Homeless N.Y. science award nominee gets house

Samantha Garvey and her father at Brentwood High School in Brentwood, N.Y. on Jan. 12, 2012. / Sophia Hall / WCBS 880

BRENTWOOD, N.Y. - A homeless New York teenager who's a national Intel science competition semifinalist has received a rent-subsidized three-bedroom home in Long Island, New York.

Samantha Garvey is one of 61 students who have a chance at the competition's top prize of $100,000.

She's been receiving widespread media attention for her achievement after it was reported that she, her parents, and her three siblings moved into a homeless shelter on Jan. 1.

Homeless teen gets help after science prize nod

"This motivates me to do better," Garvey told CBS radio station WCBS-AM Thursday. "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."

Suffolk County officials held a press conference Friday morning at Brentwood High School. That's the Long Island school where Garvey is a senior.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced that the Garvey's will receive a new home. The Marriott donated furniture for the house.

The family will be able to move in 10 days.

"This is just the most amazing thing you could ask for, we're all in tears here, we could barely compose ourselves enough to speak," Garvey said at the conference according to CBS station WCBS in New York.

There's also good news for the Garvey's family pets. Their new home is pet friendly, so their cat and turtles who are currently can move in as well. An anonymous person also donated money towards kenneling and vaccinating Garvey's pitbull, who she feared was going to be euthanized.

Garvey's two-and-a-half year Intel project focused on predators' effects on ribbed mussels. She is one of 300 semifinalists who are vying for the $100,000 prize. Finalists will be announced later this month.

Regardless if she wins, the teenager, who plays violin and has a 3.9 grade point average, hopes to become a marine biologist after attending Brown or Yale, according to WCBS.

[Dgunner]

In the previous posts people talk about using vacant hotels for the homeless. I willtell you why they are not used for that exact purpose.People are creatures of habit and vise. They will tear down what they don't earn and destroy the very nature of giving by destroying such gifts and compassion. If the people would take care of what is given to them I think things would be different . However you have drugs alcohol and beatings and gang activity and a concentrated area of homeless people would attract drug trafficking and prostitution and robbery. Ina perfect world if people would respect the gift or the hand up instead of a hand out then I think the government would subsidize group or colony housing. Don't blame the bankers or washington on this subject . Blame the spoiled american people who cry discrimination when they are over looked because in the past some have had section 8 housing contracts and tore up the houses and moved on to requalify in another state and continue thier lifestyle of destruction and open handed lifestyle.I admit not everyone is like the way describe but in a country where discrimination thrives on the political floors of of that country and in the minds of people seeking handouts the property always ends up destroyed and physical assets lose thier monetary value and hence rocks the bottom line of the local and national economy.

[Calls4Justice]

"I AM my brother's keeper." And no amount of Tea Party Republican religious right-wing fanatic, sociopathic flim-flam to the contrary is ever going to change that fact.

This story shows that we CAN care about one another without losing our humanity or our stability.

Tea Party Republicans who worship Ayne Rand ("Selfishness is a virtue") and who deny any responsibility to others, should take note.

If there are enough people who DO CARE, this country will be a better place and the obstructionist Tea Party Republicans will lose enough congressional seats to prevent them from sabotaging these good works toward making a better America.

[NO2IllegalImmigration]

Sorry to hear that you are a hateful person that has no understanding of economics.

Those people who identify themselves as Tea Party people spend more time and donate more time helping those in need than any elitist Liberal.

I've attended a few of their meetings for specific, town related issues and can testify that some of our most caring citizens are behind the Tea Party.

Religion has zero to do with limiting the evil control of Americans through corrupt government. It does however, play a strong part in helping those in need.

Please educate yourself and restrain from shouting your ignorance to the world.

[piercetheval]

Right On Calls4 [and booo to you No2Illegal] I recently was in a forum debating on just what 'ISM' made this country what it was and how we obviously must have veered away from it. First off, No truly valid, understood and kept 'ISM' will ever become obsolete no matter how much the world has developed more science, people have become more in communication with one another, how much faster the communication and travel have become or how much more learned the adherents become.
Many argued for Patriotism, Populism, Socialism, Communism, Communalism, Nationalism...etc.
I thought about it and it came to me that what it was is the very reason i recently gave cause to my validation as for arguing in favor of retaining the 'Day of National Prayer' and to allow those students that wish to say the Pledge of Allegiance in school should be allowed to say the word 'God' in the pledge if that is their choice to do so.
It's 'Creationism. It's right there in the Declaration of Independence [and which I think is a form of pre-agreement to becoming unified as one nation and thus negates anyones claim that certain practices were never intended, or even had been, banned or considered to be aberrant or improper.
It says it right there in the first two paragraphs.
" When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-"
No doubt about it it does specifically say that it was understood by all that entered into this Declaration that it was agreed by all that there is a Creator and that there were certain basic rights that is each persons unquestionable birthright to be so acknowledged as beyond any doubt or question.
Near the end of the document it states;
"Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here".
Almost all came here to escape from Religious dogmatism and whether anyone wants to admit it or not, Atheism and Agnosticism are both a form of religion. [And Prayer in of it self objectively examined is not specifically 'Religious'. It usually is but when objectively viewed it can only be said to be 'vocal affirmation'. It's been demonstrated that many times that the power of positive thinking does alter outcomes that had been predictable. To Pray, is not necessarily acknowledging a Creator.]
For the first 84 years everything was going rather well as far as neighbor helping neighbor and families caring for their own.
There really wasn't any need for Social Security, Welfare, Food Stamps, Gov't Health Care etc.
This is observed to have the way it was here and in any society in which citizenry recognizes themselves, and each other, to be a 'Creation of a God' and that human life being a creation of Gods for any purpose it may in fact be for, is still a creation that God took the time to so create and as such no man has the right to so tell another that their life is less than or more than their own or anyone elses. It is presumptive to assume what God intends to do with the future.
I have been involve for almost 12 years now studying history and esp that which pertains to certain identifiable milestones of loss of freedom, humanity, knowledge, ability to worship and have documented those that are inarguable as to losing or having had challenged and or restricted their access to do .
These are in predictable cycles of time and the same as to acts of 'good...they're understood by the same aspects.
The first incident of the two times the cycle of 'evil' landed on the American timeline was in 1834 -35, the other was in 2001.
The good cycle hit in 1776 and 2001. [This is by utilizing a very obscure and ancient form of Astrology, exactly as that as what the legendary 'Magi' had and so used. I've got records of events from before 600 B.C. to the present that a number of people have tried to disprove and none have, or will.
I think all can identify those dates and what happened except for 1835.
That was when Darwin arrived back in England and had all the material of the rough manuscript ready for compilation and publishing.

[walt9800]

Bravo to you, Samantha! Would that all teens evidenced the ambitions and work ethic you do!

[wlhoppers]

I wish Samantha all the best. Spirit, courage and determination like hers should be fostered and encouraged and I'm really happy to know she's on a path to a better life.

Now, if we could do that for all our kids.

[Analystgirl1]

Don't let this girls flame get extinguished. Find these kids and give them the help they need to survive and thrive. Each kid is a piece of our own legacy.