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December 2013
Lindsay’s Gift
By Christy Blevins
When a young girl is 13, her days are filled with laughter, friendship, and anything hot and trendy. Lindsay Leavitt added a personal goal to her wondrous journey in young adulthood – raising support for IDA and awareness of dyslexia. Lindsay, who lives in Ambler, Pennsylvania with her family, has dyslexia and this is her awareness story.
During the summer, Lindsay’s mother contacted IDA. Lindsay was to become a Bat Mitzvah in December. As part of her Bat Mitzvah studies, Lindsay needed to choose a cause to support, her “Mitzvah” project; she chose The International Dyslexia Association. Lindsay, with the support of her family, created a website. She researched information about dyslexia and even created a video sharing her dyslexia with her friends and family. Lindsay also wanted to do more. She wanted her family and friends to donate to IDA in lieu of celebratory Mitzvah gifts. Her goal was $500. She easily surpassed that goal and quickly raised her personal donation goal to $1,000.
Prior to the start of her awareness campaign, Lindsay only told her closest friends that she has dyslexia; now, “pretty much everyone knows,” according to her mom, Nina Amster. Lindsay’s passion for creating awareness was to share that dyslexia was real. She told IDA, “people should not make quick assumptions about whether other people are dumb!” When asked what she wished every teacher should know, Lindsay says, “There is a spectrum. Not all people with dyslexia are the same.”
Lindsay’s ceremony was a beautiful success. She created an amazing dyslexia awareness campaign and exceeded her 2nd goal of $1,000 to support IDA awareness efforts.
Click here to visit Lindsay’s website.
Her mom tells IDA that she wishes to be a doctor or a teacher when she is older. We are sure, with her passion and commitment, Lindsay will excel in any career she chooses. We wish to extend Lindsay our thanks and best wishes for her future.
If you know someone who would like to help IDA share awareness through a Mitzvah project, or other community service initiative, please contact us at info@interdys.org or 410-296-0232.
Copyright © 2013 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference. Articles may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale. Permission to republish this article is available from info@interdys.org.