Kylie Pilkinton, 19, of South Lake Tahoe, CA, is the recipient of our Cerebral Palsy Scholarship. Kylie, a first-year student at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA, has cerebral palsy. This condition has presented Kylie with many obstacles; however, she has persevered to live her fullest life.
Kylie’s essay describes her difficult beginning. Born three months premature at 1.3 pounds, she had a stroke three days later. Her left side was paralyzed, affecting many of her motor skills and brain functions.
“While there are many things I can’t do, such as use my left hand, point or flex my left foot, drive a car, ride a bike, or do basic math, I try to stay focused on those things that I can do,” Kylie wrote.
Kylie’s Difficulties Have Inspired Her to Help Others
Kylie has attained many of her goals. She became a dancer, graduated high school with a 3.7-grade point average, was accepted into an overseas missionary program, and delivered a Tedx Talk in South Lake Tahoe called, “A Teen’s Guide to Finding the Strength to Overcome Challenges.”
In that talk, Kylie delved into the bullying she suffered for four years while her family lived in New Zealand, her father Shane Pilkinton’s home country. Fortunately, she has had the constant support of her father, brother Drew, and mother Tania, whom Kylie describes as “my best friend.”
These difficulties have propelled Kylie to want to help other teens; she plans to major in social work and eventually receive a master’s degree in counseling.
Recently, like many students, Kylie has faced new challenges. She took a gap year after high school to join a missionary group that was supposed to travel to the Philippines. But after a few weeks of instruction, the students were sent home because of Covid-19.
Today she attends school remotely, unable to use the tools that contributed to her academic success: asking a lot of questions and taking advantage of one-on-ones with her teachers.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Scholarship Recognizes Students for More Than Their GPAs
While Kylie maintained a high GPA, she struggled with her standardized SAT and ACT scores, making her ineligible for many college scholarships.
While other academic awards require a high GPA, the Cerebral Palsy Scholarship requires a 2.5 GPA. That’s because Birth Injury Lawyers Group founder Robert Goldwater understands the difficulties students with cerebral palsy face. And he knows that a GPA isn’t an indication of worth or intelligence.
Read Kylie’s remarkable essay and watch her interview here. For more information on how to apply to next year’s $2,500 scholarship, visit our site.
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