Junior homecoming dance to benefit Dyslexic students

Special to Leader-Press

Seventy to 80 percent of people with poor reading skills are likely dyslexic. Dyslexia is the most common of the language based learning disabilities with one in five students, or 15-20 percent of the population affected. Children have a 50 percent chance of having dyslexia if one parent has it and a 100 percent chance if both parents have it. Nearly the same percentage of males and females have dyslexia. Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe forms. 
Junior Miss Five Hills Dorianna Gilbert, 9, has witnessed not only how it affects her peers academically but also socially and emotionally. 
“I chose to do my platform of service on Dyslexia Awareness because I have a friend that was being bullied at school because of her learning disability. Once my friend came to me and told me she had dyslexia, I decided to look up the definition and asked my parents about it. I then shared with some of my classmates about dyslexia and explained to them that she is just like us but learned differently,” Gilbert said.
Dyslexia occurs in children with normal vision and intelligence. Symptoms include late talking, learning new words slowly, and a delay in learning to read. Most children with dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program.
Gilbert is hosting the inaugural Lil’ Dawg and Lil’ Lady Dawg Homecoming Dance on Sept. 8 to draw awareness about and raise money for CCISD’s dyslexic program.
“I chose to have the homecoming dance so that we little kids can experience a homecoming dance too. I would always hear my older siblings talk about their homecoming dances and would get mad because the little kids don’t get to experience that,” Gilbert said. “We support our team too, so why not let the little kids show off their spirit?”
The event will include music, entertainment, and dancing along with food and drinks. One of the highlights of the afternoon is a red carpet walk as guests enter the event. The dance is for youngsters ages 2-12 and the dress is formal. All children must have an adult in attendance at the event.
Tickets are $10 each and are available online through the Copperas Cove Five Hills Scholarship Pageant Facebook page, events section or through Eventbrite. To purchase tickets offline, email fivehillspageant@gmail.com. VIP tables seating eight guests and including mums for the girls and boutonnieres for the boys and commemorative photos are available for $100.