Page 15 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - May '23

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 15

Building Community from page 14 together to help bridge the generation gap. There are has rallied the support of local business and nonprofit
valuable lessons to be learned from each generation, organizations to ensure the success of the programs
“I thank Edna Runner for inviting me to join the and we need to make sure those stories and experiences which benefit the young and old. The seniors enjoy their
West Jupiter Community Group. I didn’t know what I are passed down to our children and their children,” said time interacting with others while parents, principals
was missing until I attended a program, and now I hope Edna W. Runner, executive director of the West Jupiter and teachers appreciate the extra structure and support
to attend many more,” said Sandra Lee, whose mother, Community Group. “Community grows and thrives on the tutorial center provides to the students, and many
Jessie, also attended events at the Edna W. Runner family values and those values need to be passed down children have reached greater school success as a result.
Tutorial Center. from generation to generation.” Visit https://www.ewrunnerctr.org to learn more.
Intergenerational opportunities also allow community “The students at the center learn so much from the Photos courtesy of Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center
senior citizens and the students to learn from one another. seniors. Understanding the struggles of other generations
Students listen to the stories from the seniors about how helps students see their own pathway to overcoming
they remember hearing Martin Luther King’s speech for obstacles,” said Travis Conway, program director at the
the first time, or how the Civil Rights Acts of the ’60s Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center and former student of the
affected their lives. These memories and experiences center. “When I was a student at the center, I remember
strengthen the bond between generations and empower one senior telling us that people used to throw trash on
the students to learn about community leadership. Just the same land where the center is today. They used to say,
this past February, West Jupiter Senior Citizen Group ‘You can make a treasure from someone else’s trash.’ And
member, Iris Etheredge, spoke to the students about her we have made a treasure, a gem, here in our community,
experience as the first Black to attend Jupiter High School with the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center.”
back in 1961. Strengthening of intergenerational bonds For more than 35 years, The Edna W. Runner Tutorial
make a community stronger for everyone. Center has brought the community together and helped
“It is important we have the seniors and children the next generation to succeed. Edna Runner herself

Culinary lesson

GRE, LSAT,

And MCAT

Accommodations

By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
School Psychologist
The Graduate Record
Examination (GRE),
Law School Admission
Test (LSAT), and the
Medical College
Admission Test (MCAT)
are standardized tests
that are used to evaluate
a student’s readiness for
graduate school, law
school, and medical school. These examinations are
among the most challenging and important tests a
student will take in their lifetime. However, for a
student with a disability, testing can be even more
Innovative care for challenging. In these instances, requesting testing
accommodations can help a student perform to the best
every neurological condition. of their ability by leveling the playing field.
Accommodations provide students with disabilities
or special needs with the necessary support to complete
the exam under conditions that allow them to fairly
At Cleveland Clinic Florida, our team of renowned neurologists and demonstrate their knowledge. Some examples of
neurosurgeons specialize in comprehensive care for every neurological condition. accommodations include extended testing time, additional
From stroke recovery and advanced epilepsy treatments to specialized breaks, a separate testing room, assistive technology, and
large-print materials. Each institution and exam has its
spine care and brain tumor surgery – our experts take care of it all. own policies for accommodations, and you must submit
documentation of your disability to request them.
Expert neurological care is in your community. For students with disabilities, taking a standardized test
can be an especially challenging task. Accommodations
help ensure that they are accurately evaluated based on
their knowledge and abilities and not impeded by their
disability, which would otherwise affect their performance
under standard testing conditions. It does not change what
the test measures or its expectations.
The type of documentation required will depend on
the specific testing organization or the institution’s policy
for the requested accommodations. The documentation
should explain how a disability impacts the student’s
ability to take the test under standard conditions and must
demonstrate the need for accommodations. Most students
with a disability have a history of accommodations
provided on the SAT or ACT or from when in school,
either from an IEP or a 504 Plan.
For example, if you have a learning disability and
are requesting extended testing time, documentation
that includes a diagnosis of the disability, a description
of how the disability impacts your ability to take tests
under a standard condition, and a recommendation for
the specific accommodation of extended testing time may
be required. The documentation will need to be provided
well in advance of your desired testing date and can take
up to six weeks for review.
Call 877.463.2010 to schedule an appointment | ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Neuro Call as we complete GRE, LSAT, and MCAT
evaluations for dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADHD,
depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders. Call
(561) 625-4125 or JimForgan.com.