Meet the 2025 Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship Recipients

Annabella was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in her freshman year. Despite the significant and debilitating symptoms of her condition, she participated in field hockey, volunteered for a local kids’ golf program, and was a summer camp counselor. Annabella will attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst to study sport management and business.

Brooklynn was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy at age 16 after a long struggle with symptoms, and hopes to use her experiences to help other teens with narcolepsy someday. She loves studying the sciences and enjoys playing sports, baking, and spending time at the lake. Brooklynn will pursue her dream of playing Division 1 soccer while completing a double major in biochemistry and medical laboratory sciences at Illinois State University.

Claire was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in her sophomore year after struggling to stay awake in class and maintain good grades for years. She did gymnastics for eight years, and also coached before taking a break and has recently returned to classes. She enjoys playing board games and writing stories. Claire will attend the University of Missouri to study biochemistry, and is interested in pursuing further studies in toxicology afterward.

Daniel was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy at age 15. Learning to restructure routines and manage day-to-day life took a mental and physical toll, but slowly became easier with time. His perseverance allowed him to maintain his grades as a dual enrollment student, while balancing work, college preparation, and hobbies including cooking, playing the guitar, and spending time with his little brother. Daniel will attend the University of Central Florida to pursue a double major in finance and marketing, with a minor in accounting.

Eli was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in his sophomore year after experiencing symptoms for several years. Despite his symptoms, Eli graduated high school with high honors and was recognized as a national AP Scholar with honor. He also joined a competitive rowing team last fall, competing in five regattas throughout the southeast. Eli will attend the University of Georgia to study business administration and is interested in attending law school in the future.

Fin was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy at age 15 after many misdiagnoses and years of experiencing symptoms. After starting medication, they were able to achieve things and enjoy life in a way that previously seemed impossible, including travelling to Iceland, enjoying time with friends and family, and earning an Associate’s Degree in Arts while graduating from high school. Fin will attend Arizona State University to study creative writing.

Gabriel was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in second grade. Although the condition impacted him in different ways at each stage of his education, he persevered as an honors student, with a deep passion for art and music. He immersed himself in art, cartoon, and graphic design clubs, and expanded his craft through university summer programs. Gabriel will attend Rochester Institute of Technology to study illustration and develop his talents as an artist.

Isabella was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in eighth grade, though her symptoms first appeared while she was in elementary school. Despite the challenges, receiving a diagnosis was a relief. Isabella participated in many extracurriculars, including the National Honor Society, engineering club, the women’s tennis team, and math tutoring. Isabella will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study biomedical engineering or applied sciences, with aspirations of working in the aerospace industry.

JB is diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy, which allows him to learn things about himself in different ways and gives him a unique outlook on life. He enjoys art and playing recreational sports, and is a proud dog papa. JB will attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Joshua was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in his senior year. Though he is still working with doctors and his family to learn how to manage symptoms, he is relieved to have an explanation for his intense sleepiness. He played baseball throughout high school and recently began playing on the school golf team, finding a new favorite hobby. Joshua will attend West Virginia University to study engineering.

Kameryn is diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy, which opened his eyes to a new perspective on life. They hope to use this perspective to make an impact and to demonstrate that people with narcolepsy are just as capable as those without. Kameryn will attend Columbia College Chicago to study traditional animation.

Kayla was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in her senior year after fighting her whole life to get tested. Despite the many challenges she experienced, Kayla was very involved at school, participating in over 20 clubs and serving as an FCCLA State Officer, Japanese President, and Secretary of the Asian Culture Club. She volunteered at marathons, churches, fundraisers, and animal shelters, and was part of her school’s math and science academy. She is currently learning her fourth language, Chinese, while tutoring children and shadowing a pulmonologist and sleep specialist. Kayla will attend the University of Virginia to study business on a pre-med track. She hopes to become a doctor and further the study of sleep medicine.

Keaton was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in his sophomore year, after struggling with grades all year and having trouble staying awake in class. He worked tirelessly to improve his grades while keeping up with his passion for swimming. Keaton will attend Northeastern University to study computer science.

Laven was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in ninth grade. He was actively involved in extracurriculars throughout high school including cross country, lacrosse, model UN, and piano. Outside of school, Laven enjoys spending time with family, watching sports, and hanging out with his friends. Laven will attend Florida State University to study political science with the goal of eventually attending law school.

Lyndi was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in her junior year, after her struggles to stay awake and feel well-rested began to impact her overall health. Despite the diagnosis, she continued to be a successful member of the high school dance team, a performer in school musicals, and a high-achieving academic. Lyndi will attend Kansas State University.

Makenna was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in sixth grade. She was highly engaged with her school community, playing competitive soccer and running track throughout high school. Makenna will attend Dominican University New York to study physical therapy while playing Division 2 soccer.

Matthew is diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy. Prior to beginning treatment, he found it hard to stay awake and pay attention in class, maintain his grades, and have energy for after school activities. Matthew enjoys building things and loves engineering. His hobbies include snowboarding, basketball, and volleyball. Matthew will attend Stony Brook University and hopes to pursue studies in mechanical and aerospace engineering in the future. He hopes to work for Hacksmith – a company which uses engineering to build items from sci-fi movies in real life.

Michael was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in his senior year after struggling with excessive sleepiness since the end of sophomore year. Though he had to give up some of his more active hobbies due to his symptoms, he became passionate about serving his community. He volunteered in his church’s youth ministry and served as vice president of his class during his junior and senior years. Michael will attend Syracuse University to study civil engineering. He hopes to pursue a career as a project engineer, designing and constructing infrastructure and ensuring projects meet sustainability standards.

Molly was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in her junior year after dealing with constant exhaustion for years. Despite the obstacles, Molly was resilient, maintaining honor roll throughout high school while also completing a CAD Career and Technical Education program. She enjoys creative activities and spending time with her friends. Molly will attend New England Institute of Technology to study network engineering and cybersecurity.

Natalie was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in her junior year. She is a nerd for all things STEM and worked hard to excel in school despite her symptoms. She was a member of National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. Outside of school, Natalie fences epee, is a swim instructor, and loves to sew. Natalie will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute to study chemical engineering.

Natalie was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in her junior year. Though it was challenging, she worked to achieve her goals and graduated from high school as the class valedictorian. Outside of school, she enjoys dancing, volunteering, and swimming. Natalie will attend Purdue University to study actuarial science and statistics.

Noelle was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy after a sudden onset of symptoms at age six. In high school she worked part-time for two years, sang in the school choir, played cello in two orchestras, and volunteered as an organist for her local church. She completed a 12-year French Dual Language Immersion program and 4 years of religious seminary, graduating with a near-perfect GPA. She hopes that sharing her accomplishments will inspire others with narcolepsy to never give up. Noelle will attend Brigham Young University to study elementary education, with an interest in special needs education.

Sam is diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia. He recalls finding it difficult when he got his diagnosis because he knew something had changed, but he didn’t know exactly why or how. It felt hard for him to watch as the things most important to him slipped away because he was unable to stay awake. Starting treatment turned everything around for Sam, and he only wished that it had happened sooner. Sam will attend Penn State to study professional golf management and aims to become a teaching professional.

Samantha was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy on her 17th birthday. While the diagnosis brought her long-awaited clarity, it also left her feeling like she had been handed a puzzle with no picture to guide her. Though living with an invisible disability has been a quiet, constant battle, Samantha’s experiences motivated her to overcome obstacles and achieve her goals as she participated in varsity track and field, National Honor Society, and FCCLA. Samantha will attend the University of Wyoming. GO POKES!!!

Sophia was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in her sophomore year. At the start of her journey, she felt hopeless, missing a semester of school, giving up hobbies and sports, and losing friends. Once she started taking medication, she felt that she got her life back, and she now loves to read, research, bake, and hike. Sophia will attend Carnegie Mellon University to study biochemistry. She plans to pursue a PhD and ultimately a career in the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to the field that allowed her to receive life-changing medication.

Wyatt was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy during his sophomore year, when he and his parents realized that there was more to his inability to stay awake in his classes than just being a tired kid. Wyatt graduated fifth in his class with a near-perfect GPA, while participating in football and track and field and working in the summers. He also enjoys riding dirt bikes and working on cars. Wyatt will attend the University of Michigan to study mechanical engineering, with a focus in automotive design.

Zoe was diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia in her junior year, after having her life revolve around her undiagnosed symptoms for four years. Despite her sleepiness, she found community through Boy Scouts, and enjoyed creative hobbies including ceramics and fiber arts, which she was able to pursue more fully once she understood her diagnosis and began taking medication. Zoe will attend the University of Rochester to study public health and statistics, with the goal of becoming an optometrist.