Aspire Academy would like to reflect on our top five favorite people that we have featured this year. These are proud and open people with dyslexia, who have worked to pave the way for a newer generation. We are thankful for every person who uses their platform to both normalize and highlight the benefits and challenges that come with dyslexia.
- Henry Winkler – Actor
Henry Winkler grew up in New York City and characterizes his childhood as never feeling like he was trying hard enough in school. When discussing his dyslexia, Henry often brings up the pressure that his parents placed on his academics. He was reprimanded frequently for not being able to spell or read at grade level with his peers, and for performing poorly in school. By the age of 30, Henry had read his first ever novel. Henry makes a point of this because it took him late into his life to finally feel that he was able to “put it all together,” when it came to reading. By the age of 31, Henry would get his official dyslexia diagnosis.
Aside from being a household name, Henry Winkler is also the proud author of the Hank Zipzer series!
- Jewell Loyd – Professional Athlete
Jewell Loyd loved to learn, whether it was on the court or in the classroom. She listened to her teachers with great focus, and tried her best to take in the most amount of knowledge that she could. When Jewell was 12 years old, her mother noticed something was off when she was doing her homework. She was taking hours to complete her assignments each night.
At first, Jewell did not understand her diagnosis, and the term “ disability,” made her initially feel uncomfortable, ashamed, and isolated. Jewell pens in her 2015 feature in The Players’ Tribune titled, Role Model: “I was actually the first person at my school to share a diagnosis, thanks to my parents, so we’d begun trying different specialized learning plans. My friends knew something was up. Finally, I told them why I was getting the extra help. I was dyslexic. It took some explaining, but they couldn’t have been more supportive. Why was I so afraid?” Jewell goes on to explain how the word “disability” became empowering for her. She began to apply her work ethic in sports into her studies. Jewell graduated from Notre Dame on the honor roll, and as the first pick in the 2015 WNBA draft
Jewell Loyd was the first pick in the 2015 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm, is a two time Olympic gold medalist for Team USA, 2015 Rookie of the Year, two time National Champion, and 2023’s WNBA Scoring leader.
- Philip Schultz – Pulitzer winning Poet
When Philip Schultz was in elementary school, he was told by his teachers to pretend to read by looking at photos and sitting silently during reading time. Schultz recalls feelings of wanting to belong, and longing to dive into the world of reading. During his fifth grade year, Schultz was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, and when he replied that he dreamed of being a writer, the principal of his school laughed and claimed that it would be impossible with his low reading levels. Hearing these hurtful comments changed the way Schultz approached reading.
Philip Schultz would go on to become a notable writer and winner of the Pulitzer in Poetry. Schultz would graduate from the prestigious Iowa Writers Workshop and teach the graduate program at NYU, before making a workshop of his own.
- Dr. Carol W. Greider – Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine.
Dr. Carol W. Greider is a molecular biologist who has made strides in research around cell division and chromosomal structures. Her research plays a large part in understanding cancer, and researching for cures! She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for her research. Dr. Greider was the twelfth woman ever to earn the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine since the Prize was created 1901.
When Dr. Greider has spoken about her grades versus her standardized test scores. She was thankful to University of California – Berkeley for extending her an opportunity to interview for their program, instead of judging her academics off of her standardized tests. Dr. Greider states, “If U.C. Berkeley had done the same thing that many of the other schools did, which was to apply a cutoff, then I wouldn’t have gone to graduate school and made the discovery of telomerase and won the Nobel Prize.” (Yale)
Dr. Carol W. Greider is a distinguished professor, along with being a Nobel Prize winning scientist.
- A’ja Wilson – Professional Athlete / Philanthropist
A’ja Wilson was diagnosed with dyslexia her sophomore year of highschool. This diagnosis was a challenge for her to accept. Now, as an adult, A’ja strives to bring accessibility to all communities, including through her community outreach initiatives. The A’ja Wilson Foundation (AWF) aims to end the stigma around dyslexia and prioritizes accessibility to resources for those affected by dyslexia. The AWF also sponsors mentorship summer camps for children with dyslexia.
Every year, the AWF will take a group of children and adults to an Aces game to see the star player play up close. A’ja Wilson is involved with her foundation and will take time to meet with the kids in person to offer mentorship, and encourage them to follow their dreams.
Drafted in 2018 to the Las Vegas Aces, she has become a back to back WNBA champion, WNBA MVP (2020, 2022), Defensive Player Of The Year (DPOY) in 2022 and 2023, made Rookie Of The Year (ROTY) in 2018, a now two-time Olympic Gold medalist, and has made repeat appearances in 5/6 seasons as an All-Star. A’ja Wilson is also a New York Times bestselling author.