CENTER TWP — When Angela Deep, 18, of Center Township stepped onto the Pirates baseball field she was psyched. But it wasn't to play ball. She was there to have her photograph taken as one of the winners of a Kurt R. Weiss Scholarship for Wish Kids.

Angela said her May 9 night with the Pirates was the second-best day of her life.

The best day of her life was in 2011, when a dream came true for Angela. Through Make-A-Wish, she went to New York City for a photo shoot with fashion expert and stylist Mary Alice Stephenson and photographer Nigel Barker.

As a previous Make-A-Wish recipient, Angela, now a senior at First Baptist Christian School, and other 17- and 18-year-old wish recipients were invited to apply for the scholarship.

“We take a lot into consideration,” said Dana Antkowiak, marketing and communications manager at Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia in Pittsburgh. “The personal essay is given the most weight.”

Angela received a scholarship in the highest-honor category.

“She applied for many scholarships but this one meant the most to her,” said Angela's mother, Stacy Deep.

The Pirates Charities is a donor for the local Make-A-Wish program. The game night's events began with a recognition ceremony and reception for the scholarship recipients in the Pirates press room at PNC Park.

“It was really cool because it was set up like it was during an actual news conference,” said Angela. “We were each introduced and asked random questions about our wish and our future plans.”

Angela also gave a short speech about her wish.

“She talked about why she was going into graphic design and photography,” said her mother. “She cannot physically be a fireman or an EMT to help people, but this helps them to see the beauty in God's creation.”

“While we were in the press room, I was able to meet Frank Coonelly, who is the president of the Pittsburgh Pirates,” said Angela.

She also met Dr. Kurt Weiss, an orthopedic oncologist who sponsors the scholarship. She said she was surprised and felt honored when he read to the audience from her essay.

Angela has a genetic disorder called Elhers-Danlos Syndrome.

“It affects the collagen in my joints. My joints are very loose and dislocate easily,” said Angela. ”I cannot do sports. I cannot run that much. I cannot do stuff that would dislocate a joint.”

Most often Angela's dislocations are in her shoulders, wrists and elbows. Sometimes they also occur in her hips when she is walking. That can cause her to fall. Angela is also prone to organ ruptures and aneurysms.

“It also affects her heart,” said her mother. “Angela lives in constant pain but hardly ever complains.”

“Some days are better,” Angela said. “I'm grateful that this is all I have. There are a lot of people who have it worse than I do.”

Angela plans to major in graphic design and minor in photography at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.

Just recently, she also was accepted into a rue 21 program. She will participate in an exclusive advisory board for the clothing store and get first-hand experience in the fashion industry.

“I'll be giving my input on different styles before they go out for sale,” said Angela. “At the end of the 11-month program, I'll be eligible for an internship.”

Angela still has the sophisticated dress from her 2011 Make-A-Wish photo shoot in New York and her glamorous photos. But that trip was more important in other ways.

“I think it gave me a brighter outlook on my future. I realized I want to get into something like that with photography or graphic design,” said Angela. “It gave me something to push for in school.”

Like most parents, Stacy Deep is worried about Angela heading off to college, especially because of her health problems.

“She does have daily dislocations. Her doctors are here,” she said. “We're going to try it. If we have to go semester by semester, we will.”

After a dinner at Picnic Park, Angela and the others were on the field for the pregame ceremony and a group photo.

“It was really cool being able to see firsthand what the field was like,” Angela said.

“Our children are living with life-threatening conditions,” said Antkowiak. “Some of these kids had their wishes many years ago. Look at them now. It's an awesome thing to see that.”

Nevertheless, on the second-best day of Angela's life, it wasn't the game or the scholarship that made the greatest impression on her.

“I think the most memorable experience was meeting a boy who was a quad amputee. He had no feet and only one finger,” Angela said.

“Despite the struggles he faces in life, he had such a positive outlook on life and had one of the most uplifting personalities. His positivity toward life really inspired me,” she said.