NORWALK, Conn. (PRWEB)
June 15, 2021

The 2021 Fred J Epstein Youth Achievement Awards (YAA) were presented at the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities annual benefit on Thursday, May 13th 2021. The award, named for pioneering pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Fred J Epstein, recognizes outstanding achievements by young people with learning disabilities (LD) and ADHD. Dr. Epstein credited his significant learning disabilities as a major factor in his success and became an inspiration to children with LD.

The winner of this year’s $1,000 award is Serena Chen from Milpitas, CA. Serena was diagnosed with ADHD and additional challenges. She is the founder and coordinator of NeurodiverCity, http://www.neurodiver-city.org, an international student community website including support and information from experts on being neurodiverse. She maintained a higher than 4.0 GPA and has excelled in online coursework certifications, including Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Psych diagnostics. Serena is an accomplished musician who plays the trumpet and piano. She has won many national and international music competitions, performed principal trumpet with the San Francisco Symphony and the National Honor Band at Carnegie Hall, and trained at some of the nation’s premier summer orchestral institutes including Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute. She looks forward to continuing her remarkable achievements this fall when she enrolls in Columbia University’s class of 2025.

Kyla Walsh from Crestwood, KY, received the $500 Special Recognition Award. Kyla’s talents and interests range from competitive horseback riding and modeling for the Helen Wells Agency, to volunteering for Equine Therapy. She is challenged with ADHD, dysgraphia, and anxiety, but did not allow her struggle with written expression (dysgraphia), to stop her from writing poems, short stories, screenplays and novels. She published a book of her poems titled Poems are my Pills and will release another book of poems this spring. Kyla won an award for her short story “Monsters,” published in Spectrum, her school’s literary magazine. She also served as creative consultant for her screenplay, Better, that was selected and produced by the Oldham County Performing Arts Center. All this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Kyla will major in Creative Writing in college.

Honorable Mentions were awarded to:

Ireland Bennett, Sandusky, OH. Diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, Ireland channeled her academic frustrations and talent into artwork, creating sophisticated fashion designs and graphics. She has developed a social media presence with her Cosplay costumes, elaborate costumes of male superheroes in female form. Ireland dreams of eradicating the stigma of difference through her designs, and will continue her pursuit by studying fashion and design at Kent State University in the fall of 2021.

Edward R. Gibson, Lutherville, MD, writes, “Simply put, my teachers believed that someone couldn’t be both smart and dyslexic. This initial injustice sent me down a path of advocating for the rights of others.” In middle school, Eddie joined Decoding Dyslexia, helping to lobby Congress to pass the Research Excellence Advancement for Dyslexia Act (READ Act). He met and shared his story with Congressman Lamar Smith, the bill’s sponsor, who presented Eddie’s story on the House floor as Congress prepared to vote. This fall he will attend the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in International Relations.

Cole Perry, New Albany, OH, was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia in third grade. Cole’s family made sacrifices to send him to a school that taught the way he learned. With a long-time interest in programming, driven by an online platform, Code Academy, Cole used technology to help him with his organizational challenges. He created a simple mobile app to enter assignments and receive prompts to do the assignments. Cole’s app “Prompt Homework” can be found on Apple and Droid app stores. Cole currently looks forward to attending a top tech university.

Lindsay Wheeler, Las Vegas, NV. Lindsay and her mom traveled to a neuropsychologist in California to discover her dyslexia diagnosis. Lindsay founded Project Dot, a non-profit that provides feminine hygiene supplies to homeless and low-income women and girls in her community. With grant funds, a website, marketing materials and partnerships with agencies in the city of Las Vegas, Lindsay coordinated the distribution of more than 5,500 Project Dot kits. Lindsay is taking a dual enrollment class at her local community college with plans to pursue a major in psychology.

Sharon Miles, the co-chair of the YAA Selection Committee stated that this year there were 103 applications from students, from 31 states. According to Sharon, “Every year the students who apply are more remarkable, and the decision process for our committee is increasingly challenging.”

About Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Inc.

Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Inc. is a Norwalk, CT-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping parents realize their children’s significant gifts and talents, and demonstrating that with their love, guidance, and the right support, their children can live happy and productive lives. Smart Kids’ mission is to help children with learning and attention differences reach their full potential by inspiring, educating and empowering parents to help their children succeed through its educational programs, free e-newsletter and award-winning website, http://www.SmartKidswithLD.org. Honorary Board members include Former Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, Anne Ford, and The Southport School Head, Ben Powers. Henry Winkler, Golden Globe award-winning actor, director, and author, serves as the organization’s Honorary Chairman.

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