Learning Disabilities Association of America Honors Poet and Advocate LeDerick Horne with 2017 Sylvester Award

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mary-Clare Reynolds, LDA Executive Director mcreynolds@ldaamerica.org, 412.341.1515, ext. 206

Learning Disabilities Association of America Honors Poet and Advocate LeDerick Horne with 2017 Sylvester Award

Learning Disabilities Conference in Baltimore, Feb. 16-19

Pittsburgh, PA (February 13, 2017) – LeDerick Horne of Somerset, NJ is being honored for his strong dedication and commitment to advancing the issues of adults with learning disabilities during the 54th Annual Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) Conference in Baltimore, MD. LDA’s Harry Sylvester Award recognizes an adult with learning disabilities and will be presented on Sunday, February 19, during the award brunch at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

Mr. Horne has worked for over a decade to make the world a better place for adults with specific learning disabilities.  He is an advocate, speaker, writer, and spoken-poet who provides between 35 and 55 presentations each year at universities, conferences and other events focusing on improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and other challenges.

His appearances include Harvard University, national and state organizations focused on disabilities, and state departments of education. Recently, he was the closing keynote speaker at the 24^th Annual World Congress of Learning Disabilities Worldwide at the University of Sunderland in London, UK.

Mr. Horne was diagnosed with a learning disability and labeled as neurologically impaired in third grade.  He shares his success story including his struggles through the New Jersey school system and the influence of the teachers and mentors who believed in him. Mr. Horne went on to study mathematics at Middlesex County College and then earn a BA in Mathematics and a fine arts minor from New Jersey City University.

Best known as a spoken-word poet, Mr. Horne has released two spoken-word poetry albums and co-created New Street Poets, a spoken-word play about the effect of gentrification on urban culture. He was featured in the PBS documentary called “Being You,” a film about three young people with learning and attention issues. They travel the country seeking advice from adults who have transformed their learning and attention issues from a struggle into an asset. His most recent project is a text book co-authored with Margo Vreeburg Izzo, PhD. from Ohio State University, titled “Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success.”

Horne’s volunteer work includes serving on the Steering Committee of the IRIS Center of Training Enhancements at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and his local chapter of the NAACP; serving as Board Chair for the first eight years of Eye to Eye, a national nonprofit providing young adults with LD/ADHD the opportunity to mentor middle school students labeled with LD/ADHD; and working with LDA affiliates in New Jersey, Hawaii, and Bermuda.

LDA’s four-day conference on learning disabilities in Baltimore, February 16-19, is a comprehensive resource for parents, educators, adults with LD, and professionals.  Distinguished keynotes and over 200 sessions feature the leading experts in their fields. Attendees have access to poster sessions and table talks, numerous networking opportunities, and a sold-out exhibit hall including 60 exhibitors, bookstore, silent auction, and the Assistive Technology lab offering hands-on training.

Conference and registration information is available at https://ldaamerica.org/events/annual-conference. Questions? Contact LDA at info@ldaamerica.org or (412) 341-1515.

About the Learning Disabilities Association of America:

The Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) is a non-profit organization of parents, professionals and adults with learning disabilities providing support, information, and advocacy on behalf of individuals with learning disabilities. For further information go to www.ldaamerica.org.