The New York Institute for Special Education (NYISE) held an Easter Egg hunt on Wednesday, April 13, for more than 100 preschoolers and kindergarteners.

 

Based in the Bronx since 1924, NYISE is currently located at 999 Pelham Parkway North in Allerton and provides quality programs for more than 250 students from New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester County and upstate New York, including more than 100 children from the Bronx, ages 3 to 5, who attend its preschool.

 

Staff at the institute, which was founded in 1831 as The New York Institution for the Blind, say it is one of the oldest and most respected schools in the nation, and provides specialized services for children with disabilities, as previously reported.

Meanwhile, the Danny Awards is a global awards show that showcases and recognizes the musical talents of individuals with developmental and physical disabilities. The event celebrates differences while bringing individuals of all abilities together.

 

The 2nd Annual Danny Awards, sponsored by René Plessner, were hosted on March 19, at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space in Manhattan and were also live-streamed online, having been previously postponed due to the pandemic. Wani Benedith, 14, a student at NYISE, was one of the 2021 Danny Award honorees and performed the song, “A Million Dreams.” Wani is a solo artist who is legally blind.

 

Judge and guitarist, Adam Stengel, introduced Wani, describing him as “truly unforgettable,” and “a brother, a student, a singer, a public speaker, and the co-founder of a company called Braille Code Inc.” Stengel continued, “He’s been singing since he was 6 years old under the training of Naum Shulman.” A performance by Wani of the song can be viewed below, and the full awards show, including his live performance on the night, can be viewed further below, also on YouTube.

 

 

Accepting his award, Wani said, “Music has been important to me because it’s a part of my daily life. When I was a toddler, my mom used to play music for me all the time, and she introduced me to a bunch of artists from back in the day.” He added, “Even now, on the way to school every day, I listen to music. I’m glad that my eternal love for music has brought me here.  Speaking of bringing me here, thank you to the Daniel Music Foundation and the Danny Awards for recognizing my talent.”

 

Wani then joked, “Not only will this make a great memory for me, it’ll also look good on my future resume!” He concluded by thanking the event sponsor and founder, his music teacher, who he said guided him to the event, and his family who he said were super supportive.

According to the event organizers, the awards show was two years in the making and this year, over 100 video submissions were received from talented musicians from around the world. Organizers said the competition was fierce for the top ten award recipients. In fact, there was a tie for 10th place, so 11 award recipients were honored this year, in addition to the 2021 Danny Awards Fan Favorite.

 

A panel of judges comprising musicians and music industry professionals such as Paula Abdul selected the top award recipients, chosen from video submissions in two categories: “Outstanding Original Song” and “Joyful Expression of a Cover Song.”

Each award recipient received a personalized Danny Award, memorializing their achievement, $500, plus up to $500 in travel reimbursements. 

 

Most importantly, each award recipient also had the opportunity to share their musical talents with the world through their performance at the show. Visit danielsmusic.org/TheDannys2021 for more details about the event.

 

 

In other NYISE news, in 2021, Daniel Lubiner, a teacher at NYISE, announced he had invented a tablet for people who are blind or visually impaired. It allows them to create touchable drawings and learn braille at the same time.

 

As reported, the disability community achieved a major win recently when it was announced that a coalition of activists and advocates for people with disabilities had settled a lawsuit launched in 2020 under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against the State Board of Elections (BOE).

Daniel Lubiner, a teacher at the New York Institute for Special Education, invented a tablet for those who are blind and visually impaired that will allow them to create touchable drawings and learn braille at the same time.

Read more here:https://t.co/R1871Jark5 pic.twitter.com/FLVxJlUL1f

— Seedlings Braille Books for Children (@SeedlingsBrlBks) January 13, 2021

 

People with disabilities are now able to avail of a new, statewide, accessible, absentee ballot program in order to vote in future elections. A federal court approved and ordered the terms of the settlement agreement, under which the State BOE will create the new program. It will allow blind and disabled voters to complete, online, a remote, accessible, vote-by-mail ballot, print it out, and return it to their respective county board of elections.

 

For more information about Daniel’s Music Foundation, go to: https://www.danielsmusic.org/.