When Kelsey was 8 years old, reading felt impossible. The homeschooled Forney, Texas, student struggled to grasp the basics of recognizing letters and forming words. Her mother, Erin, had taught Kelsey’s three older siblings to read, but with Kelsey, nothing was sticking. They would practice the letter A at breakfast, return after lunch, and Kelsey would stare at the page and ask, “What letter is that?”

“She seemed so frustrated,” Erin recalls. “She would tell me she didn’t think she’d be able to read. As her mom, it was heartbreaking because I wasn’t sure how to help her.”

Something clicked for Erin one afternoon when she contacted a friend whose daughter had dyslexia, a learning difference that makes reading, writing and spelling a challenge. After researching options, Erin discovered the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite for Children and submitted the paperwork for a diagnostic evaluation. Kelsey was officially diagnosed with dyslexia and a writing-related learning difference called dysgraphia.

“Once we had the label of dyslexia, it was such a relief,” Erin says. “We knew how to move forward.”

The center has served as a path forward for children like Kelsey for six decades. Founded in 1965, the center has built a reputation as a national leader in dyslexia identification, treatment and education. Its signature dyslexia curriculum, Take Flight, is used by schools, therapists and educators in 48 states and internationally, making it one of the most widely implemented evidence-based programs.

“Our expertise in dyslexia and related learning disorders is recognized because we set a high standard for creating effective programs and training educators to provide guidance for children with dyslexia,” says Sheryl Frierson, M.D., M.Ed., medical director of the center.

Dr. Frierson also emphasizes the importance of their research-driven approach. “What sets us apart is that our programs are not just evidence-based but research-validated, which means that we have conducted formal studies that show our programs improve students’ reading and learning capabilities,” she says. “We rigorously test every curriculum to ensure it truly makes a difference in children’s lives.”

In the fall of 2024, Kelsey joined the center’s Dyslexia Laboratory School, a free program offering specialized instruction for qualifying students in small groups at the Dallas campus. She was placed in Take Flight, a two-year, Orton-Gillingham-based curriculum that uses multisensory methods to address phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, fluency and comprehension.

Kelsey’s teacher, dyslexia therapist Karla Tavarez, B.A., was eager to take on her first group of students while also studying to become a Take Flight therapist. For Tavarez, the experience was as much about helping her students grow as it was about learning from them. She recognized early on that Kelsey’s greatest challenge was not just decoding words. It was believing she could.

“Kelsey was aware she was struggling, and we had to first build that confidence,” Tavarez says. “What I try to maintain in the classroom is working on the emotional side, alongside learning how to read. I want to make them feel comfortable and let them know they are able to do hard things.”

Kelsey and her mother commuted 40 minutes, four days a week, for two years to the Dyslexia Laboratory School where she attended a 90-minute class. She never complained and rarely missed a class.

In Kelsey’s second year, a pilot program called Write Idea was introduced to complement the Take Flight curriculum. Designed specifically for students with dysgraphia, Write Idea is a 15-minute program led by Tammy Klinkerman, M.Ed., L.D.T., CALT-QI. The curriculum focuses on improving handwriting, spelling, orthography and written expression. By addressing these areas, Write Idea works hand-inhand with Take Flight to provide a comprehensive approach to supporting students with both dyslexia and dysgraphia.

Although writing in cursive was daunting at first, Kelsey embraced the challenge. Cursive handwriting, a cornerstone of the Dyslexia Laboratory School’s approach, plays a key role in helping students connect letters and sounds more effectively. “I wanted to give the program everything I had,” Kelsey explains. “I try to do better every day.”

“We instill in the students that they are in a safe environment and can feel comfortable taking risks,” says Klinkerman, who also coordinates the Dyslexia Laboratory School. “We give students a lot of support within the classroom.” Kelsey’s confidence grew steadily as she mastered the techniques taught in both Take Flight and Write Idea, demonstrating just how impactful these programs can be.

Reflecting on the center’s mission to meet the growing needs of children with dyslexia, Dr. Frierson shares, “Our goal is not just to address students’ immediate challenges but to empower them for a lifetime of success. As we continue to expand our programs, we are committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of where they live, has access to the support they need to unlock their full potential.”

Today, Kelsey is a confident, eager reader, and she intends to use her skills to continue her homeschool curriculum. Outside the classroom, she competes in archery and has her sights set on becoming a veterinarian someday — a goal that anyone who knows her would not doubt for a second.