Newsday has the most aww- and awe-worthy story of the day: A feature on Brentwood High School senior Samantha Garvey who is one of 300 semi-finalists for the annual Intel Science Talent Search. Only Garvey happens to be living in a homeless shelter. She told the paper, "I want better, so that's why I do well in school."

Garvey, whose project is a 2 1/2 marine-life study, and her father said that they were first homeless when she was little: "She switched elementary schools three times in a single year. The Garveys' circumstances eventually improved enough for them to live in the same home for several years. But her parents, Leo and Olga, missed work and lost income after a car accident last February. On New Year's Day, behind on their rent, they were forced out of their house and spent a week in a hotel before going to the shelter."

The teen, who has a 3.9 average, also studies violin, and hopes to go to Yale or Brown, says, "The house we were living in had a dog, a cat, turtles. Then one day someone turns around and says, 'You have to leave.' What are you going to do with your animals? Yourself?" The dog is at a pound and she believes it will probably be euthanized (the cat and turtles are with family and friends). Check out this video of Garvey:

In an interview with WCBS 880, Garvey added that the contest's recognition "motivates me to do better. I do well and I pursue my passion because it’s what I have and it’s a way out, you know, and it’ll lead to better things." And her dad told Newsday, "I'm always bragging about her. She sets her mind to something and she goes for it. She amazes me all of the time."

