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TMSG: High School Senior Going To Harvard Donates Her $40K Scholarship

Verda Tetteh from Fitchburg High School in Massachusetts is headed to Harvard University. Before graduating, she received her high school's general excellence award and during her acceptance speech, she did something awesome and unexpected.

Tetteh knows how a community college can change someone's life, as her mother attended one at 39-years-old. So she decided to turn down the $40,000 in scholarship money she was about to receive from her high school while accepting her high school's general excellence award. She said, "I am so very grateful for this but I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most. And knowing my mom went to community college, and how much that was helpful, I would be so very grateful if administration ... would consider giving the general excellence scholarship to someone who's going to community college."

She noted that it was such a great honor, but she believes she's not the one the most in need of it. The prestigious scholarship she won was for $10,000 a year and renewable for four years. Her mother sat in the audience as her fellow students gave her a standing ovation.

Photo: Getty Images