For many years the Discovery program, located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC), has helped students who need alternative means of learning. The program is designed to assist students in overcoming struggles in school with various exercises that stimulate the brain.
Senior Kory Thompson joined the Discovery program in fourth grade to become better at reading, spelling and word decoding — the ability to sound out words. Even though most students only complete three years in Discovery, spending four years in the program is a requirement to graduate from it.
“To my knowledge, I don’t have ADD,” Thompson said. “My reading and spelling were just really low and I needed help. It was noticed in first grade, when Kasey [Thompson, brother] and myself were held back a year so we got a tutor to help us. I’m great in math, but the reading and spelling would always hold me back.”
The Discovery program has various exercise that have been proven successful among the students. For example, the blue book helps students sound out words, practice handwriting and learn repetition of letters and numbers. After years of hard work, Thompson triumphed over her disadvantages in school.
“While in the program, Kory has found great success in overcoming her obstacles,” Paulette Bradford, educational therapist for Discovery, said. “I still see Kory two times a week to help her with papers and other homework. She is determined, motivated, energized and perseveres to overcome any struggle in school, as well as disciplined. Kory is driven to do well and is extremely upbeat.”
As fellow students were excelling in school, Thompson decided she needed to focus more on Discovery.
“At first I was reluctant to do the program,” Thompson said. “In about sixth or seventh grade I knew I wanted to do better because of the frustration that my friends would do well in reading while I would take forever and need help from teachers. People would get mad, then I would get embarrassed — and still am — when I read out loud, but it is a lot better now.”
While in elementary, Thompson would frequently participate in the Discovery program and would feel embarrassed about her involvement.
“Kids would ask where I went at lunch,” Thompson said. “When I told them I was in Discovery, they would say, ‘Why are you in that? That’s stupid.’ So, I got to the point where I wouldn’t tell them where I went because I was embarrassed for being in the program.”
Despite facing embarrassment, Thompson found that her friends supported her with her needs.
“Kory doesn’t really get embarrassed,” Bree Ainley, ’11, said. “She just laughs it’s off, but she would ask how to spell simple words like ‘there’ and we were like, ‘Seriously?’ But we know that at times she just forgets, so we help her out.”
Discovery not only helps students to master skills they find difficulty with but also to gain confidence in the subject.
“I really started to like reading when I began the Christy Miller series,” Thompson said. “I fell in love with those books because romance novels are my favorite. I think if a student is not interested in reading, then they should find a book series that they are interested in and just begin reading. I still enjoy reading, and at the moment I’m into the Pretty Little Liar series.”
Even though Thompson found success in Discovery, others consider it burdensome.
“I think the program it great, but it depends on the person,” Thompson said. “My brother [Kasey] was also in the program, but he hated it and did not graduate. It is just a lot of tedious work, so someone must have the drive and want to become better. ”
Although Thompson has had success in the past years with Bradford, she still has an obstacle to overcome in college.
“I work really hard to do well and will always need improvement,” Thompson said. “Going off to college with be different, but if you aspire to succeed, then you will become better. People here know about my difficulty in reading, so they are understanding; but in college I’ll be on my own.”
For more information on the Discovery program, read the April 8 column, Senior applauds Discovery.
