EVANS, Ga (WJBF)- Thursday, some local high school students are one step closer to college.
The Exchange Club of Columbia County handed out some scholarships during a breakfast at West Lake Country Club. One of the those students has quite a story a tell.

One senior from each of the five high schools was awarded with a $1,000 Career Technical Agricultural and Education Scholarship.

But, one very special student was awarded the ACE Scholarship, for students who’ve overcome great adversity or hardship and still excelled at school.

Exchange Club President Scott Skadan said he was deeply touched by her story.

“Our ACE Scholarship Award winner has had to endure things in her life that absolutely no one should ever have to go though,” Skadan said during the ceremony.

Norah Abdelnur is a senior at Evans High school. She has faced major hardships and she went through a lot of it alone after advocating for herself.

“I ended up facing homelessness and a lot of lack of support from my biological family after I spoke out against them. And now I am registered as an unaccompanied youth.”

In her application Norah explained that it was hard to concentrate on her future when she wasn’t sure where she was going to be living from day to day. She had to rely on the generosity of other people for basic necessities.

Her life made a turn for the better when one day she went to the Augusta Rowing Club.

“And I ended up falling in love with the sport. But I also fell in love with the team. And I found a very loving family there that was willing to take me in,” Norah said.

In the fall, Norah will go to Franklin Pierce University where she plans to study to become a forensic psychologist.

“A lot of the things I went through, I didn’t have forensic evidence to prove. There’s more mental and emotional impacts as well through what I’ve been through. And to be able to help people like me in similar situations would be beneficial.”

Norah said the $2,500 she received from the Exchange Club will help her reach her goals.