EPHRAIM — Brittany Olson is an honor roll student who helps with tractor work on the family farm, plays the piano, and sings and dances — despite living with chronic pain.
The 17-year-old Manti High School student is being awarded with a $25,000 college scholarship from Discover Card in recognition of her ability to excel and serve her community in the face of physical challenges.
"I thought it was a joke at first," Olson said of the award. "I was so excited, I couldn't believe it."
Olson, who lives in Ephraim, is one of nine Tribute Award scholarship winners selected from more than 8,000 applicants nationally. Along with her parents and sister, Olson will travel to Riverwoods, Ill., this week for the award ceremony.
"She's done a lot outside of the classroom in addition to academics," said Joanna Gountanis of Discover Financial Services. "She also has overcome some major obstacles."
As a child, Olson was diagnosed with Raynaud's disease, a circulatory condition that causes a loss of blood flow to extremities. A few years ago she was also diagnosed with scleroderma, a related disease that can cause damage to the skin and organs.
Though she says some days are better than others, the diseases often make her body ache when she dances and inflict pain in her fingers when she plays the violin or piano.
"A lot of people say, 'If you're in so much pain, why do you do it?' " Olson said. "I'd so much rather be doing something I love and be hurting than doing nothing and hurting."
Olson says the award is especially significant because of her desire to be financially independent and pay her own way through college. She was planning on getting a nursing degree in Utah, but the scholarship money will make it possible for her to attend Arizona State University after completing an associate's degree from Snow College. The warmer climate in Arizona will be better for her health, she said.
Yet in spite of her scholarship, Olson continues to work at a local Mexican restaurant to earn money for school.
"I have to keep busy," she said.
By the time she graduates, the honor student and National Science Merit Award winner will have a year of college under her belt from taking college-level courses in high school.
After her trip to the award ceremony, she'll go with her family to Washington, D.C., for a scleroderma conference and walk to promote a cure for the disease.
"It will be exciting to meet someone else with scleroderma," she said. "Around here there's not anyone."
In addition to being one of nine $25,000 national winners, Olson was one of nine state winners to take home $2,500 last month.
The Tribute Award, given by Discover Card and the American Association of School Administrators, recognizes high school juniors from around the country. The winners are chosen based on achievements in three out of four areas — leadership, community service, unique endeavors and obstacles overcome.
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