Cora Walsh, a middle school student from Rockville Centre on Long Island, has won the grand prize in the middle school category of this year’s NPR Student Podcast Challenge for her podcast titled “Dyslexia and MEE.” The submission was selected from nearly 1,500 entries received from 42 states and the District of Columbia.
Walsh’s podcast chronicles her personal experience with dyslexia, a learning difficulty that affected her reading ability for years before she received a correct diagnosis. She spent approximately five years struggling with reading comprehension, consistently underperforming compared to her peers despite investing significant effort into improving. Once diagnosed, Walsh began receiving tutoring for her condition and has documented her learning process in her podcast, which includes recordings of her working through reading exercises with her tutor over video calls.
Since beginning treatment, Walsh has made notable progress in her reading abilities and has developed a more positive relationship with books. Her mother reported a significant milestone when Walsh read the first book in the Hunger Games series for pleasure during the summer, marking a shift in her attitude toward reading. Walsh has now obtained the second book in the series from the library as she continues her reading journey.
Walsh, who aspires to attend Princeton and study neuroscience, expressed pride in both her personal achievement and the podcast she created. She hopes that sharing her story will help reduce stigma around dyslexia and assist younger students who are navigating their own learning challenges. Her message to others emphasizes perseverance and self-confidence in overcoming academic obstacles.
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