Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Learning Center opens to students

Diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school, Beaufort resident Malcolm Goodridge said his learning disability has been his greatest asset in life.

Learning to cope with dyslexia helped him develop persistence, self-discipline and organizational skills, he said.

Goodridge, a retired American Express executive, founded The Learning Center this year to help others in the Lowcountry who struggle with learning differences achieve academic success.

He and 180 other donors raised nearly $780,000 over more than two years to open the center at the Beaufort Academy campus on Lady's Island. Donors celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting and reception last week.

The private Learning Center is open to local students in kindergarten through grade 12. Annual tuition for comprehensive services at The Learning Center is $8,270.

Scholarships will be available for students from low-income families.

Research shows that 8 percent to 10 percent of American children under 18 have some type of learning disability, according to the National Institutes of Health. The academic potential of such students is often impeded by self-doubt and behavior problems.

"When a child struggles with reading and writing, school becomes a set of hurdles all day long," said Susan DiFabio, director of teaching and learning for Beaufort Academy.

The Learning Center's mission is to transform students with learning differences into confident learners.