The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is proud to announce Michelle Lintner of Tucson, Ariz. as the 2006 winner of the Anne Ford Scholarship Award. Now in its fifth year, this scholarship provides $10,000 toward tuition over four years to a promising high school senior with learning disabilities (LD) who plans to pursue a university degree. The Anne Ford Scholarship was launched in 2002 in honor of NCLD's Chairman Emeritus Anne Ford, who served as Chairman of the Board for twelve years.

When Michelle was just three years old, her parents were told that she might never learn to speak or read. But Michelle has spent the last fourteen years proving otherwise. Lintner excels in math and science, and as a result of many years of speech-language therapy, educational support and hard work and determination she has found ways to be successful in the language arts as well. Michelle's ability to compensate for her very real troubles with language and reading motivated her to become a role model and spokesperson for other students who struggle to learn.

As a high school senior at the Sonoran Science Academy --a highly selective charter school-- Michelle maintains a 4.16 GPA and is vice president of her class. She has been a member of the school's robotics club, volleyball team, cheerleading squad and math league. Michelle's teachers describe her as "someone who people look up to," "highly respected by peers," and "a very faithful friend."

For Michelle, living with a learning disability is her "greatest triumph" in life:  "I have learned how to self-advocate giving me a great deal of confidence for my college career.  I have developed close relationships with teachers and faculty at my school because of my need to discuss my educational plan and advocate for my needs. In turn, they have inspired me to share my experience with other students, mentoring and tutoring whenever possible."

In addition to the Anne Ford Scholarship Award, Michelle has been selected to receive a generous scholarship from Raytheon Missile Systems that includes a summer internship for four years and a guaranteed job with Raytheon upon graduation. Michelle has just been named the valedictorian of her class and has been accepted to the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois-Urbana, and Kettering University, three schools that have outstanding engineering programs. Her dream is to build robots that will "enhance the quality of people's lives."

To read an essay written by Michelle Lintner, click here.

Runners up for this year's Anne Ford Scholarship Award are Ms. Christina Boardman of Santa Barbara, CA and Mr. Garrett Mason of Cincinnati, OH. Both runners up will receive a cash award from NCLD as well as a software prize from Kurzweil Educational Systems.

Christina Boardman was always considered an "extremely bright child," and it took years for her teachers to discover (and then accept) that she had a learning disability. Christina will graduate from San Marcos High School this May with a 4.12 GPA. She is secretary of the drama club, has been both president and vice president of the Writers' Society, is a Junior Statesmen of America, is active in her church youth group, and enjoys flamenco dancing and piano and singing studies. For her junior year science fair project, Christina conducted a research project to investigate whether brain processing speed could be affected by pure lemon scent, a treatment that had been recommended for her! This unique project achieved second place at the Santa Barbara County Science Fair in Life Sciences and fourth place at the California State Science Fair for Behavioral Sciences. Christina hopes to give back to others with disabilities "either through scientific research, education, or political advocacy/policy work."

Garrett Mason has been proving people wrong his whole life. Born a triplet, weighing only 3.2 pounds, his survival chances were not great. Now 6'3", Garrett is a talented football player who enjoys working out, volunteering and spending time on his computer. Despite working two jobs throughout high school, Garrett has earned a 3.49 GPA at Withrow University High School. He has learned how to successfully balance his job, school work and extracurricular activities by maintaining a strong work ethic in everything he does. He is a self-motivated and hardworking student who describes himself as "tired of being looked at as if I need help and that I can't make it on my own. My plan is to go to college and show people that your dreams have no boundaries." He has been accepted to Tuskegee University and believes that a college education will help him achieve a better life.