Mary Pat Christie Awards Spirit of Hero Scholarship to Hillsborough Student

A Hillsborough student was among four Somerset County residents recently awarded the Spirit of Hero Scholarship from New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie.

The Spirit of a Hero Scholarship is a $5,000 scholarship awarded to students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and volunteerism, according to New Jersey Heroes. The funds are used to assist New Jersey students pursue post-secondary education opportunities.

Alexander Louie, of Hillsborough High School, was one of four county recipients. Louie grew up playing a number of sports, including soccer, crew and tennis, and found it difficult to accept that the only athletic opportunity available to his autistic brother was filling water bottles at athletic events, according to a release from the Office of the Governor.

Louie subsequently founded a tennis camp for children with developmental and learning disabilities around the state. He will be pursuing a degree in computer science at Rutgers University this fall.

“This is our third year for the Spirit of a Hero Scholarship program and I am continually amazed by the character and commitment demonstrated by our young people in taking on serious issues impacting communities throughout New Jersey,” Christie said. “With the Spirit of a Hero Scholarship, we are recognizing and honoring these good deeds while helping these young adults to achieve their career goals.”

Since New Jersey Heroes was founded in 2013, it has awarded $335,000 in scholarship funds to 67 students across New Jersey through the Spirit of a Hero program.

(Photo courtesy of the State of New Jersey Office of the Governor)