Makenzie Gilkison is a freshman at Greenfield Central High School and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and inclusive education. Diagnosed with dyslexia, she has spent the past three years sharing her personal journey with K–8 students across Central Indiana through the Joseph Maley Foundation’s Disability Awareness program. Her goal is to empower young learners who may feel isolated or misunderstood due to learning differences.
Makenzie’s advocacy extends beyond the classroom. She was selected as a student presenter at ISTELive 24 in Denver, where she co-led the session “AI’s Impact on Dyslexia: A Student’s Message to Teachers” alongside Holly Clark and Nadine Gilkison. In this session, she highlighted how AI tools like text-to-speech and predictive writing have transformed her learning experience, helping her overcome challenges with spelling and reading comprehension .
Her story has garnered national attention. Makenzie was featured in an Associated Press article, where she discussed how assistive technologies have helped her succeed academically, even earning her a place in the National Junior Honor Society . She also participated in the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), where she helped launch the Inclusive Leadership Summit hosted by CAST and shared her vision for the future of accessible learning .
Makenzie continues to inspire educators and students alike by using her voice to promote understanding, empathy, and innovation in education.