Zak Kukoff

Thousand Oaks, CA | 17

2012 Award Recipient

Zak learned first-hand about the challenges faced by students with special needs when his cousin was diagnosed with autism. Zak, then 14, responded by creating Autism Ambassadors to help his classmates access the right tools to be successful in the classroom, help them build lasting friendships, and promote greater understanding of and empathy for autistic students among their neuro-typical peers. Zak created a program and curriculum that helps more deeply integrate autistic students into the fabric of their school communities.