Christine Beitler, who trains fellow educators across Manchester's schools on Bookshare, is the first recipient of the award
PALO ALTO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / August 26, 2026 / Benetech has named Christine Beitler, a district-wide vision specialist for Manchester School District, the inaugural recipient of the Benetech Educator Impact Award, recognizing her work to expand accessible and inclusive learning for students across the district.
Beitler was nominated by a colleague for the reach of her work. As a district-wide vision specialist, she works directly with students on accessing their assigned course materials. She also trains fellow teachers across the district on accessibility tools and inclusive classroom practices, consulting with colleagues and parents alike. The Educator Impact Award drew nominations from educators, colleagues, and parents in 28 states, and Beitler's stood out for the scale of her impact: a district-wide role that reaches educators and students well beyond her own classroom.
"What you do every day for your students, for your colleagues, and for your district is extraordinary," said Ayan Kishore, CEO of Benetech. "You are the reason this award exists, because you show us what it looks like when an educator truly commits to help every student."
"Christine's coaching is expanding opportunities for countless children with disabilities and helping educators build more supportive learning environments throughout her district," said Lilly Davis, who represented the Esther & Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation on the selection committee. The award carries a cash prize and a spotlight across Benetech and Bookshare communications channels.
Dr. June Klein, Chair of Benetech's Board of Directors, said the award reflects the organization's founding purpose. "Benetech was founded on the belief that technology should be a force for inclusion, not exclusion," Dr. Klein said. "The Benetech Educator Impact Award is a natural extension of that mission. Christine made it her mission to bring other teachers along with her, and that ripple effect is enormous."
The Benetech Educator Impact Award recognizes one K-12 educator each year, from classroom teachers to specialists and school leaders, for advancing accessible and inclusive learning for students with learning differences and print disabilities. Much of that work draws on Bookshare, Benetech's flagship program and the world's largest online library of accessible reading materials, which serves people with print disabilities across more than 5,000 school districts in all 50 states.
Nominations for the 2027 award, open to written, audio, or video submissions, are now being accepted here: www.benetech.org/educatorimpact/.
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Benetech is a nonprofit advancing access to information for people with disabilities who face barriers to reading and learning. Its flagship program, Bookshare, is the world's largest online library of accessible reading materials, serving people with print disabilities in schools, workplaces, and communities worldwide. A Forbes Accessibility 200 honoree. For more information, visit www.benetech.org.
Press Contact: George Mastoras
georgem@benetech.org or (914) 489-5282
SOURCE: Benetech
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/benetech-names-new-hampshire-vision-specialist-inaugural-winner-1212309
