Sondra Kirschner Alan, Esq.
923 Cumberland Street, Ste. 101
Bristol, Virginia 24201

A boy with language disabilities thanks the Scottish Rite for helping children with learning disorders.

Ten-year-old Drew Proffitt (photo below) has a storyteller at his October birthday party each year. His dad builds a bonfire and sets out bales of hay. The usual attendance is about 50 adults and children. But this last year there were no presents to open.

Drew has language disabilities (L.D.), but thanks to the efforts of many people, especially his teacher since first grade, Cindy Alvis, Drew is an honor roll student. Drew, himself, realizes how special attention has helped him reach his full potential. So last year, instead of presents, he asked for donations to the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Program. He received over $200 to be used to help other kids like himself.

Drew has language processing problems which make it difficult to read, write, and store memory. Could you imagine grocery shopping if there were no words for the foods you wanted to buy? What if you had to remember by something other than words? Right from the start, Drew was different than his siblings. He was "high maintenance." He never, ever slept through the night. He didn't talk before two years of age but had very expressive gestures and screeched loudly. He had frequent night terrors. He was engaging and fun but always seemed to be in trouble at pre-school. At age six, he was hospitalized for a week at the Kluge Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, for evaluation. It was there he was identified as L.D. and entitled to special education in his public school system.

Drew, like his brother and sister who both graduated high school in the top 10%, is intellectually above average. Being smart and L.D. is an awesome combination that really demands a lot of his parents' time and attention. He is very creative and has won numerous photography awards. He dances, has performed in a six-county children's choir, acted in a college presentation of a Shakespeare comedy, plays soccer, snow skis, and never misses an opportunity to test a rule which helps him to be a regular patron of his school principal's office. He wears his hair in a long braid and plans to compete in junior motorcycle drag racing this summer.

Drew's message is this: If you're L.D. or your kid is L.D., don't be afraid or embarrassed. Get help and get on with a wonderful life filled with all kinds of success!