How our program changes lives

Here are some of the responses we have received from parents, students, or adult clients.

Cassidy - age 14          Ben - age 10           Jamie - age 23           Clayton - age 7             Jerene - age 63             Maansi - age 12           Taylor - age 9         Johanna - age 12 & Naomi - age 11          Kameron & Kennon - age 10 & Bentley - age 13            Susan - age 63            Janell - age 10

From our lovealocalbusiness.com contest entry: we were honored to receive these great comments  about our  work with families.

You have a diamond in your midst. My son was fired due to problems of undiagnosed dyslexia. Meadowbrook helped him. Recently he scored 98/100 reading and 96/100 writing for his entrance into Spokane Community College. PLEASE HELP THEM HELP OTHERS. Special Ed teacher

We are thrilled with the help we have received through Meadowbrook - Thanks so much!   Kris

Meadowbrook Educational Services is an INCREDIBLE RESOURCE AND TREASURE for Spokane to have. We have been invaluably helped by their services and I recommend them highly to friends! Thank you! Mom of 4

Thank you for helping my Niece's children! What a blessing you have been! tiggerjs1

Before coming here my son's self esteem had taken a beating at school and he no longer believed he could learn. He thought he was defective. After Meadowbrook he knew that he was smart, special and talented. Most of all he knew he could learn to read. Mary

My sister in law and brother-in-law are very thankful for the help of Meadowbrook. You are truly a blessing  Jen&Chris

I work with home-schoolers and others and I'm so excited to have an excellent resource that can help children with learning challenges. They do an amazing job. Elaine Cammack

My daughter has been transformed by the services she received at Meadowbrook.  Kara

They have been a huge blessing to my daughter that lives in Spokane and her ability to Home school my grand children's spacial learning needs. Gary Molenaar

Thank you for helping my kids! matt

Unique approach to empowering learning disabled children and adults to overcome the challenges in education. Meadowbrook staff is a miracle in my son's life - what's more, they truly do care about their clients. I recommend them to everyone in need! Suebee42

Thank you Renie for helping my kids! dad of 4

Satisfying to watch my son see his own improvement in learning skills after having beneficial training that will aid him for life. Great to see a child grow & thrive. He has become more self-reliant & motivated. Skills that will last a lifetime. Satisfied Mom

[Meadowbrook] Has helped a friend of mine. linda

They change lives for the better. Larry

My friend is very thankful for the help of Meadowbrook. Thanks!  vw

I have worked with the folks at Meadowbrook for years and have seen first hand the fantastic things they do for the families they serve. I even referred a family friend and he had great success when other sources had failed. Keep up the great work. GBL

I have a friend who says this is a great place. markalanbaker

My friend is very thankful for the help of Meadowbrook. You are truly a blessing. Gary

They are a wonderful company. They save children from falling through the cracks in our education system today. The support the child & parents going through a difficult time, and help then over come learning challenges that schools don't address. Marcy

This business has shown me how I can grow in problem areas since being diagnosed with dyslexia. Lauren

This [MES] has done incredible things for education. Michelle

Meadowbrook is a fantastic program that helps children and adults! so thankful! Olivia

I want them to keep helping children and adults with learning difficulties. They helped my son and he improved. Aurora

Everyone benefits when a student who is struggling in school gets the help to learn easily. Many of today's youth who fail in school will end up being a burden in society and at worst become involved in crime and gangs. Our work has immense impact. LarrySpokane

Cassidi - Age 14

Cassidi’s Letter

Thank you so much for everything you have done to make me become a better person. Your time, knowledge, effort, and love will stay with me for my life. Helping all my dreams and goals become reality. Thank you also for listening to me and knowing what I was thinking and saying. It felt good to have someone know me and the way I am, and help. Thanks tor the love. Love Cassidi.

Comments from Cassidi’s mom

The program exceeded my expectations. Cassidi & I decided that we could not put a price tag on the things she learned. This information was so valuable. Cassidi has never had a teacher ask her if she "felt OK". And she cared how Cassidi was doing at all times. Thank you for giving Cassidi the tools she needs to become a great student and a wonderful young person.

UPDATE: Cassidi stopped by the other day to start her daughter with Meadowbrook’s EFSAP program at home.(EFSAP Establishes Foundational Skills for Academic Proficiency) She's excited to be able to help her children learn how to learn before they have the chance to become confused at school.

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Susan - age 63 (audio recording)

“Today I was speaking with Dorothy who has been my instructor at Meadowbrook for a few months now, about how difficult my life was (and this is totally candid)  that before I came to Meadowbrook I was just – I survived life.

I am 63 years old and I just survived every day. It took a lot of work to just prepare for the day and it seemed like I would be going in one direction and then I’d have to get instructions for something, I’d have to read something, I’d have to pick up a book and try to figure out what it said. There was never any peace or downtime in my life. I was constantly in survival mode trying to figure out the next step of life and how to do it.

When I was in school from first grade on, I had difficulties with phonics and spelling and reading and my punishment was that I would have to sit in the corner on a dunce stool and face the wall. Then I’d be taken off that position and the teacher would ask me to read again and I didn’t know what to tell her because I didn’t know what was going on, but the pages were all scrambled with words I didn’t know, so I would go back into the corner with the dunce hat on. Sometimes my punishment would be that I would have to cut the letters out that said “Dunce” and attach them to my hat.  I spent about 4 years of school 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th grade, in the Dunce corner and no one was teaching me anything. I would look at other children and I’d just think, ‘do they have to go through all this just to read a book and how do they do it? Why can’t I be happy like that and understand words and meanings and be able to pronounce letters, spell them, and read a book?’  I could not do it – and this is the way it was most of my life.

 As I got older I just used survival techniques. When I was in Junior High and High School I’d go to my teacher and they would know that I was struggling so they’d all ask, what do you do well? And I could bake chocolate chip cookies – and I’d bake chocolate chip cookies and I’d get a B. So – I  was never achieving any goals by being able to do what came naturally to most people. I had to really create a lifestyle and a life that worked for me living in a world of not being able to understand and having learning disabilities.

Since I have started at Meadowbrook, I feel like finally I am planted on the ground someplace and it’s very good soil. The sound therapy is  the first thing that brought me to a point where I could just relax and not think about anything. I could just settle down and not be so anxious. I didn't have to survive through the few hours of my day, but  I could actually relax and kind of clear my mind so that there was a place where the healing and the learning could begin. I was not only traumatized from the way that I was treated emotionally and physically and psychologically through my life and through school, I had to come to a place where I didn't have to think about all these things.  This would be a starting point;  my sound therapy has given me the starting point. And then, from there, we just washed out all the things and talked about them and processed. I was actually afraid of letters of the alphabet. I was AFRAID of them! Once I worked through each one and brought in a new perspective, a freshening that felt right and good to me,  that really made sense, it gave me ownership of learning. It was about me this time. It was about what worked for me and this I learned in Meadowbrook.  I’m not so far into my school but I’m into it far enough that (I think it’s been 4 or 5 months) I can actually spell words. If I get off track I know what to do to get myself back on track and it doesn't always pertain to times when I’m trying to read or write, it’s just in everyday life. I can separate myself from the situation, I can get centered, I can come back in and approach the situation [differently]  I’m able to do that because I can center myself – I have a new life and that’s all I can say!

Thank you!

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Ben - Age 10                                                                                 

Ben's comments

The program really helped me. It has made school easier.

Ben's Mother's comments

Ben has always been a responsible child, but the program has made him a new child. His confidence is up - it has changed his life. It seems he has improved in all aspects of his life 180%. It's remarkable

Ben's progress

Ben was 10 when he started his program and he was reading two years behind in grade level. He was reading at grade level 3 in 5th grade. His program consisted of work with our staff and then 6 months of additional homework to be completed at home. Ben stretched this out and completed his homework during the following year

The school tested him in 7th grade (after his program was completed) they found  he had improved 9 years in reading and comprehension in 2 years time. He went from a 3rd grade reading level in 5th grade to a 12.9+ reading level in 7th grade - along with a new 4.0 GPA.

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Jamie - age 23

Hello. I hope you are able to set aside a few minutes and read my story. I can remember driving to Meadowbrook as if it were happening this very moment. The air was cold and the sky overcast adding gloom to the day. I was crying, wondering if I would find any resolution to my unknown problem. My hands were sweating. I was so nervous and completely scared and wondering if I was dumb or would I find a reason for my condition.

I was on the road to no-where, sleeping about 23 hours a day, had just lost my small business, and was confusing everyone around me. I came from a dysfunctional family and I was determined no matter what to have a healthy marriage till death do us part and be a very accomplished mom to our son and future children. I was very depressed for no explainable reason. (Medication is not a solution). I always wanted to know why I felt so different from everyone else. Throughout grades 6 - 12 in school my GPA suffered. The harder I tried the more it suffered. This precluded me from being involved in sports, ceramics, or college courses I really wanted to take. Continual failure without an apparent reason wears on a person physically and emotionally.

When people met me we would get along great but for some reason communication would always cease. I wondered why; I'm a good honest caring person.

After my assessment at Meadowbrook  they explained how they could help me and I awaited anxiously for the third week of April when I would start my program. My loving husband watched our son so my time at Meadowbrook would be most beneficial. I wanted to find the answers to all my questions. I cried some, came home exhausted but by the end of the week I was off antidepressants. Six months later I would sleep 8 - 10 hours. In January I completed my homework and now I sleep 6 hours nightly. I am very efficient at being a wife, mom, friend, and business owner all at once. All of my family can finally have talks with me. It's nice being able to talk to my mom and listen. My business is running again far more efficiently than before.

The Meadowbrook program is a God Send. I now have control of my life. My canvas is being painted quite beautifully. Before the program I felt like a new born foal - afraid of everything and knowing nothing. I am not, let me repeat, that I am not afraid of failure for myself anymore. I can do anything I want. It's just up to me to do it.

Sincerely,

Jamie C.

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Clayton - age 7

Clayton’s Mom’s Comments

Clayton has made such remarkable progress - pretty amazing. From last April (just under a year ago), he was at a pre-primmer level (preschool) and is now at a 4th grade level for reading and comprehension! And his writing is amazing also. And he's only in the 2nd grade! Math is coming along just fine, we'll need to keep working on basics with him but he understands the concepts. So pretty exciting. The story he wrote for class recently was 10+ pages long - she said he just kept going on and on. Well thought out. You'll have to see his work sometime! Supposedly he's been the talk of the teacher lunchroom about how much he has improved! And his confidence has grown by leaps and bounds!

We agreed to pull him out of the OT help that he had 1/week since his writing is doing just fine. We could have pulled him from the resource room also, but we all agreed to keep him through the end of this year. They'll concentrate on spelling and writing. Then we'll re-evaluate in the fall after summer break.

Thank you again for all you did! That was the beginning of a great change for Clayton. With your help, our support and the support of teachers, the sky has become the limit for Clayton! He's soaring high! Regards,
*Laurie P.

Clayton’s Progress

When Clayton came to MES for a program he had been in occupational therapy for small motor movement. He was suffering from a form of dysgraphia in which  making letters with curves caused him nausea. After  his program  nausea was no longer an issue. Being able to form letters without being sick gave him the courage to confront letters and words with confidence and he began  to read and write.

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Jerene - age 63

"Your program has changed my whole outlook in life; it has really made a difference. I always have felt like a caterpillar in a cocoon. Now I've broken free and I'm flying."

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Maansi - age 12  (India)

Maansi’s Letter

Dear Mrs. Smith,

I am very sorry for not being in touch with you even though you have helped me so much. I am now in the ninth standard and things are going nicely. I made use of the programe in the 8th std and it helped me a lot. I did very well in the 8th std final exams. My 1st term exams are going on. I am doing well so far. My exams are getting over on the 20th of this month.

I am very thankful to you for the amazing change I feel in me.

Love,
Maansi

Maansi’s Mom’s comments

"Maansi's greatest improvement is her maturity level and self-esteem." says her mother, Radhika, who recently told us Maansi has also doubled her math scores.

Maansi’s Progress

 Maansi was shy and unable to read - she never read a book before her program and most of her evenings were spent with her mother's help doing her homework. Eight months following her program, she had cut her homework time by 80%. Her confidence has blossomed and she now does classical dances for charity and loves performing for others.

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Taylor - age 9

Dear Parent(s)

My daughter Taylor at the beginning of her academic years was immediately tagged as a shy and an unwilling child. As she moved through 1^st grade I began to notice a very troubled child when in a learning environment. I spoke to teachers, who said she is doing fine and she would adjust. I ask them to keep in touch and agreed to continue the way things where. We got tough with homework and set hard and fast rules. Only to notice that made things worse. Its now 4^th grade and all these years she has been receiving satisfactory grades and high praise at parent teacher conferences.

We noticed Taylor had become somewhat defiant and disliked school, however we also new that Taylor tried her best. She had almost zero confidence and was pulled multiple times a day for tutoring and testing. What a stigma to place on an already unhappy 9 year old. By the end of 4^th grade my husband and I felt we had tried everything within our control to help our child. Doctor visits, tutoring at school and evenings, IEP assistance and all our quality family time.

On Mothers Day 2000 I was reacquainted with a woman I had met approx. 8-10 years ago. We became involved in a conversation catching up with each other’s lives when suddenly we began talking about Taylor. Jackie, the woman I am speaking of worked at Meadowbrook Educational Services. Jackie followed up with me a few days later to discuss even further what Taylor’s symptoms where.

Through a lot of hard work Taylor is now receiving high grades and is confident in her self. Taylor has received learning techniques for written language, mathematics and reading. She continues to work hard, however, its different, she's having fun learning and smiling more frequently.

I look back on that particular Mother's Day and think about what a great gift to have received life long skills for my daughter's success in life.

A proud mother,

Andrea I.

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Johanna age 12 & Naomi age 11

Dear Renie and Dorothy,

 …We’re so thankful for what you do for us and our children. We pray God’s blessings and wisdom will be with you in all that you do. … Joannah and Naomi are doing much better since being with you all and are looking forward to seeing you again this spring. We do hope all is well with you and your families.

Thanks again so much for your giving hearts,

Roy and Abigail C.

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Kameron & Kennon - age 10 & Bentley - age 13            

Note: These boys needed 3 of the programs we had trained in - and because it was so long ago, they took each program independently. They started with a Davis Dyslexia Correction Program which helped them learn to become grounded, then took The Listening Program (TLP) to strengthen the work started the previous program, and finished by using  Audiblox for reasoning & sequential memory. Nita wrote this after starting TLP.

Dear Mrs. Smith:

Today I would like to share some of the “wonderfilled” experiences my children have encountered since they have completed the Meadowbrook program.

Kameron and Kennon, who turned 10 while doing the program, have a very different word usage selection. They can construct a sentence with much more grammatical correctness. All of their schoolwork is done with greater ease so we don’t spend as long doing it each night. I have noticed a major difference in their ability to learn spelling words. The time is much less and they seem to write the word correctly later.

Bentley, who is 13, often says he “just feels happier”. He is much more settled and focused on his homework projects. Therefore his homework time is less. He had done very well with his grades this quarter. He demonstrates better time usage and is more self-motivated. Life just seems to flow better for him with much less frustration. He has also become a better group participant and built new friendships.

Overall I feel this program brought a very positive calming effect over our whole household. Everyone in our family listened to the CD’s. The children often request the music to be put on while doing their schoolwork. They think they can work faster with the music. This program is one of the most positive things we have ever done for our whole family.

Thank you so very much for introducing this truly great gift. Nita

What Nita says - specifically about Audiblox Read More.

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Janell - age 10                                                                                                                          

[From a news article about Janell's school experience as she graduates]

.... Janell was diagnosed with dyslexia in second grade after falling behind her peers in reading. Her parents sent her to what later became Meadowbrook Educational Services and put her through an intense one-week class, where the instructor worked closely with her on connecting symbols with words.

Then Janell went back to school, joining her peers in regular classes. Through determination and perseverance and the help of her teachers and parents, she has achieved a grade-point average of 3.0 to 3.4. Read more.

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