Trenton Gilstrap, a teen afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome and epilepsy, launched a foundation, H.I.P. Kids, to help other disabled students.
H.I.P. Kids, which stands for Hidden Inspirations Project, will provide a scholarship to other special needs students. Gilstrap, a high school senior, was recently accepted into the University of Pittsburgh on a full scholarship.
From The Huffington Post:
Though epilepsy and Asperger’s syndrome sometimes get in the way when Trenton Gilstrap socializes with his high school friends, his conditions haven’t interfered with his educational dreams, CNN reports.
Trenton hopes to become a biomedical engineer and was recently accepted — on a full scholarship — to the University of Pittsburgh.
“It makes me feel like all that work, all that struggling, all that crying at home alone finally equals success,” Trenton told the news outlet.
While Trenton is satisfied with his accomplishments, he wants to make sure that other young people, suffering with similar disabilities, have the same opportunities.
So, Trenton and his mom, Tatia, launched the Hidden Inspirations Project, a nonprofit that offers scholarships to kids living with a range of disabilities.
“The more we’ve found out how different he is, the more we’ve been able to bridge the gap in people’s lives — especially mine,” Tatia told CNN.