Boy Reads at Grade Level After Summer Program

The frustration was almost unbearable for Lauren Jacobs, a kindergarten teacher at the Lexington Latin School and the mother of 12-year-old Caleb.

From the start of kindergarten, Caleb struggled in school. By second grade, as he fell behind his classmates, he acted out at school and at home.

Exasperated and mystified (tutors didn’t help, an ADHD test showed no red flags), Lauren pulled Caleb from school and homeschooled him for two years.

Despite working diligently with his mom, when he returned to Lexington Latin School in fifth grade, his struggles continued.

His reading skills lagged further behind even though he repeated the fifth grade.

Finally, a teacher at Caleb’s school deduced that he could not sound out words.

He had built his vocabulary through memory but new words stumped him.

Caleb’s teacher suggested The Curious Edge where Kimberly Hudson and her staff specialize in identifying cognitive strengths and weaknesses along with reading and writing struggles.

“It was a huge relief to find out that he had an identifiable problem, but I admit I was pessimistic,” Lauren said.

“We had heard so many times before that he could be helped.”

This summer, Caleb began a rigorous schedule at The Curious Edge, attending one- hour sessions nearly every day. He now attends four days a week.

The results? Let Lauren count out the changes.

“Now, he can read at grade level (sixth), he can work independently, his vocabulary has improved, his comprehension and writing are better, and his attitude has improved,” she said.

“I love that place.”

Recently, his class tackled J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” no lightweight read, and Caleb understood everything that he read.

“That was really surprising to me,” Lauren said.

But here’s the most important thing to Lauren. The other day, Caleb said that if he has kids he hopes they have dyslexia.

Why? “Because I know they will have gifts in other areas,” he said.

“That’s what they teach him at The Curious Edge,” Lauren said.

“He used to be embarrassed about his situation but now he wants to share his success. That shows me that this is working really well.”