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Press Release
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
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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 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 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 www.rfbd.org.
EDITORS NOTE: Biographies and photographs of the winners are
available for download at www.rfbd.smugmug.com.
Photographs of the New York City event will be available at the
site after Friday afternoon, April 13, 2007. Interview opportunities
are available by calling Mark Zustovich at 609-520-7993 or after
hours at 609-610-4508.
additional media inquiries:
RFB&D News Desk 1-800-803-7201, press 6
media e-mail inquiries
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