Features: March 18, 2002

White House Honors Rensselaer Student for Overcoming Life's Obstacles
Rensselaer freshman Richard Booton, who suffers from cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, epilepsy, and dyslexia, recently was honored at the White House.

Booton (left in photo), a computer science major, received a prestigious 2001 National Achievement Award from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D).

The annual award is one of six given by RFB&D to high school seniors with learning disabilities who have demonstrated superior scholarship, leadership, enterprise, and service to others. Booton's award included a $6,000 prize and a trip to the White House to visit First Lady Laura Bush (right in photo) on March 6.

As early as the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s, RFB&D's NAA winners have been invited to meet with presidents, first ladies, and cabinet officers at the nation's capital.

Booton was diagnosed with dyslexia as a young child and had a difficult time learning to read. His mother enrolled him into RFB&D when he was in fourth grade.

Established in 1948, the New-Jersey based RFB&D is the largest national nonprofit organization providing recorded textbooks to students of all ages who cannot read standard print effectively because of a visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability.

The program allowed Booton to excel academically and to gain self-confidence. He graduated with a 3.83 GPA from Cold Spring Harbor High School, where he was a member of the math team, the science club, Spanish club, varsity swim team, and varsity wrestling team.

He served as a swim coach for the Special Olympics Team, and developed an after-school computer club to help students who have difficulties with their programming assignments.