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Yes I Can Awards (CEC National)

CEC is proud to recognize children and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated their determination and achievements in multiple ways. Presented each year at the CEC Convention & Expo, the Yes I Can Awards recognize 12 outstanding students with exceptionalities in six categories: Academics, Arts, School & Community Activities, Self-Advocacy, Technology, and Transition.  

Information
Information
Deadline:
September 26, 2023
Award type:
Presented by:
CEC National

Award Details:

CEC is proud to recognize children and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated their determination and achievements in multiple ways. Presented each year at the CEC Convention & Expo, the Yes I Can Awards recognize 12 outstanding students with exceptionalities in six categories: Academics, Arts, School & Community Activities, Self-Advocacy, Technology, and Transition.

 

The Yes I Can Awards Ceremony is the highlight of every CEC Convention & Expo. Recipients and their families, with travel stipends from CEC, will join convention attendees in San Antonio, TX, as they are honored live. Recipients who cannot to travel to San Antonio will be recognized and celebrated via video.

 

Award Categories:

  • The Yes I Can Academic Award recognizes students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement that far exceeds expectations: (a) in a particular subject area such as math, science, reading, social studies, language arts, foreign language, etc.; (b) in overall academic achievement; (c) on standardized tests, etc. This could be demonstrated through competitions, special projects, and/or performances.
  • The Yes I Can Arts Award recognizes students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement that far exceed expectation and/or has led to a positive impact on the student’s social/emotional development or well-being in a particular category, such as music, theater, dance, visual arts, graphic arts, sculpture, dance, written expression, sculpture, etc.
  • The Yes I Can Technology Award recognizes students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement that far exceeds expectation, in or through the effective use of technology, including assistive technology, to advance their academic and non-academic skills and/or the positive impact on student social/emotional development or well-being.
  • The Yes I Can Transition Award recognizes post-secondary students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement that far exceeds expectation in acquiring knowledge, skills and/or abilities that resulted in successful outcomes in their work, vocational training, or independent living.
  • The Yes I Can School and Community Award recognizes students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement or leadership that far exceeds expectations in organized activities at the school or community level through: (a) school-based clubs/activities (yearbook, theater, debate, tutoring, peer mentoring, social, service, etc.); or (b) community-based clubs/activities (volunteer work, Boy/Girl Scouts, church/temple, service, cleanup campaigns, etc.).
  • The Yes I Can Self-Advocacy Award recognizes students and youth with exceptionalities who have demonstrated achievement that far exceeds expectations in assuming practical responsibility for oneself, using knowledge of legal rights, advancing one’s goals, or advocating for one’s needs, such as effectively obtaining appropriate accommodations for oneself or others.

 

Awards Benefits

The Yes I Can Awards Ceremony is the highlight of every CEC Convention & Expo. Recipients and their families, with travel stipends from CEC, will join convention attendees in San Antonio, TX, as they are honored live. Recipients who cannot to travel to San Antonio will be recognized and celebrated via video.

Nominee's must be between the ages of 3 and 21 when nominated. Please note if your nominee will celebrate a birthday before the CEC Convention & Expo, Mar. 13-16, 2024.

The nomination form for all categories is available here.

 

Nomination Form

2023 Yes I Can Recipients  
Academics Duane O'Neill
Lorielys Berrios-Castillo
Arts  Ja'Quan Price
Sabrina Hernandez
Community & School Activities Mathias Misener
Shelby Farris
Self-Advocacy Cora Smith
Mason McLean
Technology Foster Schwarz
Joshua Salvacion
Transition Eduardo Lebron

 

2022 Yes I Can Recipients  
Academics Jaxon Rector
Angela Yan
Arts  D'Andre Chapman
Brayden Noel
Community & School Activities Colby Davis
Dylan Gibson
Self-Advocacy Zoey Ferraro
Sierra Nielsen
Technology Hiram Ferguson
Aidan Rosser
Transition O'Mari Dance
Austin Jackson

 

2021 Yes I Can Recipients  
Academics Nicole Hyatt
Haley Thompson
Arts  Rocco Siracusa
Nelson Waghiyi-Rookok
School & Community Activities Tanner Rico
Lucas Tomlin
Self-Advocacy Vincent Lee
Samara Mohan
Technology Adelyn Gream
Mia Sprankle
Transition Makyah Dexter
Jacob Rider

 

Last Updated:  10 August, 2023

Support Yes I Can

The Yes I Can Awards are partially supported by CEC’s Yes I Can Fund. Contributions to the endowment can be made here: https://exceptionalchildren.org/give/about-cec-endowments  

 

Congratulations, 2023 Yes I Can awardees!

Some of the 2023 Yes I Can awardees standing on the CEC 2023 Convention stage with their awards.

 

© 2023 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). All rights reserved.