Kyle Abplanalp, an 8th-grader at Lincoln Middle School was honored with the 2026 Yes I can Award for School and Community by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). This international award celebrates and honors the achievements of children and youth with exceptionalities while increasing public awareness of the abilities and aspirations of students with disabilities.
Kyle, who is on the autism spectrum and has celiac disease, has received amazing support to help him flourish. He is actively involved at Lincoln and in the community, making a wonderful impact! His nominator noted that while academic and social tasks do not always come easily to him, "he works harder than any kid I know".
It is this drive to succeed that keeps Kyle moving and constantly trying new things. Kyle has been an enthusiastic member of the Boy Scouts since kindergarten, proudly holding a Star Rank. His commitment to helping others shines through as he regularly volunteers at Feed My Starving Children and the Summit Retirement. With his action-packed schedule, Kyle stays on the move! He’s been a dedicated member of the Park District's Riptides Swim Team since first grade and actively runs as part of the Lincoln Cross Country Team. Plus, he plays the violin in the Lincoln Philharmonic Orchestra. Last year, he stepped out of his comfort zone by auditioning for a singing and dancing role in the school's production of "Matilda." This year, Kyle is having an amazing time with Acing Autism, an organization that uses tennis to help children with autism thrive.
The award took Kyle and his family to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the CEC Convention and Expo. This trip was a significant milestone for the family. His mother, Chrystal Abplanalp, who is also an Education Support Professional (ESP) at Lincoln, shared that Kyle was thrilled to fly to a new destination. “We had never been to Utah before, so this was definitely a fun destination for Kyle and our family.”
Chrystal expressed her gratitude to exceptionalchildren.org for the community of educators present, noting it was "great to see so many special educators eager to learn more ways to truly benefit their students."