A Grants Pass High School senior whose years of personal growth have led to accomplishments in writing, public speaking and athletics has earned a scholarship to help carry those interests into college.
Max Fitzgerald is a recipient of the 2026 Beat the Odds Scholarship, a $5,000-a-year award for Oregon students who have overcome significant hardships while succeeding academically. On track to graduate as valedictorian, Fitzgerald plans to study communications or public policy, pursuing fields connected to the writing and speaking that have become central to his high school years.
His selection also extends a recent record of scholarship recipients at Grants Pass High School. Four students from the school have earned Beat the Odds awards over the past three years, drawing recognition for both their individual accomplishments and the local programs helping them prepare for higher education.
For Fitzgerald, who is neurodivergent, the path to those accomplishments developed gradually. He spent years learning skills, becoming more comfortable expressing himself and discovering where his abilities could take him. His growth has encompassed the classroom, athletic competition and opportunities to represent his community.
Writing became an interest in middle school. By high school, that interest had developed into work for the student newspaper, giving Fitzgerald a place to practice communicating through the written word while pursuing his academic coursework.
His experience also extends to speaking before an audience. Fitzgerald has represented Rogue Valley Boys & Girls Club chapters in the Youth of the Year public speaking competition. Alongside his newspaper work, that participation has helped shape an educational direction in which communication is both an area of study and a means of advocating for others.
Fitzgerald intends to use his voice to advance understanding, empathy and opportunity. Communications and public policy offer different avenues toward that goal, and both remain among his plans for college.
Athletics occupy another part of his high school career. Fitzgerald competes in cross country and track, maintaining those commitments alongside the academic work that has placed him on course to become his class’s valedictorian.
Kyle Swanson has observed Fitzgerald in both the classroom and on the track. Swanson taught him Advanced Placement U.S. History and coached him in track at Grants Pass High School, seeing how his approach to learning carries across different settings.
“Max has a special knack of enriching all those around him,” Swanson said.
Swanson described Fitzgerald as an independent thinker with an inquisitive approach to his studies. He credited him with seeking a deeper understanding of subjects and bringing out the best in people around him.
The scholarship recognizes that combination of academic achievement, personal perseverance and involvement beyond coursework. Established in 2007 through a partnership between Stand for Children Oregon and The Renaissance Foundation, Beat the Odds provides college assistance to Oregon students who have succeeded despite hardships.
Applicants must reside in Oregon, be first-generation college students and maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.0. The Renaissance Foundation underwrites the scholarship.
The foundation’s Renaissance Scholars Program supports students with significant financial need who will be the first in their families to earn a bachelor’s degree. Its renewable scholarships provide up to $5,000 annually for expenses including tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies. Scholar events, an online resource library and other programs provide additional support.
Janene Kajitani, development director at Stand for Children Oregon, has led the Beat the Odds selection process since the program began. Across those years, she has seen some schools consistently produce substantial numbers of strong applicants.
“Grants Pass High School is a standout,” Kajitani said. “In the past three years, four scholars have been selected from Grants Pass.”
She also identified the preparation available to students locally, crediting the high school’s counseling staff and programs that help students consider what comes after graduation.
“The counseling team at GPHS is amazing, and programs like AVID and Project Youth+ help students explore and prepare for college and careers,” Kajitani said.
For Fitzgerald, the next step is to pursue the college studies that connect his interests in writing, speaking and public service. The scholarship provides financial support for that transition as he works toward completing his senior year at the top of his class.