Award-winning motivational speaker Rick Lavoie to discuss adolescent learning disabilities in annual Hirsch Disability Awareness Lecture. Thursday, April 12, 2007

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Nationally known expert and motivational speaker Rick Lavoie will discuss "Coming of Age: The Adolescent and Young Adult with Learning Disabilities" on Thursday, April 12, at 6:00 p.m., in the second floor of the Students' Building. This sixth annual Steven Hirsch '71 and Susan Hirsch Disability Awareness Lecture is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a book signing.

In this lecture, Lavoie will explore the many myths and misconceptions related to older students and young adults who struggle with learning disabilities. He will focus on the social development of these young people and will provide specific strategies that parents, teachers, and friends can use to improve and enhance the social competence and academic success of young adults.

[Left: Rick Lavoie] Lavoie's book on student motivation, The Motivation Breakthrough: 8 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child will be released in October 2007. He is best known for his videos How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop and Last One Picked, First One Picked On: The Social Implications of Learning Disabilities, as well as his book, It's So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success (Touchstone/Simon and Schuster, 2005). His videos earned the praise of former First Lady Barbara Bush, who exclaimed, "You really wowed us! I only wish that every parent and teacher in the United States today could also see your program."

Lavoie's numerous national television appearances include The Early Show on CBS, Good Morning America, ABC Evening News, and Disney Channel Presents. He also serves as a consultant on learning disabilities to several agencies and organizations, including the Public Broadcasting Service, The New York Times, National Center for Learning Disabilities, Girl Scouts of America, CHILD Magazine, and WETA, the PBS station in Greater Washington, D.C.. Lavoie is a member of the Professional Advisor Board of the Learning Disabilities Association.

More than 500,000 parents and professionals throughout North America have attended talks by Lavoie, who has also delivered keynote addresses for Learning Disabilities Association, Council for Exceptional Children, and Children with Attention Deficit Disorders – the three major special needs advocacy organizations in the United States.

Lavoie has served as an administrator of residential programs for children with special needs since 1972. He holds degrees in Special Education from the State College at Fitchburg, MA, Assumption College, and Fordham University. Lavoie has also served as an adjunct professor or visiting lecturer at numerous universities, including Syracuse University, Harvard University, Gallaudet University, Manhattanville College, University of Alabama, and Georgetown University.

This sixth annual Steven Hirsch '71 and Susan Hirsch Disability Awareness Lecture is sponsored by the Steven and Susan Hirsch Fund for Students with Disabilities. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations at Vassar should contact the Office of Campus Activities at (845) 437-5370.

The Students' Building is on the north end of Vassar campus. For directions and maps go to: http://visitors.vassar.edu/map.html

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential, liberal arts college founded in 1861.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Friday, March 30th, 2007.