Please consider supporting Strong Stripes as they further the mission of enabling students with disabilities to pursue degrees in #STEM - one that is near and dear to our hearts here at AFCEA. We are proud of your contributions, Remley Hooker, and grateful for all you do for this cause.
♿ This #DisabilityPride Month, join us in celebrating Remley Hooker, a National Winner of the #NCWITAIC High School Award and member of the #AiCcommunity who drew on her experience with disability to found a nonprofit helping disabled kids and teens with rare diseases. Her passion for STEM was a source of comfort from an early age, through school challenges and a rare diagnosis that drastically changed her life. Managing McCune Albright Syndrome took her from math and physics classes to frequent hospital visits as the bones in her body expanded, causing organ and nerve complications. Going through this experience highlighted the glaring lack of resources and accessibility for people with disabilities and medical conditions. To help address this gap, she founded Strong Stripes. In the year since, the organization has donated more than $8,000 to children and teens with disabilities, as well as hundreds of toys. Now, the non-profit is developing an AP Computer Science Principles textbook tailored to encourage underrepresented people in STEM, offer soft skills training, and provide various accessible formats, like text-to-speech and voice recognition. For Remley, leading Strong Stripes is both demanding and immensely fulfilling. In moments of doubt, she draws upon her experiences and the inspiring people on her executive board to sustain her dedication and persistence. She hopes to continue creating opportunities and turning trials into triumphs by being the change she wants to see in the world. As part of that effort, anyone under 18 who has a disability and wants to persist in STEM can apply for the Strong Stripes STEM Award by August 10th for a chance to win: 💻 A new Chromebook 🎁 A Strong Stripes T-shirt + cute swag 🏆 A personalized award Apply: https://lnkd.in/ebd-hJJh Learn more online at strongstripes.org