Huntley High School senior Owen Cravens received a 2020 Infinitec North Technology Achievement Award in a socially distanced ceremony earlier this month.
This honor is awarded to students that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in overcoming challenges and accomplishing personal goals using assistive technology. Traditionally, awards are presented at a banquet, but due to the ongoing pandemic, the award was presented individually at his home.
Cravens is legally blind, having been diagnosed at age 10 with Stargardt Disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration. He has continued to succeed academically throughout his school career as well as athletically, blossoming into a two-time national junior paratriathlete champion, with an ultimate goal of competing in the Paralympic games.
Owen uses a variety of assistive technology to aid in his studies. His success in school led to the naming of Huntley 158 teacher for the visually impaired Kateri Gullifor as the Braille Institute’s 2019 national teacher of the year.
“Owen uses AT with such consistency and confidence, that it has become a part of who he is and how he thrives in this world,” Gullifor said.
Once a year, the Infinitec Coalition recognizes 12 students who excel using assistive technology to access curriculum and demonstrate functional independence at school.
Infinitec, which stands for infinite potential through technology, is the technology program of UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago. The mission of Infinitec is to advance independence and promote inclusive opportunities for children and adults with disabilities through technology.
