Blog

The change that has occurred so far thanks to your support is immeasurable. You’ve helped us get back our exuberant, creative little boy and made him realize his potential. He’s playing baseball again, and now says things like, “Maybe I’ll go to college at Penn State, if I don’t become a billionaire inventor first!”

Hillside gave me the confidence and independence to pursue my educational goals and to work towards my dream of becoming a veterinarian

Because of my success none of this would have been possible without The Hillside School. I am not writing to brag but rather to show you the impact that you had on a small child in 1991. Regardless of background, you never know what a child will become. You gave me a fighting chance and I thank you for that.

Looking back at my time as a Hillside student, the two feelings I remember most are safety and freedom. I felt safe to experiment with new learning strategies, safe to finally join in with other kids on the playground. I felt free to learn at my own pace, free to learn without pressure to keep up with anyone but myself. With that safety and freedom, over time, I grew into a confident learner.

For students and parents considering Hillside, I believe that is a life changing school. Within the first week of being at Hillside you will see a change in your child’s character. They will want to learn and most of all they will want to go to school. Hillside gives students the power to speak out and be confident about learning. I am so glad that I spent three years at Hillside and feel like it will always make a difference in my life.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than to see your child struggle with anything, including learning. We have seen an increase in confidence and a decrease in resistance regarding learning already in such a short time. There is such relief and joy knowing that this s just the beginning of many successes for Olivia.