More Than an Award: The Stories Behind Yes I Can

For 45 years, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) has recognized children and young adults with exceptionalities by awarding them for outstanding abilities in several categories through the Yes I Can Awards. As an organization that provides tools and resources for special education professionals, CEC knows that the children and young adults that our members work with are the reason we do what we do. Every membership, special interest division, journal article, and professional development webinar exists so that special education professionals can support students with exceptionalities to the best of their abilities. 

A beloved part of CEC’s annual Convention, the Yes I Can award ceremony is a chance for the awardees to speak on everything from their favorite sport to what self-advocacy means to them. Jared Peters, one of CEC’s 2026 Yes I Can Awardees for Self-Advocacy, said, “Being a self-advocate means a lot to me. If I need something, it means that I can ask for what I need for myself. And it encourages me to say, "I want to do this; this is my goal." And it also helps, I hope to inspire and encourage other kids, other kids like me, to be able to understand, to stand up for themselves and advocate for themselves.” 

Photo: Yes I Can 2026 Awardee Jared Paters

Just as CEC’s Convention serves as a way for special educators to connect, Yes I Can also enables the awardees—as students from all over the country—to connect. Aleah Stigall, one of the 2026 Yes I Can School & Community awardees, and Lilyan Farris, another recipient of CEC’s 2026 Yes I Can Award for Self-Advocacy, connected over their shared pageant history and are both competing in Miss America local competitions. During her interview at the ceremony, Aleah shares, “Authentic connection is just even more important for students with disabilities as we connect with our teachers, our peers, and our mentors who are truly there to help us build our connections to be successful.”

 Photo: Yes I Can 2026 Awardee Aleah Stigall

Educators and those who work with exceptional children, like the awardees, get the chance to see these students' accomplishments recognized and appreciated. Often, they are the only ones privy to their students' everyday achievements. Lilyan Farris said during her interview, "When I come to events like these or conferences, and I get to meet the people who genuinely think that what I'm doing is changing the world… I'm meeting these faces, and it's really showing me how impactful the work I'm doing is." 

 Photo: Yes I Can 2026 Awardee Lilyan Farris

When these students get the chance to see and feel their impact, it reminds both them and their educators of the importance of all their work. Amelia Crespo Delgado, winner of the CEC 2026 Award for Arts, said of the experience, "I am thankful for the award because it was a big opportunity for me, so I can inspire more people to be themselves and not be afraid to have 'abilities.'"

 Photo: Yes I Can 2026 Awardee Amelia Crespo Delgado

While the ceremony and interviews are the main focal point for many, the winners and their families also have the entire experience of traveling to a new place. Chrystal Abplanalp, parent of Kyle Abplanalp, who received the CEC 2026 Yes I Can Award for School & Community, said, “Kyle was thrilled to get to travel on an airplane to Salt Lake City, Utah. We had never been to Utah before, so this was definitely a fun destination for Kyle and our family." She also spoke of the Convention overall, “It was great to see so many special educators interested in learning more ways to really benefit their students.” 

Photo: Yes I Can 2026 Awardee Kyle Abplanalp and Family

No matter where our Convention takes place, the award ceremony will continue to find ways to ensure that exceptional children feel seen and heard. Amelia Crespo Delgado’s mother, Mary, commented, “CEC has created a rare space where our children don't just fit in—they are seen, valued, and completely cheered on. When we first learned about Amelia’s hearing loss and neurodivergence, our world shifted. Our biggest goal became finding her voice and making sure her unique abilities were never overlooked. Meeting so many incredible students and hearing their own journeys was something we’ll never forget. We walked away feeling more than just supported; we felt like we had found our people.”

CEC’s Yes I Can awards and overall initiative truly serve as the best reminder for all of us just how important it is to encourage students with exceptionalities and to tell them that we are all proud of them, regardless of how society sees their abilities and exceptionalities. As Amelia Crespo Delgado said, “When people throw you rocks, build a beautiful castle out of it!”

Thank you to 2025 Yes I Can Awards sponsor Einstein Advocates for making this year’s ceremony possible!