Gabriel Lee ($200,000)

In fifth grade, Lee’s advanced academic skills prompted teachers to give him sixth grade curriculum. Lee sat in the back of the classroom, isolated from his peers, but devising a plan. He asked to skip sixth grade.

“I had adults questioning me, a lot of backlash about it,” Lee said. “I was trying to challenge the status quo. That was actually my first true test. That strengthened my mental will. But I was able to get through it with the help of my parents and friends.”

That’s because his parents weren’t surprised. Lee always acted beyond his years.

“At 3 years old, he was telling people he was 5,” his father, Mike, said.

Lee took this route because of his eagerness to start accomplishing his life goals. He wrote his application essay about his decision and the inclusiveness he tried to offer to anyone who also felt isolated — in any way — by their life choices.

“People were inspired because I ignored all the noise and stayed true to me and kept grinding, kept working hard,” Lee said. “I advised younger people to talk to me whenever they needed to talk about maybe something personal.

“In high school, I’d take kids out and get them shoes or clothes or food, whatever they needed, just so they felt like they weren’t alone. That way, they could truly do something great. We’re all here with a purpose and we all can add something great to the world.”

Lee stayed a grade ahead and graduated from Moon Valley High School a year early, which is why he was in his dorm room at Michigan State as a 17-year-old freshman when he found out he won the grand prize. He said he couldn’t talk for a few minutes because he was so overwhelmed. He said he can get extra sleep now because he doesn’t have to comb the Internet looking for scholarships and can do less work study.

He can focus on his classwork and his current dream to be an athletic trainer. He might major in kinesiology.

“College is stressful enough, and when you have to worry about trying to get it paid for, it can become unbearable very quickly,” Lee said.

Of the three winners, Lee is the only avid NBA fan. “When Derrick first came into the NBA, he made an immediate impact,” he said. “You could see right away he was going to be something special. It hurt to see him go down and then fight back and then go down again.

“Now he’s showing what those years could’ve been and what the future can be. It’s inspiring to me and to others.”