Rocky Mountain Dyslexia Camp
According to the International Dyslexia Association, between 10% and 17% of US school age children and 40 million American adults have dyslexia.
Although these students struggle to read, many of them display an intense interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In fact, while dyslexia may be disadvantageous for professions that require repetition, many of those diagnosed feel there are advantages with regards to their perception, visualization and creativity (see for example “The Dyslexic Advantage” by Eide and Eide). Examples of scientists that have overcome dyslexia and made major impact include Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein, Nicola Tesla, Steven Hawking and Louis Pasteur amongst many, many others.
The Rocky Mountain Camp for Kids with Dyslexia serves 40 students drawn from across the country – about 25% of camp attendees come from out of state – and includes students that range in ages from 7 to 13. All camp attendees have been diagnosed with the learning disability of dyslexia. Camp activities include hands-on modules, all based on STEM concepts. These modules provide an immediate feedback loop and are pilot tested and refined with the dyslexia camp instructional experts. Colorado School of Mines faculty volunteer as part of the outreach arm of Nexus. The faculty lead several days of fun, engaging and educational STEM programming for the kids.
Many of our camp attendees camp do not have a dyslexic school option in their community. As such, we have employed our modules with the help of science teachers at the Vertical Skills Academy, a specialized dyslexia school with students in grades 1-8 located in Evergreen, Colorado. Vertical Skills Academy offers the potential to further refine and expand these modules and test their impact during the academic year.
Learn more about the camp here. If you have additional questions, please contact us at nexus@mines.edu.
Stay tuned for updates on the 2024 Rocky Mountain Camp for Kids with Dyslexia!
For the weeks of June 24th and July 26th, Mines faculty will be leading fun and educational activities for the campers. Contact us at nexus@mines.edu to get involved.
Click here for resources and accommodations for working with children with dyslexia from the International Dyslexia Association