With all of the bad news permeating our brains constantly, it's great to stop, take a breath, and share some truly good news. The stories are there, if you look hard enough. I promise. Samantha Garvey's story is one of them.



Garvey is a New York high school senior who is a true science wiz. This 18-year-old is a finalist for the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search. She wants to go to college and eventually become a marine biologist. The problem? Paying for school. Her story caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres -- and what happens next is heartwarming.

In an episode of Ellen that airs this Thursday, host Ellen DeGeneres will award Samantha Garvey a scholarship worth $50,000. The scholarship, from AT&T, will allow Garvey to go to school anywhere she wants! This young lady is so incredibly bright, and so amazingly inspirational - now she'll have the chance to get the education she so desperately wants.

But that's not all, no no. Ellen also gave Samantha (and her family) a $5000 gift card to J.C. Penney and a $1000 gift card to Whole Foods. Garvey's family is hurting badly and no doubt these gift cards will go a very long way towards helping them, even just a little bit. Of course, Ellen didn't personally pay for all of this - but she definitely made these things happen for Samantha.



Samantha currently studies in the homeless shelter where her family lives, by the way. Hopefully her family will find work and she'll be able to study in a home of her own very soon. In the meantime, Samantha has been invited to attend President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address on January 24, 2012.