Noah Sleeper, Portland, ME – graduated from Deering High School, where he participated in the Academic Decathalon, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Student Senate. He also was a member and vice president of the National Honor Society. In the summer of 2008, he enrolled in an American History program at William and Mary College in Virginia, and last summer, he spent three weeks in Switzerland learning French. This past semester, he took a Western Civilization course at University of Southern Maine. In his spare time, he enjoys reading science fiction novels and watching movies with his friends. Noah will attend Bates College in the fall and has not decided on a major yet, but in 10 years, he sees himself completing graduate school.

Born 15 weeks premature with craniosynostosis, Noah spent the first 100 days of his life in neonatal intensive care and has since overcome huge obstacles. His own experience led him to become a dedicated March of Dimes volunteer. He has helped package prenatal vitamins and prepare information packets about premature birth as well as lobby classmates to sign a petition for more oversight of C-sections and induced labors. Each year since eighth grade, he has participated in the March of Dimes “Walk for Babies” fundraiser.

For his outstanding accomplishments and volunteerism, Noah was specially recognized with FFC’s First Annual Jane McDaid Scholarship. Jane McDaid, a past president of FFC who passed away last year, worked tirelessly to make the Foundation a better organization. So her husband asked that the recipient of the honorary scholarship also be someone who had a real cause. “Working with the March of Dimes to improve the health of babies is truly Noah’s cause,” said Mary Lania at the scholarship awards event,“and with that in mind, we would like to bestow upon Noah Sleeper our first honorary FFC scholarship, the Jane McDaid Scholarship.”