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PUTNEY, VT. – July 30, 2004 – The Windham Foundation, Inc. has awarded The National Institute at Landmark College a grant of $13,000 to share its expertise in learning disabilities and AD/HD with Vermont families.
For the past 20 years, Putney-based Landmark College has offered a unique educational environment for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD. The Wall Street Journal has written that, " nobody knows the business of educating postsecondary students with learning disabilities better than Landmark College." In order to share this expertise, Landmark College created The National Institute to serve as the outreach, training and research arm of the college.
Earlier this year, The National Institute approached the Windham Foundation to talk about sharing its expertise locally in response to certain factors that point to a need to support parents and educators and help students with learning disabilities and AD/HD. Landmark College receives 30-40 phone calls every week from parents and educators in Vermont requesting assistance with resources, mentoring, tutoring and advice on learning disabilities and AD/HD. Additionally, a recent Department of Education report ranked Windham County as one of the highest in the state in terms of students with Individual Education Plans.
Beginning this Fall, The National Institute will begin a Student Mentor Program and Presentations on Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) program with The Windham Foundation’s support. “What makes this program different is that Landmark College students will be the mentors and presenters” states Dr. Kathy Bilton, Associate Director of The National Institute. “This is not a typical ‘How-to’ presentation. These are students who have been highly successful because they have made the journey with their parents through a difficult and frustrating time and learned strategies to reach their potential. They are the experts and their wisdom and understanding is the foundation for helping students, parents and educators find the tools they need to achieve their goals.”
Ms. Christie Herbert, a Professor at Landmark College, will coordinate the program and is the person who had the vision for the project. "We regularly have workshops with parents and educators on campus that include a student presentation. Our evaluations always state that the student presentations are the most informative and powerful. This program stems from that experience and offers practical, first-hand advice for parents, students and educators who sometimes feel overwhelmed by what they find on the internet and who need the support of others who face similar challenges."
"Landmark College is grateful to The Windham Foundation for its support of The National Institute and honored to be affiliated with a foundation of its stature and reputation" says Dr. Lynda Katz, President of Landmark College.
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