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His gofundme page is no longer accepting donations. Hope the family comes around.
It might, but my experience with this type of family is that the "conversion" needs to be with them and therapy can help - I've even seen it help, but it's rare.
He is a lucky young man - one of his teachers set up the Go-Fund Me page, but she did even more.
She contacted Georgetown to see what could be done for him. He had been accepted, but with no parental support - he couldn't get loans. Even with the go fund me donations - it was probably going to be very hard if not impossible. Georgetown University finally worked things out for him to have a Full Scholarship. Part of his payment is to use the Go-Fund-Me funds and work with a group at Georgetown to set up a fund for kids like him ..... and there are many.
Owen is lucky because he survived the "Conversion Therapy" which is a horrible thing to do to your child.
Owen is lucky because he had friends and their parents who cared for him and helped him when his family kicked him out.
Owen is lucky because he had a Teacher name Jane Martin who went to bat for him, mentored him, advised him and ultimately made it possible for him to go to college.
Jane Martin changed a life, perhaps saved his life .... That's a wonderful thing, for her and for him.
It might, but my experience with this type of family is that the "conversion" needs to be with them and therapy can help - I've even seen it help, but it's rare.
He is a lucky young man - one of his teachers set up the Go-Fund Me page, but she did even more.
She contacted Georgetown to see what could be done for him. He had been accepted, but with no parental support - he couldn't get loans. Even with the go fund me donations - it was probably going to be very hard if not impossible. Georgetown University finally worked things out for him to have a Full Scholarship. Part of his payment is to use the Go-Fund-Me funds and work with a group at Georgetown to set up a fund for kids like him ..... and there are many.
Owen is lucky because he survived the "Conversion Therapy" which is a horrible thing to do to your child.
Owen is lucky because he had friends and their parents who cared for him and helped him when his family kicked him out.
Owen is lucky because he had a Teacher name Jane Martin who went to bat for him, mentored him, advised him and ultimately made it possible for him to go to college.
Jane Martin changed a life, perhaps saved his life .... That's a wonderful thing, for her and for him.
In this case, he seems well qualified for it. Can't blame the university for advertising it, given todays political climate. Well, I guess you can, but since the kid seems to deserve the full ride, there's not too much to gripe about.
As for those parents, I don't get it. I could never turn my back on my kids due to sexual orientation. Not sure I could for any reason at all, actually.
Georgetown didn't "advertise it" ..... they may not even know the story of the scholarship is out there.
His teachers and friends helped him and he told his story to the local press in hopes of helping others in his same situation.
It's a really sad story - BUT, it's not all that uncommon (I've personally known several others in the same type of situation. Seth Owens will go far in life - he has (and will) survive his family.
Why would anyone want it known the reason they were given a full ride is because of who they have sex with? And if that isnt the reason, who cares?
It wasn't because of who he had sex with (unless his parents caught him with another man when he "came out") but rather who he is.I don't know why to some people, this is hard to realize. Homosexuals typically don't choose to be homosexuals, it is hard wired. A bisexual or pansexual though would choose, but are open to either gender.
You must have missed the post a few above yours where it was said that he was co-valedictorian, captain of the swim team, and an honors society member all while working through school.
He earned the scholarship.
The other piece to this is when parents refuse to fill out FAFSA and other forms, the student may be disqualified from financial aid. Short of getting married or legally emancipated if you are under 26, parents (even noncustodial) refusing to fill out the forms or refusing to shoulder part of the burden for college when they can afford it limit a students' access to financial aid. Even if you are estranged, come from an abusive family, have a parent who does not believe in college, or have a tin-foil hat wearing parent who does not want to release their financial information, you will not qualify for federal loans and grants or most college-sponsored scholarships. There are few exceptions. This was clearly a case where Georgetown felt an exception was warranted.
One of my best friends from middle school on was kicked out in a similar manner when he refused to go to religious conversion therapy. He got into our flagship university but did not qualify for subsidized loans or other scholarships and grants because his parents shut him out. I couldn't be prouder that he just graduated from college at 32 after taking classes as he could afford them part time for years and, eventually, finding a job with tuition remission.
All of this needs to be changed. Parents are generally not required to support a child over the age of 18, and student financial aid law should reflect that.
It might, but my experience with this type of family is that the "conversion" needs to be with them and therapy can help - I've even seen it help, but it's rare.
He is a lucky young man - one of his teachers set up the Go-Fund Me page, but she did even more.
She contacted Georgetown to see what could be done for him. He had been accepted, but with no parental support - he couldn't get loans. Even with the go fund me donations - it was probably going to be very hard if not impossible. Georgetown University finally worked things out for him to have a Full Scholarship. Part of his payment is to use the Go-Fund-Me funds and work with a group at Georgetown to set up a fund for kids like him ..... and there are many.
Owen is lucky because he survived the "Conversion Therapy" which is a horrible thing to do to your child.
Owen is lucky because he had friends and their parents who cared for him and helped him when his family kicked him out.
Owen is lucky because he had a Teacher name Jane Martin who went to bat for him, mentored him, advised him and ultimately made it possible for him to go to college.
Jane Martin changed a life, perhaps saved his life .... That's a wonderful thing, for her and for him.
It takes 2 seconds to go on youtube, and type in any combination of " Gay,Kicked out, graduation" to see that it clearly isnt a gimmick.
Many kids have homophobic parents sadly, and some of them are enabled by conservative religious beliefs.
No skin off my ass either way, but it does present an opportunity (assuming this becomes policy) for anyone willing to claim being shunned by their family/friends over their sexual practices to game the system.
Perhaps there will be a gay-sex test instituted to prevent abuse.
Being a Republican, I don't agree with the LGBT life style. That said, I don't agree with kicking your kid out for being gay.
There are plenty of LGBT republicans.
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