My thoughts in roughly the order that you brought up the subjects:
1) Start applying for as many scholarships as you have time to apply for. Even if you spend 100 hours and you get a measly $5000 scholarship that is $50 an hour. Realistically, it'll be more like 20 hours and a $1000 scholarship, but it is still $50 an hour.
2) Get more student loans. You'll never get a better loan in your life. Very low interest rate and it is virtually always tax deductable (mortgage interest is only deductable if you pay massive amounts or have massive other deductions).
3) Stop using the CCs. That is your big mistake so far. I don't care if you eat nothing but ramen noodles and water, do whatever it takes to pay them down as fast as possible. Even though you think you don't spend any more than you need, yes you do. Your mention of a car is a great example. If your car runs now, you don't need another at this point in your life.
3b) Call the CC companies and ask for interest rate deductions. You could easilly save yourself $1000+. It can't hurt to call.
4) I don't know what your mother has to do with you. She can work out her own problems. If the debt is near one years salary, then bankruptcy is usually the best option. So if in reality she owes more like $50k, she really should consider it. I think October is the deadline to get bankruptcy started before the stringent rule changes take place (google for the exact deadline).
5) Get full coverage insurance next time. No you don't need a new car. Forget about it until the CC debt is gone and you are out of school. Yes it sucks. But you can deal without a great car for now.
6) Reconsider those long drives. No, you don't ever have to go home during the semester. Also, rethink that 120 mile commute. Lets do the math on this "great internship pay". I assume you work 8 hour days at $20 an hour. Thus $20*8 = $160 a day. Sounds decent at first. But wait, you drive 120 miles a day. Including cost of gas, wear and tear on the vehicle, and maintainence you really do spend about 37 cents per mile. Thus you are spending $44.40 a day to drive to work. So you are only netting $160-$44.40 = $115.60 a day. How much time do you spend? 8 hours + minimum of 2 hours driving. Lets be generous and say it is 10 hours (it could be more depending on traffic). So in reality, you are only making $115.60/10 hours = $11.56 an hour. Then subtract the massive tax since the government thinks you are making $20 an hour. Your take home pay after tax and transportation is only roughly $9.83 an hour. Now is it looking like such a wonderful job? Internships are far overrated. You don't need them to get hired after school. Especially in your situation. Try to find a close job and you might net more money per hour. Plus, you'll now have 2 more hours a day for scholarship applications, a second job, etc. And you'll have no need for a new car...
7) Leave your grandparents alone. It isn't worth risking the problems for your (honestly small) $8k debt.
8) I said it above, but I'll say it again. Cut expenses. Ride the bus to school (usually free for students). Forget the cell phone or high speed internet if you have them. No, you don't need any more clothes. If what you have covers your privates, you are set for at least a dozen years (shoes included). Never eat out. If you smoke, stop (yes it is hard, but it can be done).
9) Get easy cash. Most university towns/cities have great methods. $50 for <1 hour to sell your blood plasma. $1000 a day to undergo a health study. $100 a day to work Saturdays on temp work. The easy money is out there. Go get it.
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