ECAC Names 2026 Graziadei Achievement Scholarship Award Winner, and Two Runner-Ups

The Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Matthew C. Graziadei Achievement Scholarship Award. This year, we recognize three incredible seniors who reflect the qualities that defined Matthew: determination, perseverance, persistence, dedication, and confidence.

Award Winner: ZhiLei Moyer, Denver Christian Academy, Denver, NC

ZhiLei was adopted in 2017 and moved to the United States from China. He has Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and has overcome many personal challenges throughout his life. He has faced these challenges with “grace, flexibility, and a sense of humor,” said Cynthia Matson, Curriculum Coordinator and MTSS Interventionist at Denver Christian Academy. “It is easy to forget that Z is in a wheelchair because he never makes that an excuse for not doing what is expected or for living his life to the fullest,” she said.

Throughout school, ZhiLei has remained involved in extracurricular activities and volunteered his time in the community. He continues to take weekly Mandarin Chinese lessons to remain fluent in his native language and enjoys attending summer camps through Cornelius Parks and Recreation. His volunteer work includes serving with Lake Norman Food Mission, Samaritan’s Purse, and Huntersville ARP Church.

Academically, ZhiLei has excelled at both Denver Christian Academy and Gaston Community College while still in high school. In tenth grade, he inquired about dual enrollment at Gaston College to prepare for graduation and a future career in engineering. He maintained an A average throughout his junior and senior years at both schools. “Even if my body was not physically strong, my mind is the strength that will carry me through life,” ZhiLei said.

In addition to his activities and coursework, ZhiLei has worked as a cashier at Publix for the past two years. “He has been an excellent example of never letting his physical limitations or cultural differences get in the way of success. He is an outstanding member of our school community, inspiring both students and teachers with his positive outlook,” said Matson.

ZhiLei will continue his studies this fall at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, majoring in engineering. He hopes to pursue a career in robotics engineering.

This award included a $1,500 scholarship. Congratulations, ZhiLei! We wish you continued success in all that lies ahead.

Runner-up Award Winner: Caden Karner, Sanderson High School, Raleigh, NC

“Imagine if the whole course of your life was altered completely out of nowhere and when you least expected it.” These words from Caden Karner describe the moment he first noticed a blurry spot in his right eye during seventh grade. Before the end of the school year, he was diagnosed with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a condition that rapidly affects central vision. Within a month, he was considered legally blind.

Despite this life-changing diagnosis, Caden never allowed it to limit his potential. “Caden never faltered, demonstrating adaptability, motivation, and self-determination. Rather than allowing LHON to limit his potential, he consistently learned new skills to mitigate his vision loss,” said Heather Livingstone, Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments for Wake County Public School System.

Caden learned braille and adapted to using screen readers and talking calculators. According to his teachers, he rose to every challenge both inside and outside the classroom. He enrolled in honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including advanced STEM classes. He also participated in NC State’s award-winning Catalyst Program, designed for students with disabilities interested in STEM careers. Through the program, he completed mini internships and developed career readiness skills.

“Caden is a young man who does not give up in the face of adversity, but strives to overcome the obstacles and barriers life has placed before him,” said Judy Davenport, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the NC Department of Health and Human Services. “His resume and grades speak to his strong work ethic and academic strengths. He is focused, determined, and very intelligent. More importantly, he is a young man of exceptional character.”

After high school, Caden will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and study computer science. He chose Charlotte because of their strong computer science program and support for students with visual impairments.

Lindsay Martin, Social Studies teacher at Sanderson High School, shared, “I firmly believe that Caden is going to do incredible things in the future and am certain that any school, employer, or community will be lucky to have him on their team.”

Congratulations, Caden! This award included a $1,000 scholarship. Wishing you all the best in college!

Runner-up Award Winner: Lucas Kipka, Green Level High School, Cary, NC

Motorcycles, music, and game design are just a few of Lucas Kipka’s many interests—and he excels in them all. At age twelve, Lucas began experiencing visual disturbances, including white flashes of light and shifting shadows wherever he looked. After consultations with more than fifty doctors, he was diagnosed with Visual Snow Syndrome. Rather than allowing his diagnosis to define him, Lucas used it as motivation to make a meaningful impact on the world around him.

“Music became my refuge, a place where I could create without sight,” Lucas shared. He adapted his studio space to meet his needs, including replacing bright drum heads with black ones. He has taken classical violin lessons and currently studies drums and guitar at the Cary School of Music. His musical talents have led him to perform with an orchestra at Meredith College, participate in a youth jazz lab at NC State, and perform in his high school musical.

In addition to music, Lucas has a passion for mechanics and technology. He founded the Green Level Motorcycle Club and is also a 3D designer, game designer, and PC builder. His advisor at Green Level, Alex Garver, believes Lucas is destined for success beyond high school. “Despite the challenges brought about by his vision issues, Lucas has not let them slow him down. Even though these limitations affect his daily life and sometimes require assistive technology, it speaks to his character that he has overcome these medical challenges by seeking solutions that work for him and by working harder than many other students might have to,” he said.

Lucas has also pursued challenging opportunities outside the classroom, including a summer internship at Resolve BIM, where he developed a tool for interactively positioning objects in 3D scenes for construction design software. His supervisor, Stefan Trklja Countryman, Ph.D., described the project as highly ambitious for a high school student. “It was largely self-guided, requiring college-level math, 3D graphics, and programming skills that Lucas had to learn through short weekly meetings and independent study. He approached the challenge with enthusiasm and courage, completing an impressive project and learning a great deal along the way.”

Lucas is interested in pursuing business, computer science, and Spanish in college. He has applied to both Columbia University and Dartmouth College. Reflecting on his experience with a visual impairment, Lucas said, “I’ve not only coped with my condition, I’ve proactively modified and adapted my environment to my needs by developing lenses with automotive tint, trying assistive technology, advocating for myself with teachers, and collaborating with physicians and researchers about my rare condition.”

As Dr. Countryman noted, “Lucas is one of the most impressive people his age that I have known. He possesses the innate curiosity and drive needed to do great intellectual work and make excellent use of the resources he is given.”

This award included a $1,000 scholarship. Congratulations, Lucas, and best wishes for continued success in all your future endeavors.

حول جائزة ماثيو سي جرازيادي

Matthew Carmen Graziadei was a remarkable young man who died in January 1998 at the age of 26. At the age of seven Matt was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. He graduated from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC and was elected to Who’s Who in American High School Students. Matt was a student intern at the Charlotte Mint Museum and served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association both locally and statewide. He achieved President’s Honors at Central Piedmont Community College and served in Washington, DC with the US Surgeon General’s Council on Families and Disabilities. Matt also started his own business and was a contractor in facilities, engineering and computer services.

يتم اختيار الحاصلين على جائزة المنح الدراسية من قبل مجلس مراجعة جائزة منحة ماثيو س. Graziadei بناءً على هذه الصفات:

• التصميم - الوصول إلى ما فوق خيال المرء
• المثابرة - البقاء صامدا رغم كل الصعاب
• المثابرة - البدء من الصفر والسعي حتى النجاح
• التفاني - الحفاظ على الجهد القوي والإنجاز
• الثقة - التغلب على العقبات من خلال الشجاعة الداخلية
• الدافع - رؤية الحياة كسلسلة من الفرص ، وليس العقبات
• الثبات - الاستمرار بعد توقف الآخرين
• الإنجاز - النجاح برؤية جديدة مستمرة