On Wednesday, April 25, the National Center for Learning Disabilities celebrated its 30th Anniversary Benefit Dinner, “Voices of Our Children, Voices of Our Future” at the New York Marriott Marquis. More than $2.1 million was raised and more than 650 people attended.
This year’s honorees were, Clay Aiken, Recording Artist & Co-Founder of the Bubel Aiken Foundation, recipient of the NCLD Children’s Advocacy Award; Arthur Ryan, Chairman & CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc., recipient of the NCLD Spirit of Achievement Award; and Donald Deshler, nonameblogger.D., Director of the Center for Research on Learning, University of Kansas, recipient of the NCLD Distinguished Education Achievement Award. These individuals were honored for their remarkable efforts on behalf of children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities.
Another special treat was the participation and entertainment provided by 40 students from the Currey Ingram Academy of Brentwood, Tennessee, a school for learning disabled students. These students were part of the evening’s program, singing and playing Clay Aiken’s “I Will Carry You” they brought the house down with their rendition of this song. The benefactors for the students travel and trip were John and Stephanie Ingram of Brentwood.
This year’s benefit leadership included Frederic Poses, Chairman of the Board, Nancy Poses, Benefit Committee Chair, Governor Gaston Caperton, President of The College Board, Dinner Chair, John Ingram, Chairman of the Board for Ingram Distribution Holdings, Dinner Chair, Anne Ford, Chairman Emeritus and James Wendorf, Executive Director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
Each year one worthy high school senior with a diagnosed learning disability is awarded at the benefit the Anne Ford Scholarship. The Anne Ford Scholarship gives $10,000 to this exemplary student who is planning to attend a four year college. Established by NCLD’s board of directors, this award was named in honor of Anne Ford. The winner of this year’s scholarship was Ryan Makinson of Greensboro, North Carolina. Congratulations Ryan!
The mission of NCLD is to ensure that the nation’s 15 million children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in school, work and life. NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promote research and programs to foster effective learning, and advocate for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities.
For more information about NCLD or the benefit dinner, please visit
www.LD.org.
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