< Back

Students with Disabilities Win 2023 National Achievement Award For Outstanding Academic and Personal Accomplishments

Categories: Blind or Visually Impaired, Disability Type, In the News, Learning Disability, National Achievement Awards, Press Releases, Reading Champions, Students

For Immediate Release:

May 23, 2023 - Princeton, NJ – Learning Ally, a national nonprofit working with U.S. schools and American families to improve equity and access to required textbooks and literature for students with print disabilities, has announced the winners of its 2023 National Achievement Awards. (NAA) 

Learning Ally is a leading literacy provider of accessible ‘human-read’ audiobooks and early literacy programs to accommodate eligible students in Pre-K to 12th grade. Accessible books enable students to study alongside their peers and achieve their highest academic potential through grade-level reading. 

Each year, Learning Ally recognizes a select group of high school and college-age students for exemplary academic achievement and personal growth in their classes and communities. 

Annual funding from generous donors and champions of literacy support the organization's development of innovative reading solutions for the classroom, professional learning and leadership programs to enrich educators' knowledge on reading best practices, and the ability to host teacher and student recognition programs.

This year’s student winners are: 

  • Allison Murphy, NY

  • Samuel Lombeh, TX

  • Skylar Adad, CA

  • Robert Welton, NJ

  • Ava Cocke, AL

  • Ylia Thumann, NJ

  • Jake Sporleder, CA

  • Tori Reese, CA

  • Katelyn Justice, KY

 
                               

 

Dr. Molly Ness, V.P. of Academic Content for Learning Ally says, “In the face of many learning challenges, these incredible individuals have accomplished so much. Each has a unique story to share that demonstrates perseverance, courage, and dedication to their educational and lifelong endeavors. They shine a spotlight on the amazing capabilities of the disability community, and show us that with the right support, resources, and positive thinking, everyone can excel at learning.” 

Over 200,000 U.S. educators rely on Learning Ally to transform their classroom learning experience for tens of thousands of students who struggle to read print, including students with dyslexia. 

The 2024 NAA application process will open in September. Student members of Learning Ally who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to submit an application.  

Annual NAA scholarship awards are determined by a National Selection Committee who are champions for equity, access and literacy for all. 

For information about the 2024 National Achievement Awards, visit learningally.org/naa.

About Learning Ally                                          

Learning Ally is a leading education nonprofit dedicated to empowering educators with proven solutions that help new and struggling learners reach their potential. Our range of literacy-focused offerings for students in Pre-K to 12th grade and catalog of professional learning allows us to support more than 2 million students and 445,000 educators across the United States. 

www.learningally.org 800-221-1098.