Academics

How To Deal With Learning Disabilities? Bay District Schools' Seniors Unveil What It Takes!

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One of the best ways to help children with learning disabilities is to look for means to help them help themselves.

A parent's job is not to cure the learning disability, but to gear his or her child with the emotional and social tools they need to battle challenges, reports News 24.

The way a parent behaves or responds to challenges has a considerable impact on a child. Although, a good attitude will not solve problems associated with a learning disability, it can give a child hope that things can eventually improve and that he or she will succeed.

Taylor Shaw - Mosley High School

Taylor Shaw, a child of military family who was diagnosed with a learning disability when she was just 4, had to try her hardest in school as even an uncomplicated problem would make her cry. However, Shaw's mother believed she simply needed more time and did everything she could to keep her daughter out of special classes. Shaw lived in England, and then Singapore but her struggle continued.

Things looked a bit positive when Shaw returned to the U.S. and enrolled at Hiland Park Elementary School, where with the help of math and reading tutors, she was able to keep going. Given enough time in sixth grade Shaw showed remarkable improvement making above a 4.0 GPA through middle and high school. She joined the National Honors Society and completed pre-med internships.

She single-mindedly took the ACT six times in order to get a full scholarship to Florida A&M University to learn pre-med biology.

Now, recalling her earlier struggle with homework, Shaw noted that she didn't believe she could do it.

Terry Stevens - Rosenwald High School

While people wanted Terry Stevens to play football, he just wanted to move on to his correct grade. With an ongoing clash between what he actually wanted and what others wanted him to do, Stevens was a grade behind since elementary school. He had to make a decision as he was not only missing school but also falling behind, first at Bay High School and then at Rosenwald. Walking out on football and dedicating himself to academics seemed the right thing to do.

This would be the first time in his academic career, Stevens would pursue what he actually wanted to do and was sure he wanted to stick with it, reports, News Herald.

Three weeks ago his dream finally came true when he was given a letter signed by Bay District Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt notifying him that he had graduated with honors. Steven carried the letter with him even on the last day of his class.

In occasions when he wanted to quit, his parents encouraged him to keep going. He will try a year at Gulf Coast State College this fall and see what he likes it.

Elizabeth Chapman - Mosley High School

Always been a little offbeat, Chapman spent much of her education in private schools, and just like her grandparents, her parents and her siblings, she too enrolled in Mosley.

"It's in our blood to come here and be here," she said.

But the tradition ends there, Chapman who opted for something bigger than filtering into the routine in-state suspects for college said.

As the president of the drama club, she always had keen interest in arts. Chapman is scheduled to attend the American Academy for the Dramatic Arts in New York City in the fall and study theater exclusively.

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