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Helping students achieve their dreams
Talk about determination. Despite some physical challenges, thanks to a wonderful spirit, strong determination, and a Partners in Education Scholarship from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Kelsey MacKenzie is exactly where she wants to be in life—at Adrian College, where she recently completed her freshman year.
Kelsey was born without tear ducts, and her eyes were severely crossed. Her parents were told that without surgery, she would be blind by the age of 2. The surgery saved her sight, but left Kelsey wearing an eye patch and very thick glasses. She also had a speech impediment and lacked coordination. Later on she developed a minor case of Tourette's syndrome that causes her to have uncontrolled facial tics. Her parents were afraid she would never lead a normal life.
Kelsey, apparently, did not share their concern. She made tremendous gains through a special preschool she attended, and her natural spunkiness took care of the rest.
Her mother says when Kelsey was 6, her 7-year-old brother joined an AYSO soccer team, and Kelsey was determined to be on a team too. She begged her parents to let her play, but they didn't think it was realistic or safe with her vision and coordination problems. She practiced in the back yard every day until she convinced them she was good enough to play on a team. Her mother says they had to tape her glasses to her face so they wouldn't fall off, and Kelsey made the team.
Eventually Kelsey got a pair of thick sports goggles—which she also wore to play basketball—that wouldn't come off. When girls on her basketball team teased her about the goggles, she learned to shoot hoops without them, even though she could barely see the rim. In sixth grade, she played the basketball season with a broken arm and half blind. Later, at Comstock High School, Kelsey got excellent grades, continued to play soccer, and took the the ACT test four times until she was satisfied with her score. Last fall, Kelsey was one of just three freshman to make the varsity soccer team at Adrian.
The Partners in Education Scholarship was established to bring together community-minded individuals, families and organizations who share the goal of supporting the educational dreams of young people in our community. You can help students like Kelsey achieve their goals and get to where they want to be in life by giving a gift to the Partners in Education Scholarship Fund. Click here to make a contribution now.
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