Home | About Us | The Staff | Mission | Tuition | Enrollment | Schedule | Press | Contact
|
From The Darien Times Sylvan Learning Center of Darien, in celebration of its 20th anniversary, is bringing in a renown author and speaker who helps students and busy professionals manage their time, reading and email workload. The program is one of several events to commemorate 20 years of business in Darien working with school age students from Darien and 25 surrounding communities. Doug and Gwynne Campbell launched the first Sylvan Learning Center on the east coast in Darien in early 1985. They were encouraged by teachers and principals that Sylvan – a professional learning center - would be a great resource to help students catch up and achieve at their full potential with its diagnostic and prescriptive individualized programs in reading and math. “When we started,” according to Gwynne Campbell, Executive Director/Owner “national statistics showed 25% of students were behind by a year or more in reading or math, and we focused on addressing this need.” In the mid 1980s Sylvan – Darien launched an essay contest “How My Life Would be Different if I Couldn’t Read” and received close to 2000 essays over 3 years. Teachers used it in class, and a distinguished panel of educators and community leaders judged the essays. “The effort highlighted the national illiteracy issue (over 27 million illiterate adults) and opened students and parents’ eyes to the problem,” according to Doug Campbell, President. Today Sylvan offers reading, early reading, math, study skills, writing, algebra, geometry, SAT and homework support programs. Since over 50% of its students are in enrichment programs (at or above grade level) such as study skills, writing, and individualized SAT prep, “we thought an enrichment reading program from one of the very best would be perfect for the community” Gwynne explains. Gwynne has been involved with youth programs extensively over the last 20 years including running The Just Say No (to drugs) program, The Darien Advocates for Education of the Gifted (DAEG) and all Fairfield County college fairs for Trinity College in Hartford. The event will be held at The Darien Community Association, 274 Middlesex Road, in Darien on Thursday October 27 from 7:15 -9pm. Middle and high school students, parents and educators are welcome. You will learn skills and techniques that will help in school or at work. The Program will focus on 5 Reasons Why You May Be Overwhelmed, What’s Your Reading Speed Right Now, What Your Reading Speed Means, Making Your Reading Pile More Quality, and Simple Ways to Read Better and Faster on Paper and On-Screen. Abby Marks-Beale is a productivity specialist who helps students and busy professionals manage their time, reading and email workload. Through The Reading Edge (www.readmorefaster.com) Abby has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as Time Warner and The New York Times, small businesses, government agencies, associations and schools. Abby teaches an online reading course for Barnes and Noble University and is the author of “10 Days to Faster Reading.” She is also the author of a college study skills textbook entitled "Success Skills: Strategies for Study and Lifelong Learning 2e" . She is the Founder and Past-President of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Speakers Association. In addition she has professional affiliations with The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), and The International Reading Association (IRA). She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish and French from Boston University and a Master's Degree in Adult Education from Southern Connecticut State University. Please come join us, celebrate and learn to “Rev Up Your Reading” from one of the very best. This event, which is free and open to the public, is being held at The Darien Community Association, 274 Middlesex Road, Darien 06820 (exit 10; go north 1⁄2 mile; right on Middlesex Road, right at DCA) on Thursday October 27. For further information contact Sylvan in Darien at 203-655-3276. |