Ellen DeGeneres presented Constance McMillen with a $30,000 college scholarship check.
McMillen, of Itawamba County, Mississippi, appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Friday to talk about her experience and at the end of the segment DeGeneres presented the teen with a check.
DeGeneres called McMillen part of a new generation of leaders for her stand on gay rights.
According to Reuters, McMillen has been making headlines ever since the school board canceled her high school dance when the 18-year-old senior asked if she could attend with her girlfriend and wear a tux. She was told "no." The ACLU has since sued the school.
School officials later changed their position and said the two could go, but not together, nor could they dance or hold hands.
"We could go, but not like as a date," McMillen told DeGeneres. "I was like, I'm not going to go to prom and pretend like I'm not gay, so there's no point in me going."
McMillen also confided in DeGeneres that other students from her school blame her for the canceled dance. DeGeneres congratulated her on being "brave" for speaking out.
"It's always easy to be quiet, especially when you know somebody might tell you 'no' or it's going to cause a scene," said DeGeneres.
"I admire you so much," she told McMillen. "When I was your age I never would have had the strength to do what you are doing."
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