NICEVILLE - Niceville High School senior Kyle Saleeby and his parents got the surprise of a lifetime Monday morning inside the principal’s office.
The 18-year-old wasn’t in trouble, though. He’d been called in to learn he’d received a $100,000 scholarship from Proton OnSite Scholarship and Innovation Program for his science project that harnessed the power of tidal energy.
“Congratulations. I hope you do something great with it,” said Tom Sullivan, the chairman of Proton Onsite, in a phone call to Kyle and his parents.
“Oh man, that’s going to help so much,” Saleeby said. “Thank you.”
View photos of the family reaction. »
Kyle, who plans to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, said he applied for the scholarship from the company that focuses on finding new ways to use hydrogen and other gases months ago, but had given up hope he would receive it.
He said he thought the scholarship winners were being announced in April and had started looking into other options, including student loans, to cover the $60,000 a year bill.
“It’s like he just won the lottery, the Powerball,” said his mother, Nancy Saleeby.
“It is the Science Powerball,” Kyle said as they hugged each other.
Kyle was one of 14 finalists nationwide for the scholarship. In the applicants from 43 states, the company was looking for someone who not only performed well academically, but had created a unique and sustainable way to use hydrogen energy for power.
“Kyle demonstrated the passion, drive, curiosity and DIY (do-it-yourself) initiative in applying science and technology to meet a real-world need,” according to a statement from Mark Schiller, the vice president of Business Development for Proton OnSite.
Another local student, then Fort Walton Beach High School senior Katherine Stone, was awarded the scholarship last spring. She also planned to use it to help pay tuition at MIT.
Niceville Principal Rodney Nobles kept the news from the family for about two weeks and made up a reason for them to come in Monday.
Only hours after getting off a plane from the international science fair trip, the family came in and then burst into tears when they found out why they were really called in.
“I think it hasn’t sunk in yet; we’re in shock,” Nancy said as she wiped away a few more tears. “My husband calls it a once in many lifetimes opportunity.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.