Results

Jason is one of triplets. He has a profound learning disability which makes it difficult to learn as quickly as his peers, particularly his brother and sister. For the first time in his life, at age 19, he won an award – an OTO Award. For the first time, he felt like a success!

Honoring students like Jason is what the Overcoming the Odds Awards are all about. We measure success in a different way. We ask schools throughout our service area to identify students who are struggling to do their best despite obstacles like family problems,  disabilities, medical issues or past substance abuse.

We honor these students because their tremendous effort deserves respect and recognition. While we can ensure that students have the school opportunities to which they are entitled, each student must have the tenacity and perseverance to take advantage of them. We also honor them because it is vital to show that with support, kids can overcome the odds.

The funds raised at this event enable Student Advocacy to provide scholarship to the OTO winners and to help many more young people who are still struggling in school.