Show your support of students with exceptionalities by purchasing CEC's new Yes I Can! Awards Silly Bands! Priced at $4, each set contains two bands. All proceeds benefit the program. Buy yours today!

Yes I Can! Awards

The Yes I Can! Awards honor children and youth with disabilities who excel. Thousands of children and youth have been recognized since the program’s inception in 1982.

Meet the 2012 Yes I Can! Award winners

Academics

Brandon Jacob Drucker, 20, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Tyler Mason Maldonado Bloodgood, 8, El Paso, Texas
Patrick Hunter McGowan, 15, North Huntington, Pa.
Leonardo Reyna Navarrete, 18, Powerview, Manitoba (Honorable Mention)
Alexander David Staarmann, 17, Simpsonville, S.C.
Abagail Nicole Venable, 14, Independence, La.

Arts

Sarah Fitzgerald, 17, Ketchikan, Alaska
Brandon Gruber, 15, Aptos, Calif.
Amre Dawn Haskell, 18, Caldwell, Idaho
Anthony Vetere, 15, Sayville, N.Y. (Honorable Mention)

Athletics

Casey Armour, 16, Wheat Ridge, Colo.
Evan Howarth, 19, Nelson, British Columbia (Honorable Mention)
Paige Norton, 18, Abbotsford, B.C., Canada

School & Community Activities

Ryan Matthew Bent, 14, Minot, N.D.
Kristina Halstead, 19, Evergreen, Colo.
India Renea Scott, 14, Ebensburg, Pa.
Braden Stankewich, 16, Winnepeg, Canada (Honorable Mention)
Jennifer Utendale, 18, Surrey, B.C., Canada
Joshua Villanueva, 15, Montgomery Village, Md.

Self-Advocacy

Cade Gardner, 11, Lebanon, Pa.
Joshua Jones, 21, Geneva, Ill. (Honorable Mention)
Nathaniel Ray, 15, Orlando, Fla.
Emei Thompson, 16, Minnetonka, Minn. (Honorable Mention)
Chanel Torres, 21, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Technology

Averey Blanchard, 13, Alexandria, La.
James Starnes, 17, Longwood, Fla. (Honorable Mention)

Transition

Vander Cherry, 19, Washington, D.C.
Thomas Drum, 20, Williamsville, N.Y. (Honorable Mention)
James Parker, 20, Houston, Texas

Each 2012 Yes I Can! Award winner will:

Attend a special awards ceremony and celebration at the CEC 2012 Convention & Expo and participate in a special field trip in the convention’s host city, Denver, Colo.
Receive two nights’ accommodations at the hotel in which the awards ceremony will be held.
Receive a statue designed by nationally renowned sculptor Michael Naranjo.
Receive a letter of congratulations from the CEC President.
Be featured in CEC Today, CEC’s member e-newsletter.
Be featured on CEC’s Web site.
Possibly be asked to share his or her story to promote the Yes I Can! Awards program and to generally advocate for children and youth with disabilities.

But everyone is a winner. Each individual nominated for the Yes I Can! Awards will receive a certificate of accomplishment.

Questions?

If you have questions about the Yes I Can! Awards, please contact Diane Shinn at dianes@cec.sped.org or 703/264-9478.