Twenty-two Valley individuals and businesses were recognized today for their ability to overcome barriers and significantly contribute to the advancement of people with disabilities at the 2007 Ability Counts awards luncheon.

The Phoenix Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues and the city’s Equal Opportunity Department coordinated the annual Ability Counts Awards Program. The luncheon also celebrates October as Disability Awareness Month.

This year’s community award winners are:

Six outstanding students with disabilities, from first to 12^th grade, were recognized for their personal and academic achievements. They received financial awards based on their grade level. The winners in grades one through six received a cash award of $250 each, winners in grades seven through nine received a cash award of $500 each and the winners in grades 10 through 12 received a cash award of $750 each.

This year’s six student award winners are:

Grades 1 – 6

Cameron Nelson, Constitution Elementary School
Joe Underwood, Akimel A-al Middle School

Grades 7 – 9

Ivan Cervantes, Isaac Middle School
Antonio Miranda, Maryland School

Grades 10 – 12

Gabriel Alejandro Castellanos, Brophy College Preparatory
Bianca Peterson, Barry Goldwater High School

Eleven students with disabilities from six local colleges received scholarships to assist with their educational goals. The colleges include Arizona State University, GateWay Community College, Phoenix College, Paradise Valley Community College, Rio Salado College and South Mountain Community College.

The community award winners include:

Chris Tompkins - Don Aldrich Advocacy Award
Chris Tompkins has a life-long commitment to advocacy for people with disabilities, particularly to the visually impaired. As executive director of the Foundation for Blind Children for two decades, Tompkins has helped the organization become the largest blind children’s organization in the United States with a staff of 100 serving more than 1,700 clients annually. The agency serves children and adults who are blind and visually impaired and is the only one of its kind in Arizona.

In 2003, he received a fellowship with the Piper Fellows Program. After traveling throughout North America to learn about agencies that serve the visually impaired, he used these innovative ideas to expand and improve the foundation’s services and programs. Tompkins’ mission is to help every visually impaired person “learn all that they need to know to live the lives they choose for themselves.”

US Airways/Mark Proulx – Employer of the Year
Mark Proulx, reservations training manager at US Airways, has more than 15 years experience planning and managing training programs. Responding to requests for proposal and managing training and technical services contracts, he has employed a number of people who are blind or visually impaired. US Airways has gone out of its way to create long-term, sustainable employment for persons with disabilities.

US Airways has hired more than nine individuals who are blind or have visual impairments at their reservations site as well as people who are hearing impaired or occupy wheelchairs. “The airline is dedicated to creating a workplace that accommodates people with disabilities,” said Proulx, “I don’t know who gets the better deal, the person with the visual impairment or US Airways.”

Ardith Despain – Employee of the Year
Mild traumatic brain injuries can be difficult to diagnose - something Ardith Despain experienced all too acutely. Rear-ended in a car accident in 2002, Despain went more than two years before she received any treatment for her injury. She became unemployed and felt like her life had become “a swirling sea of constant challenges.” A vocational rehabilitation counselor at the Arizona Department of Economic Security helped her get the proper treatment for her injury. As part of her treatment, she volunteered at the Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ). After several months volunteering, she was offered a job as an administrative assistant.

Today, Despain completes all her tasks with ease, a significant accomplishment for a survivor of a brain injury. Mattie Cummins, executive director of BIAAZ, said that Despain “always works to find ways to do her job better … and agency employees take pride in watching her achieve these successes every day.”

Biltmore Camelback-Esplanade Pedestrian Overpass – Architectural Accessibility
After several fatal and numerous injury accidents to pedestrians crossing Camelback Road east of 24^th Street, the city decided to create an underpass for pedestrians to cross Camelback Road between the Biltmore Shopping Center and the Esplanade Center. To reduce the stairs and ramps from existing grades, Camelback Road was raised six to eight feet higher and the east and westbound lanes were split. The structure was built using a five percent sloping sidewalk and a ramp with railed landings to provide accessibility. This underpass is not only a work of art, but a best practice example of universal design.

Darol Kubacz – Phoenix Mayor’s Award
Darol Kubacz lost the use of his legs while serving in the U.S. Army as a private first class in 1993. After retiring from active service in 1995, Kubacz worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado where he helped develop mountaineering equipment and maintain wilderness trail access.

After nine years of pushing the limits of his ability, he broke his neck while freestyle skiing and spent 16 weeks in the hospital. In 2006, Kubacz founded Freedom For Life, a nonprofit organization that introduces people to outdoor sports and wilderness adventures. An avid outdoorsman, Kubacz is an expert in using customized biking and adaptive mountaineering equipment when training and hiking at Phoenix parks and trails.

In August 2006, Kubacz led an expedition team to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. He hoped to become the first paraplegic to reach the summit unassisted. Although he fell short of his ultimate goal due to illness, he plans on attempting the climb again.

Student award winners include:

Grades 1 – 6

Cameron Nelson – Constitution Elementary School
Cameron Nelson, determined to overcome the barriers of his autism, is eager to do well in school by taking on academic activities with enthusiasm and improving his socializing skills. Nelson participated in a school social group last year where he had an opportunity to interact with general education students. As well as practicing his conversational skills, he gained new friendships and attended social outings outside of school with the other students.

Joe Underwood – Akimel A-al Middle School
Joe Underwood lives his life determined not to sit on the sidelines. He taught himself to walk although both his legs are paralyzed. He was the first physically challenged student at Kyrene de los Lagos Elementary School. Underwood set one swimming record, broke another and won three of his five events at the National Junior Disability Championships in 2006.

A straight “A” student , Underwood served on the student council during his last two years at Lagos, becoming president his last year. He also volunteered to mentor two young boys with recent spinal cord injuries, helping them come to terms with their paralysis. A middle school student, Underwood already has his sights set on joining the wheelchair basketball team at the University of Arizona.

Grades 7 – 9

Ivan Cervantes – Isaac Middle School
Ivan Cervantes’ winning personality makes him a well-liked leader among his peers and earned him the respect of his teachers. His amputated arm does not prevent him from participating in extracurricular activities including Student Council, Lego Club and track. He is always the first to volunteer, pitch in creative ideas and get other students to participate in activities, and he’s often the last to stop working. Cervantes loves to read and discuss books.

Cervantes’ school assistant principal has commented “Being a middle school student is difficult for any child, but Ivan is thriving socially, emotionally and academically.”

Antonio Miranda – Maryland School
Tony Miranda has an inner strength and a zest for life despite debilitating physical challenges. Miranda is committed to his studies and has received two academic excellence awards. He plays

basketball, Four Square and countless other games. His high GPA also has earned him placement on the principal’s list. Miranda’s natural leadership and spirit of adventure inspire his classmates to do their best and enjoy life. One of his teachers described his exceptional character by saying, “Tony is such a positive addition to any classroom and is a constant reminder of what is right about our kids today.”

Grades 10 – 12

Gabriel Alejandro Castellanos – Brophy College Preparatory
Gabriel Alejandro Castellanos was a freshman at Brophy College Preparatory when he was diagnosed with diabetes in February 2006. The diabetes left him blind. After four months in the hospital, he continued the guitar lessons he had started right before his illness.

Castellanos plans to get a guide dog, but needs to improve his mobility skills more. One of the biggest challenges he has faced is learning to navigate the Brophy campus without his sight; he also has had to learn Braille. However, his hard work has paid off, earning him two consecutive semesters with a 4.0 GPA. His teachers, counselors and family continue to be inspired by his determination.

Bianca Peterson – Barry Goldwater High School
Bianca Peterson is an accomplished artist and journalist who strives for excellence. Despite arthritis in her hand, she undertakes complicated drawing projects for her art class with impressive results. She takes reporting for the school newspaper seriously, interviewing subjects and writing well-crafted articles. Her teachers admire her persistence in meeting her goals and the positive attitude she exudes.

For more information on the awards program and the Phoenix Mayor's Commission on Disability Issues, call 602-262-7486/voice, 602-534-1557/TTY or visit phoenix.gov/mcdi.