2006 NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS WINNERS HONORED BY RECORDING FOR THE BLIND & DYSLEXIC®
Students tour City Hall and are recognized at annual awards celebration in New York City
April 12, 2007 (New York, NY) — In celebration of their extraordinary scholarship, leadership, enterprise and service to others, six students selected for the 2006 National Achievement Awards (NAA) by national nonprofit Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®) were honored today with a tour of City Hall and a reception at the Warwick Hotel in New York City. RFB&D is the nation’s educational library of recorded textbooks for students with visual impairment, dyslexia or other physical disabilities that make reading standard textbooks difficult or impossible.
This year’s distinguished recipients included an advocate for children who has made numerous public appearances, including on Good Morning America; a Stanford University graduate and aspiring social entrepreneur; a native of Germany who is seeking a cure for the gene mutation that caused his visual impairment; an honors student pursuing a career in finance; a community peer leader and tutor planning to teach and build in Africa; and a genetics research assistant setting her sights on becoming a physician.
The top three 2006 Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards (SAAs) winners are Elizabeth Phillips, Moraga, CA; Christina Chang, Villa Park, CA; and Thomas Hahn, Ruston, LA. The top three 2006 Marion Huber Learning Through Listening® (LTL®) awards winners are Nathaniel Goldman, Atlanta, GA; Junia Howell, Cincinnati, OH; and Juliet Silberstein, Bellevue, NE. Each received $6,000.
“I fervently believe that this astounding award I have received, coupled with the support from RFB&D that I know I can always count on, will enable me to further [my] goals and help me realize my dreams,” Phillips told the gathering.
“RFB&D has not just kept me from falling behind or failing in school,” a grateful Goldman said as he accepted his award. “You have allowed me to advance and excel in courses that I would have otherwise never attempted.”
Each year, RFB&D presents the SAA awards for college seniors who are blind or visually impaired and the LTL awards for high school seniors with learning disabilities. In all, RFB&D bestows more than $50,000 in awards to deserving students annually.
“RFB&D’s National Achievement Awards recognize the accomplishments of students who are outstanding role models, not only for people with disabilities, but for all of us who endeavor to reach our full potential as students and as citizens,” said John Kelly, RFB&D President & CEO.
RFB&D serves more than 146,000 students from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond with its one-of-a-kind collection of educational titles. RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD provide unprecedented navigation, ease of use and proven effectiveness as learning tools for students with print disabilities. Students rely on RFB&D’s unique accommodation to access the printed page and to achieve educational success. All of RFB&D’s accessible titles are recorded by volunteers working in 29 RFB&D recording studios nationwide.
For information on RFB&D, volunteering or making a donation, call toll-free 866-RFBD-585 (866-732-3585) or visit RFB&D’s accessible website at
http://www.rfbd.org.
Photo caption: (left to right) RFB&D National Board Chair, Richard V. Cox; LTL winner Juliet Silberstein; SAA winner Elizabeth Phillips; LTL winner Junia Howell; SAA winner Christina Chang; SAA winner Thomas Hahn; LTL winner Nathaniel Goldman; RFB&D National Board Member Mary Lou McGee; RFB&D President & CEO, John Kelly.
Interview opportunities are available by calling Mark Zustovich at 609-520-7993 or after hours at 609-610-4508.
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2006 NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS WINNERS HONORED BY RECORDING FOR THE BLIND & DYSLEXIC®
Students tour City Hall and are recognized at annual awards celebration in New York City
April 12, 2007 (New York, NY) — In celebration of their extraordinary scholarship, leadership, enterprise and service to others, six students selected for the 2006 National Achievement Awards (NAA) by national nonprofit Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®) were honored today with a tour of City Hall and a reception at the Warwick Hotel in New York City. RFB&D is the nation’s educational library of recorded textbooks for students with visual impairment, dyslexia or other physical disabilities that make reading standard textbooks difficult or impossible.
This year’s distinguished recipients included an advocate for children who has made numerous public appearances, including on Good Morning America; a Stanford University graduate and aspiring social entrepreneur; a native of Germany who is seeking a cure for the gene mutation that caused his visual impairment; an honors student pursuing a career in finance; a community peer leader and tutor planning to teach and build in Africa; and a genetics research assistant setting her sights on becoming a physician.
The top three 2006 Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards (SAAs) winners are Elizabeth Phillips, Moraga, CA; Christina Chang, Villa Park, CA; and Thomas Hahn, Ruston, LA. The top three 2006 Marion Huber Learning Through Listening® (LTL®) awards winners are Nathaniel Goldman, Atlanta, GA; Junia Howell, Cincinnati, OH; and Juliet Silberstein, Bellevue, NE. Each received $6,000.
“I fervently believe that this astounding award I have received, coupled with the support from RFB&D that I know I can always count on, will enable me to further [my] goals and help me realize my dreams,” Phillips told the gathering.
“RFB&D has not just kept me from falling behind or failing in school,” a grateful Goldman said as he accepted his award. “You have allowed me to advance and excel in courses that I would have otherwise never attempted.”
Each year, RFB&D presents the SAA awards for college seniors who are blind or visually impaired and the LTL awards for high school seniors with learning disabilities. In all, RFB&D bestows more than $50,000 in awards to deserving students annually.
“RFB&D’s National Achievement Awards recognize the accomplishments of students who are outstanding role models, not only for people with disabilities, but for all of us who endeavor to reach our full potential as students and as citizens,” said John Kelly, RFB&D President & CEO.
RFB&D serves more than 146,000 students from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond with its one-of-a-kind collection of educational titles. RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD provide unprecedented navigation, ease of use and proven effectiveness as learning tools for students with print disabilities. Students rely on RFB&D’s unique accommodation to access the printed page and to achieve educational success. All of RFB&D’s accessible titles are recorded by volunteers working in 29 RFB&D recording studios nationwide.
For information on RFB&D, volunteering or making a donation, call toll-free 866-RFBD-585 (866-732-3585) or visit RFB&D’s accessible website at
http://www.rfbd.org.
Photo caption: (left to right) RFB&D National Board Chair, Richard V. Cox; LTL winner Juliet Silberstein; SAA winner Elizabeth Phillips; LTL winner Junia Howell; SAA winner Christina Chang; SAA winner Thomas Hahn; LTL winner Nathaniel Goldman; RFB&D National Board Member Mary Lou McGee; RFB&D President & CEO, John Kelly.
Interview opportunities are available by calling Mark Zustovich at 609-520-7993 or after hours at 609-610-4508.
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