High School Student Wins Scholarship, Uses Savings to Help Others Go to College

An 18-year-old high school student who was saving up his money for college won a scholarship. Now, he is using the money he saved to give back to others.

“He just has a heart for people,” Yolanda Curry, the school counselor, told KSDK.

Joshua Nelson, who excelled in school, was a three-year varsity basketball player, and president of the school’s Multi-Cultural Achievement Committee, received a scholarship from Southeast Missouri State University and is planning to major in biomedical sciences with a focus on the school’s pre-optometry program.

But his school counselor was blown away when Nelson announced that he would use his $1,000 in savings to help other students go to college.

“I was really just blown away because I was not expecting that,” Curry said with a laugh.

Over the next few weeks, with a little help from his teachers and parents, Nelson will be accepting applications for his scholarship with the intent that more donors will help that $1,000 multiply.

“I really thought it was important to give back to my community that poured in so much to me,” Nelson said.

Those who would like to donate to the Joshua Nelson Scholarship In Action Scholarship fund can do so here.