© Sophia Hall / WCBS 880Samantha Garvey and her father at Brentwood High School - Brentwood, NY - Jan 12, 2012
The 17-year-old senior says she cannot believe that she is one of the semifinalists in the highly prestigious Intel Science Competition, in part because she lives in a Bay Shore homeless shelter with her parents, brother, and twin sisters.
"I am currently homeless. Like I've said, this motivates me to do better. I do well and I pursue my passion because it's what I have and it's a way out, you know, and it'll lead to better things," Garvey told WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall.
She said she was blown away and started crying when she learned about her place in the competition.
"I've gotten a lot of calls. People on Facebook, they're posting things on my wall and it's really exciting," she said.
Garvey is one of 61 Long Island students who have a chance at the competition's top prize of $100,000.
"I did a marsh study where I looked at mussels in a marsh and I saw that when they were exposed to crabs, they grew heavier shells," she said.
After that, she introduced the situation to a lab setting.
Her guidance counselor Karin Feil said Garvey takes advantage of anything offered to her.
She also studies Italian and plays the violin. Plus, she has 3.9 grade point average.
Samantha said she dreams of becoming a marine biologist after attending Brown or Yale.
Source: The Associated Press
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