Syde Hurdus President's Award
Alyssa attended our Saturday Program, which helps teenagers with impaired vision become confident, independent adults. She also participated in the Lighthouse Summer Program, where she lived in a Columbia University dorm in preparation for making the transition to college. Both experiences enabled Alyssa to become proficient at traveling alone on buses and subways, along with cooking for herself and her family.
Her academic achievements at the New York State Institute of Special Education have been recognized with a number of college acceptances. While we don't yet know where Alyssa is headed this fall, we do know that she wants to study social services, and possibly earn a graduate a degree in early childhood and special education, following her work as a teacher's assistant for youngsters with disabilities.
Alyssa runs track and plays "goalball," a sport designed for people with vision impairment. And she is active in numerous volunteer and school activities. According to the Lighthouse staff who nominated her, Alyssa's successes are matched by her fierce spirit, maturity and exuberance, which will no doubt carry her very far in the years to come.