Greetings!
 It is hard to believe that the summer is gone and the 2012-2013 school year is actually in full swing! But, I am ready to "Bring It On!" Aside from being a popular movie, "Bring It On" seems to be IDALA's mantra at the moment. BRING IT ON! In May, we had another fantastic study group meeting that examined the current research surrounding twice-exceptional students. Sarae Shenkin, our treasurer, presented two articles, "How Can Such a Smart Kid Not Get It?" and an article from Education Weekly, "Research Sheds Light on 'Twice Exceptional Students." Both articles provided great content that fed a very lively discussion. Our next study group will be held in Thousand Oaks on Saturday November 3rd, 2012. The January study group will be held in West L.A. Throughout the summer, our BIG project was our new website, same URL: www.dyslexiala.org. We want to say a huge thank you to Jason Mills of Mills Creative, Inc. for his time, creativity, dedication, and commitment to this project. The new site is very user friendly and provides some great resources to the community. Additionally, the new site has a variety of wonderful video content that really captures the dyslexia experience. Please join the over 1,000 visitors and check out everything that our site has to offer (events, photos, a blog, information on the Experience Dyslexia® simulation, and National's Twitter feed). The other fabulous new addition to our community outreach is our Facebook page. Come "Like" us...because we certainly "Like" you! In August, we held our Board Member Retreat. Our fabulous and dedicated team of board members strategized about fundraising, advertising, upcoming trainings, and how we can better support YOU! As a result, we came up with many of our upcoming programs and events that we hope may interest you. With the start of a new school year, we had the exciting opportunity to run our Experience Dyslexia Simulation® for 80 teachers, aides, administrators, and therapists at Summit View School in Culver City. It was a fabulous morning and we were thrilled to help kick-off the new school year! Bring It On, October! It is Dyslexia Awareness Month. Throughout the month, we will be holding fundraising events in various locations around Los Angeles to help get raise awareness about Dyslexia! On October 6, IDA San Diego will hold the 1st Annual Empower Youth Symposium. Vice President, Liz Lutsky, and I, will be emceeing the event that will feature Christian Moore and Jonathan Mooney. It is an amazing opportunity for students with learning differences, ages 10-18, to get inspired and learn. Visit www.empoweryouthsd.com for more information. On October 13, board members will sponsor "An Evening with The Experts". Attendees will be treated to food, wine, and an opportunity to chat with pediatricians and psychologists in the field of learning disabilities. The event requires an RSVP and a $25 donation (tax deductible). On October 14, Storyopolis in Encino will host an afternoon (1pm-4pm) of storytelling and arts and crafts, and a chance to learn what IDALA has to offer. Show this flier at checkout and 15% of your purchase will go to IDALA! From October 15-21, Go to Color Me Mine in Beverly Hills for family fun and art!! 10% of what you spend during your visit will come to IDALA! All you need to do is present the this flier at checkout! On October 24, Pit Fire Artisan Pizza in Culver City will donate a percentage of the evening's sales to us! We hope you will be in the mood for some delicious pizza on the 24th! Finally, on October 24-27, the International Dyslexia Association's 63rd Annual Conference will be held in Baltimore, MD. The theme this year is Reading, Literacy, and Learning; it is sure to be a wonderful event! To register, click here. I am looking forward to seeing you there! Other fabulous events are in the works, so make sure to keep a lookout for what's to come. So, indeed, "Bring it On"! IDALA is moving forward with lots of new and exciting programing, and, with your participation and support, we can do even more! Join us and become actively involved in our IDALA community. There is something for everyone! I look forward to our continued success and seeing all of you at our upcoming events soon!  All the best, Lainie S. Donnell, M.A. President, IDALA | 
A Day for Those Who Learn Differently