins and losses, and how to face defeat by turning it into a positive learning experience. I’ve gained so much knowledge from sports on how to remain calm under pressure and control my emotions. Playing basketball has helped me grow making me a stronger, more disciplined, and cooperative person. I've gained priceless life skills from my experiences that will help me manage the opportunities and difficulties that lie ahead. I’m grateful for the significant influence basketball has had on my growth and anticipate these skills will continue to grow during my academic and athletic journey throughout my college.

Behind every milestone I’ve achieved, stands my mother, cheering me on, encouraging me, and strengthening my belief that I can achieve whatever dreams I may have. From her I’ve learned some of the most important life skills, things like adaptability, perseverance, resilience, loyalty, kindness, and compassion. My dad died when I was nine after a ten-year battle with MS and a seven-year battle with brain cancer. From the time I was two, until his passing, he was wheelchair bound having lost the use of both legs due to weakness and spasticity and the use of his right hand/arm. My mother worked full-time but also cared for my dad, me and my brother, the house, and everything else and somehow always found the time to support our educational, athletic, and spiritual goals. My mom was very involved with our schools, whether it was reading to the class, volunteering to teach Life Skills lessons, or chaperoning field trips. We were lucky she had an employer that promoted family as a priority so she never had to make a choice between us and work; I always knew my mom would be there. I can’t begin to list all the ways she’s supported me academically but I remember times we sat at the kitchen table making flashcards to help me remember key concepts or we thought up acronyms and phrases to help me remember the placement of countries on a map, and when she sat with me for hours helping break down algebraic equations step by step, things she had long forgotten, until I understood them. Last year I felt I needed a tutor to help prepare for the SAT’s and because of my school and sports schedules, she found a private tutor that held Zoom sessions. No matter what I needed, she always put it to the top of her priority list, whether it was her time, energy, or money. Now that I’m on the cusp of graduating high school and starting college, her support hasn’t wavered, she’s still encouraging me to be the best version of myself I can be, do great things, and know that I can accomplish anything. She’s told me, anything that’s worth it, is worth the hard work that must go into it. My career goal is to obtain my Doctorate in Physical Therapy and I have a deep-seated reason for this, my dad. Growing up with a disabled dad was hard because I couldn’t do normal kid-things that I saw all my friends doing with their dads, like playing basketball or soccer. It was hard when school friends asked what was wrong with my dad and why he needed help with even the easiest things; I would sometimes help feed him, put on his jacket or shoes, and get things for him. I grew up seeing therapists at our house and I remember helping him with some of his exercises; he couldn’t do much like throw a football or shoot hoops, but he somehow made the exercises seem like a game. The idea of being a physical therapist excites me because in a world where people only think about themselves, I was taught to think of others and be a helper. I want to be a catalyst that can help people during their struggles and be a part of helping people recover and rebuild strength, help them fight the debilitating effects of disease, and live their most fulfilling and independent lives. I want to help people to live with hope, and not disability and despair, and the Curtis Holloway Scholarship would help me reach that goal.

The illness or loss of a loved one profoundly affects a person, both consciously and subconsciously, and I believe that’s why I’ve chosen the career path I have, physical therapy. When I think back, I can’t remember a time when my dad was well. Confined to a wheelchair due to weakness and spasticity in both legs and no use of his right arm/hand left him dependent on my mom for just about everything. My parents spoke about brain tumors and cancer, but I didn’t really understand what they were, I just knew my dad was sick, in a wheelchair, and that our family was different from others. It was hard to understand why my dad couldn’t just stand up or chase me around the yard. Growing up with a physically disabled dad was hard; I couldn’t do normal kid-things that I saw all my friends doing with their dads, like playing basketball or soccer, or throwing a football. It made me uncomfortable when friends asked what was wrong with him and why he needed help with even the smallest things. I used to help feed him, put on his jacket or shoes, get things for him, and sometimes help with his physical or occupational therapy exercises. I always liked being his helper because somehow he made everything seem like a game. Family outings were often difficult because either things weren’t accessible, or he would have issues, so we’d have to cancel plans or leave early. As a little kid, I couldn’t understand why we had to leave the circus or the hockey game halfway through, I just knew I was disappointed. My dad passed away when I was nine which left my mom having to get me and my brother through the loss and raise us on her own. There are many paths I could’ve gone down, but I focused on school and even more than that, sports. The year following my dad’s death I began playing basketball and it became a good outlet for me and helped me clear my head. My freshman year of high school I started playing for a competitive AAU team that participated in tournaments along the eastern region, as well as playing in high school and was a 4-year varsity starter, team captain, and MVP, and received many other honors and acknowledgments throughout my high school basketball career. In addition, I’ve worked part-time, and maintained a 3.5+ GPA, and stayed away from the things that many teens get involved in. All of my hard work paid off; I’ll be attending Ramapo College of New Jersey where I was also recruited to play for the men’s basketball team. I think my dad would be proud of the young man I’ve become despite the emotional hardships. All of the things my family and I have endured have helped shaped me into the person I am today, compassionate, empathetic, and resilient and I believe it’s led me to the career decision of becoming a physical therapist. As a physical therapist, I’ll be able to help patients of all ages and encourage, and enable, them to recover from surgery or injuries, deal with chronic pain, maintain their function, and hopefully live their most fulfilling lives. I would love for my future patients to be able to retain their independence and not have to live a life of disability and despair. Being a physical therapist is more than just a career choice, it’s an emotional tie to my dad and all he went through on his journey while he was here.