Celebrating the 2024 NCLD Everyday Champions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tuesday, December 17, 2024 – The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) announces its 2024 Everyday Champion Awards (ECA) winners. These extraordinary educators, paraprofessionals, and school-related service providers exemplify the power of strong relationships with students and families in driving student success. Through personalized learning, mental health support, celebration of neurodiversity, and fostering inclusive environments, they are making a transformative impact on students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Emily Gasca: K-5 Educator Award
Emily Gasca, a Multilingual Reading Specialist and MTSS Lead, is committed to understanding each student’s unique learning style, empowering families, and celebrating neurodiversity. “I celebrate neurodiversity by expanding my understanding and allowing my students and their families to teach me how they want to be celebrated,” Emily shares.

Emily’s dedication to her students has transformed the lives of countless children with LD, ADHD, and social-emotional challenges. With a whole-child approach, she crafts individualized plans that meet each student’s unique needs, fostering academic and emotional growth. Beyond the classroom, Emily is a passionate advocate, working to secure resources and develop school-wide frameworks that empower multilingual learners and students with disabilities. In 2024, she joined her National Policy Advisory Board and Teach Plus coaches on Capitol Hill to advocate for multilingual learners and presented at a congressional briefing on evidence-based reading instruction. Her efforts have closed academic gaps and inspired confidence and collaboration among her students, families, and colleagues.

Nicole Greene: 6-12 Educator Award
Nicole Greene, a special education teacher, has dedicated her career to ensuring that all students feel seen, valued, and capable. She celebrates neurodiversity by proudly sharing her own, fostering connection while creating an environment where students feel empowered to share their stories. Nicole explains, “I wanted to create a place where no student felt the way that I did in school.” By embracing vulnerability, she has built a classroom where students feel safe and supported in expressing themselves.

One of Nicole’s standout achievements has been her advocacy for inclusive classrooms. Recognizing that the existing push-in model for special education wasn’t meeting her students’ needs, she worked tirelessly to advocate for the adoption of Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) at her school. As a result, she and her mentor teacher pioneered the ICT program, now in its second year, providing students with the opportunity to thrive in an inclusive setting. Understanding that the program would take time, Nicole launched a YouTube channel to give direct instruction to students still in the push-in model, ensuring they received meaningful and accessible lessons. Additionally, Nicole has been a fierce advocate for marginalized students, challenging harmful stereotypes and ensuring that all her students receive the support they need to succeed. Her advocacy and strong belief in her students’ potential have transformed lives—including that of a student who has now transitioned to mainstream classes after benefiting from her unwavering support.

Kyra Martiny: Service Provider Award
Kyra Martiny, a Speech Language Pathologist, is deeply committed to promoting and celebrating neurodiversity. Diagnosed with ADHD in her late twenties, she uses her lived experience to connect with students and help them understand themselves and their needs. She emphasizes that “fostering relationships and understanding among my students is key to helping them succeed.”

Kyra’s work focuses on meeting students where they are and creating a supportive environment where students feel safe to express their needs. She often works with students who struggle with regulating their emotions, helping them develop strategies to manage their behavior better. One example of her impact involves  students who often sought refuge in her classroom to engage in a calming activity. Through patience, co-regulation, and structured interventions, Kyra helped this student learn to regulate emotions better and participate more effectively in classroom activities. Her dedication has helped reshape this student’s school experience, and her advocacy for structured breaks and a supportive environment has ensured that her students thrive.

These 2024 Everyday Champion Award winners embody NCLD’s values by advocating for inclusive education and celebrating neurodiversity. Their commitment to their students and the broader community is truly inspiring.

Congratulations to Emily, Nicole, and Kyra for their exceptional contributions to their students and communities. Their dedication, creativity, and passion make a lasting difference in the lives of students with LD and ADHD, proving that with the proper support, every student can thrive.