A Special Valedictorian

Jet, July 2, 2001

A SPECIAL VALEDICTORIAN: Hazel Robinson smiles proudly at her son, Lee Alderman, 19, who suffers from autism, but became the first special education student in the District to graduate at the top of his class at Cardozo Senior High School in Washington, D.C. As valedictorian, earning the highest grade point average at the school in six years, Alderman delivered a graduation speech during Cardozo's commencement at Howard University.

He thanked teachers and fellow graduates for helping him overcome social and academic obstacles. Two years ago his mother transferred him to the public school because she thought the private school he was attending in Northern Virginia was too easy and wasn't challenging him enough. When he went to Cardozo he was placed in honors classes then moved on to excel in advanced placement classes. "I knew it was a struggle," said Alderman, who will be attending Saint Mary's College in Maryland on a full scholarship. "When I think of myself, I wouldn't think of myself as someone with autism or somebody with any kind of disorder."