Embracing challenges, finding purpose, and giving back to their communities: Meet a few of our 2026 scholarship recipients 

Eric Picanco

Eric Picanco had done his homework, that was certain, but his boldness on the buzzer was his superpower. Representing the Purple Panthers of Nashua High School South in the championship round of Granite State Challenge, Eric racked up points across categories, making a strong showing in history and geography and straight-up dominating music:

Blondie. The Power of Love. West Side Story. Sugar Hill Gang. Elton John. Hank Williams. Igor Stravinsky.  

In the end, the Purple Panthers clinched the championship match of the NH PBS quiz show, with the opposing team’s coach noting that he’d never seen such a high score in a game.  

Challenges aren’t new for Eric. Growing up with autism, he had to push his limits from a young age. In high school, he joined the track team and found himself facing literal hurdles.

“I never thought I’d be good at hurdles, and then I was good at hurdles,” Eric said. “And it made me think that taking risks is a good thing to do, and you should do that a lot.”  

Eric’s next challenge is college. This month he starts his first year at Plymouth State University, where he’ll major in education. A Granite Edvance Scholarship will help with his expenses.  

Eric hopes to teach high school history, sharing a passion he developed partly from competing in trivia. “I feel like spreading my knowledge could be very helpful [and] I feel like history’s very important and more people should be knowledgeable about it,” he said.  

There’s another reason Eric wants to teach, too. After exiting his IEP (Individualized Education Program) in high school, he joined the Unified Basketball team so he could help other students who faced challenges. In the same way, he wants to support students who may need extra help in the classroom.  

“My journey has taught me that pushing through and self-advocacy can open doors,” he wrote in his application essay for the Granite Edvance Scholarship. “As a teacher, I will dedicate myself to opening those doors for every student who walks into my classroom.” 

Maria Soures 

In the farming community in Brazil where Maria Soures grew up, many farmers want to invest in renewable energy but don’t have the technology or the knowledge. Maria wants to change that, so she’s brought her boundless curiosity halfway across the world to the University of New Hampshire.  

It wasn’t an easy journey. Though Maria was born in the United States and had visited here a few times, she knew little about moving here and less about applying to college. “I just tried to find ways to make it work,” said Maria, a first-generation college student.  

During high school, Maria created a giant color-coded spreadsheet, combed the Internet for information, and talked to as many people as she could. “Every day I learned something different,” she said.  

Eventually, her research led her to Granite Edvance, where she found a treasure trove of information, along with our scholarship program. “I’m really thankful for all the resources that you guys have for the students,” she said.  

Next, Maria found UNH and fell in love with the natural beauty of the area as well as the electrical engineering program. “I said, ‘I feel like this is going to be a good match for me,’” she said.  

Moving so far away from her family was hard, but Maria is excited to combine her interests in technology, business, and agriculture to create solutions for sustainable agriculture in Brazil and other countries. She’s grateful to have a Granite Edvance scholarship to help with her bills and touched that people took an interest in her goals and wanted to support her.  

“It’s really beautiful what you guys do,” she said. “You didn’t know me, you just read my story. This is so meaningful for me … so caring.”  

Gabrielle Milliard 

Gabrielle Milliard found her sense of purpose almost in an instant, when she learned she was pregnant with her son. After years of feeling lost and unmotivated, she suddenly had a reason to challenge herself. She connected with My Turn Inc., a nonprofit that helps at-risk populations overcome barriers to success, and trained to become a medical assistant.  

Gabrielle’s change of heart didn’t erase her past though. She’s faced rejection and self doubt as she’s pursued her goals, but she’s found ways to keep going, including pursuing scholarships to help fund her education. She’s now taking courses at Manchester Community College and plans to apply to the pre-nursing program in the spring. A Granite Edvance scholarship is helping with tuition.  

Gabrielle’s past struggles also gave her something unexpected that will serve her well in her future career. “My experiences have given me empathy for others who feel overlooked or judged, and a deep understanding of how powerful compassion can be,” she wrote in her application for a Granite Edvance scholarship. “Caring for people, supporting them, and making them feel seen gave me a sense of fulfillment I had never experienced before.” 

Kaelyn Gagnon 

It would have been easy for Kaelyn Gagnon to overlook the little girl standing at the edge of the gym as the organized chaos unfolded around her. Kaelyn had spent weeks planning the Special Olympics Young Athletes program for her community and had high expectations for its success.  

But she remembered what it was like to be on the sidelines. As a young gymnast, she’d sustained knee and ankle injuries that had forced her to sit out of meets, as well as miss volleyball and basketball games.  

So Kaelyn made sure all the children felt comfortable and included in the games and relays. And sure enough, the little girl who’d been afraid to join in the fun was soon sprinting through relay races and obstacle courses with a big smile on her face.  

“My time in the Young Athletes Program and my own injuries helped me see leadership in a different way,” Kaelyn wrote in her application for a Granite Edvance scholarship. “It’s not about being the loudest person in the room. It’s more about noticing who’s holding back and quietly helping them take that first step.” 

Kaelyn is now taking her first step toward a college degree, with a Granite Edvance scholarship to help with tuition. Majoring in athletic training at Merrimack College, she wants to share both her love of sports and her compassion for athletes sidelined by injury.  

“Sports can help shape a person’s life. I know they shaped my life,” said Kaelyn, a graduate of Goffstown High School. “My coaches have had a great impact on me and kind of made me into who I am today.”