When Brittney was 20, her mom passed away from a pulmonary embolism. When she died, she had only $300 in the bank, and no life insurance.

In an instant, Brittney had to become a mother to her two younger sisters and the family’s sole breadwinner, all while continuing her college studies. “I work full time, and I go to school full time, and I take care of my sisters full time,” she says.

Watch her moving story.

But this struggle has not stopped Brittney from working to achieve her dream. With the help of a $10,000 scholarship from the LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program, she is able to continue her studies to get a Bachelor of Science in social work.

Brittney says, “My dream for the future is … help people who are in similar situation like me. … I’m going to be the first one in my family to graduate college. I always wanted to make my mom proud and do it for her.”

This year the LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program will be awarding 24 scholarships totaling $125,000.

So, if you’re a student who is struggling like Brittney, having lost a parent who had little or no life insurance, check out the application process for this year’s program.

Or if you are a reader who knows of a young adult who could use this assistance, please pass along the link to the application: www.lifehappens.org/scholarship.

But please hurry, as the deadline is March 31, 2013.