Billings High School Freshman To Attend State of the Union Address -- Billings, Montana

This is an incredible story. Everyone needs to read it. Unfortunately it is linked to a regional newspaper and the link will be broken soon.

A Billings high school freshman will be a guest of Ms Michelle Obama, sitting next to her at the State of the Union address tonight.

Mikayla Nelson, a freshman at Billings Central Catholic High School, was leaving class last week to pick up her little brother from school when her phone buzzed.
In what she describes as one of the most surreal moments of her young life, Nelson answered and found a representative from the White House on the other end.
He told her she was invited to the State of the Union address Tuesday by Michelle Obama. "I was essentially speechless," Nelson said.

It's a most interesting story and I hate to do it disservice by encapsulating it in small data points, when the original story is so much better. But because the link will be broken, I don't have much choice.
The story begins last April (2010) when she and her Billings middle school team won the top design award for a super-light mini electric race car. Her interview on Discovery Channel was caught by the White House.

That led to an invitation to the White House to participate in the White House Science Fair last October where Ms Nelson explained to the president how the car worked.

It would be an unlikely journey for most teenagers, but for Nelson it's simply remarkable. The First Lady's box at the State of the Union address is a long way from the mobile home on Billings' South Side where Nelson lives. 

Money's tight; her mother is on disability and can't work. When Nelson graduated from Will James last spring, she decided she wanted to attend Central High instead of West, knowing she would have to be the one to pay for it. 

So she worked odd jobs all summer, eventually landing a steady gig with Central Hobbies. She has saved up and with help from Central, she's been able to cover her tuition.

She gives much credit to her mentor and her middle school science teacher, who started mentoring her in sixth grade.

For the whole story, go to the link. It may be the best story you read today. Okay, this year.