Local educator Michelle Walden shared how the Christian County Public School System and the Christian County Dyslexia Association are helping children with reading disabilities at Tuesday’s Hopkinsville Rotary Club meeting.
Walden is the Elementary School Instruction Supervisor for the public school system and has been involved with the association since 2015. Walden initially reached out to the association after her son was having difficulties with reading and rhyming words.
After receiving a screening at the association’s center, Walden’s son was diagnosed with severe dyslexia.
Following the diagnosis, Walden says she was not sure if her son would ever be able to read well. However, Walden signed him up for tutoring at the association and his reading greatly improved. Walden says her son is now a high school junior and able to proficiently read and advocate for his needs.
In December 2024, Walden says Freedom Elementary School started partnering with the association to offer tutoring to help children with dyslexia and other reading delays. She says they are already seeing improvements in students’ reading abilities.
Since the program is seeing good results at Freedom Elementary, Walden says she would like to expand the program to other schools and asked for the Rotary Club’s support.
Walden says she applied for a Rotary grant to hopefully expand the program.