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National Center for Learning Disabilities Announces Anne Ford Scholarship Award Winners

New York, NY – The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is proud to congratulate Lenora ("Lenny") Somervell of Brasstown, NC, the 2008 winner of the Anne Ford Scholarship Award.  Now in its seventh year, this scholarship provides $10,000 toward tuition over four years to a graduating high school senior with learning disabilities (LD) who will pursue an undergraduate degree at a college or university. A prize of Kurzweil 3000 Scan/Read software is also presented to the award winner and the two award runners up. Runners up for this year's Anne Ford Scholarship Award are Nathan Porter of Wilmington, NC, and Rachel Origer of San Antonio, TX, who will also receive a cash award from NCLD. 

Despite struggling with learning throughout her early school years, Lenny was not formally classified as having a learning disability (LD) in reading and math until her freshman year of high school, the tipping point being her struggle mastering Algebra I. At first, she admits to having felt "stupid, defective, and doomed to failure," but with encouragement from her parents and the help of a special education teacher, Lenny learned more about her specific strengths and weakness and renewed her commitment to high achievement in pursuit of her dreams.  In her junior year she was among a select few students to attend the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) where she has excelled both socially and academically.

In hopes of promoting awareness and improving services for students with LD at NCSSM, Lenny co-founded a campus group called E=LD². The group provides networking opportunities   for students (with and without LD) to share study strategies and information about LD, and has offered workshops to help teachers better understand the types of instructional strategies and accommodations that will help all students achieve to their potential. In addition, Lenny is an active member of many school-based clubs and she enjoys fencing club, camping and backpacking, playing and listening to music, and volunteering for a student-run humanitarian organization on campus.

Lenny is setting high goals for the future.  Her plans are to earn a degree in chemistry, perhaps volunteer for work with the Peace Corps, and then decide whether to pursue graduate school or enter the workforce.  She has a special interest in neuro-chemistry and would like to study how this field of science relates to individuals with LD, perhaps hoping one day to help improve the lives of individuals with LD. 

Runner-up Nathan Porter opened his personal statement to NCLD by sharing that he will bring an "uninvited guest" with him to college, "the burden that is brought by my specific learning disabilities and attention problems."  Nathan's struggle with learning began when he was a preschooler, and despite having received services and supports throughout his school years, it wasn't until recently that he truly felt confident talking publicly about his LD.  Finding solace (and strength) from the frustrations of school in swimming, Nathan has distinguished himself as a member of the 2007 Scholastic All-American Swimming Team. With outstanding grades and an impressive resume of school and community-based extracurricular activities, he plans to earn a college degree in business, economics, and social entrepreneurship, and is confident that he can "face the challenges of college life and succeed."

Rachel Origer has struggled with learning since the first grade when her reading disabilities were first identified. As she reflects upon years of frustration, feelings of self-doubt and incredibly hard work, Rachel recalls never allowing herself to "give up" and with support from her family and school personnel, being "determined to find a way" to work around her learning disability. She explains that she made a "full commitment to explore different study habits that would enable me to fully understand the material." While in school, she has been able to hold a steady job, is president of the Family, Career, Community Leaders of America Organization, and is an active member of several clubs, including the National Honor Society, Environmental Club, and a mentoring program called Peer Assisted Leadership. She dreams of entering the field of special education, so that she can "make a difference in every student's life, and give them the confidence that they can achieve their goals."