Photo by Taylor Pardue
Sam Wagoner helps a girl work through the screening test.
Photo by Taylor Pardue
Johnl Rodriguez takes the Lexercise screening test with volunteer Jennifer Lewis.
Photo by Taylor Pardue
Left to right: Sam Wagoner, Darcie Dyer, Chad Myers, Dr. Bill Blackley, Sandy Blackley, Jennifer Lewis.
Dr. Bill Blackley of the Yadkin Valley Rotary Club talks with a child and her mother.
Rotarians Jedd Metz, left, and Michael Wilson, right, pose for a photo with Dr. Blackley.
Sandie Blackley and Darcie Dyer hold signs to catch the attention of parents and children.
Thirty-eight children between the ages of six and fourteen were screened Saturday, Feb. 16th for dyslexia. The Yadkin Valley Rotary Club, in partnership with Elkin Walmart and Dyslexia Services Foundation, screened local children who may be suffering from dyslexia and have been previously undiagnosed.
Using Lexercise, a free online program utilizing single words on a screen to test for dyslexia, the volunteers worked with each student on an individual basis to help identify what reading level the children read at and if they were at risk of dyslexia. “Of the 38 screened, about 20% scored in the “at-risk” level, about 40% at the “partial-risk” level, and about 40% passed. One kindergarten-age child was unable to complete the screening,” said Sandie Blackley, Vice-Chair of the Dyslexia Services Foundation.
“The average age of those screened was nine years old, an average of 3.4 grade. Parents were given information with their child’s results about area clinics where complete language processing evaluations can be arranged, and general information about dyslexia and how it can be overcome,” said Blackley.
Walmart provided the screening room and a gift of pencils, pens, composition notebooks, and cupcakes and drinks for the participants. In addition, they are offering four scholarships for children who participated for complete dyslexia evaluations. These will be based on financial need, according to Blackley. The children were also given instructions on how to apply at DyslexiaServicesFoundation.org, through which the scholarships will be administered, with their handouts.
To reach Taylor Pardue, call 336-835-1513 ext. 15, or email him at tpardue@civitasmedia.com.
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