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Switzer Learning Center is proud of
our students and wants to share their stories,
activities, projects and successes with you.
 Sandra was bullied and assaulted in
public school. She became so frightened and
depressed that she stopped going to school. With
multiple learning disabilities, learning was such a
challenge for Sandra that she was just barely
passing and could not afford to miss school. Her mom
worried that Sandra was falling so far behind that
she would never catch up. After Sandra transferred
to Switzer Learning Center, slowly but surely her
depression and fears lifted and she began to make
friends. She learned new ways of learning and began
to succeed at school. Now Sandra is a popular
student, member of the Switzer Student Council, a
published poet, and was named one of the first
Switzer Star’s at the 2008 Women of the Year
luncheon. Sandra credits Switzer Learning Center for
giving her hope and opportunities for a future that
is bright and filled with possibilities.
 Chris came to Switzer Learning
Center when he was only 12 years old after both his
parents died. His grandparents did not know how to
handle Chris’ unruly behavior caused by attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compounded by
grief. After developing a relationship with staff at
Switzer Learning Center, Chris became interested in
computers and liked school for the very first time.
Chris graduated just as his last grandparent died,
and military service seemed a logical choice for
this lonely young man. One of the things Chris
learned at Switzer Learning Center is that
persistence pays off, and after multiple attempts,
he passed the military entrance exam. When the
Marine Corps released him from boot camp because he
took medication for ADHD, he returned to Switzer
Learning Center for help. With assistance from a
congressional representative, Chris successfully
enlisted in the U.S. Army and found his place in
life for success. As a sergeant, he saved his men
from an ambush in Iraq and was awarded a Purple
Heart and Bronze Star Medal for bravery in combat.
Recently he became a member of the elite U.S. Army
Special Forces Green Berets. Switzer Learning Center
became - and still is - Chris’ family, and taught
him the skills and resources he would need to become
a heroic member of the military.
Raul was a lonely kid in junior
high school. He had no friends and was so isolated
and withdrawn it adversely affected his schoolwork.
He was failing in public school and was referred to
Switzer Learning Center. Raul discovered that he was
like many of the students at Switzer Learning Center
and he began to reach out to others. He discovered
what it was to succeed for the first time in his
life. By graduation, Raul was the most popular kid
in school and the class valedictorian. Success
didn’t stop there. Raul used the $1000 scholarship
awarded to each Switzer graduate to go to college or
vocational school to become a massage therapist.
Last year, Raul came back to Switzer Learning Center
with a new career and gave a free massage to each of
the staff. “This was my way of saying thank you to
the staff for changing my life and giving me a
future”.
 Patty was one of the first students
in Switzer Learning Center’s R.E.A.L. Autism
Program. At 13, Patty was terrified of the world
around her; and after being unsuccessfully
discharged from each program she had enrolled in
previously, her parents were terrified that she had
no future. The first few days in the R.E.A.L.
Program were difficult for Patty, who was too
overwhelmed in a new environment to enter the
classroom and screamed for hours in the hallway.
Patty’s transitions were slow but amazing. After
completing her first year in the R.E.A.L. Program,
Patty and her parents returned from their first
successful family vacation with presents for each
classmate and staff in the R.E.A.L. Program. Patty
helped choose a unique gift for each person - quite
a significant accomplishment for some one who used
to be a terrified little autistic girl who could not
relate to anyone. The R.E.A.L. Program changed the
lives of Patty and her parents.
Lenny was being home schooled
because he could not be managed in school. His
parents took the course of least resistance and gave
in to his demands to keep peace at home; but they
knew this wasn’t the answer. His beginning months in
the Switzer Learning Center’s R.E.A.L. Autism
Program were challenging for Lenny and the staff. At
first he regressed and ran through the halls
screaming to retreat to the restroom when he could
not tolerate being in the classroom. A staff member
had to be with him at all times to prevent him from
eloping, disrobing or other inappropriate behavior.
The sensory integration/occupational therapy room
was enormously helpful for Lenny to learn to soothe
and regulate himself. A year later, you would not
recognize Lenny. He is now the self-proclaimed
“mayor” of the R.E.A.L. classroom, who greets
visitors by asking their name and politely saying
introducing himself. Lenny has made friends and
participates in many community outings with other
R.E.A.L. students. Lenny exemplifies the R.E.A.L.
program by relating to others, controlling his
emotions, appropriately expressing his affect, and
learning continually. Lenny’s parents are very
grateful to Switzer’s R.E.A.L. Autism Program for
“giving their son back” and improving the quality of
all their lives.
 Bobby told his public school
teachers how stressful it was at home with his
mother using drugs and anger running out of control.
His teachers were required to report Bobby’s home
situation and the court removed Bobby from his mom’s
home. He felt overwhelmingly guilty and depressed,
and after threatening suicide ended up in the
hospital. After discharge, Bobby went to live with
his dad - whom Bobby thought didn’t care about him -
and was sent to Switzer Learning Center. He did not
trust anyone, especially teachers - after all
teachers were the ones who got him into this
trouble. He could not read and believed that
learning was almost impossible. Bobby’s homeroom
teacher took an interest in him and got him the
special attention he needed. Bobby has learned to
express his feelings in counseling, writing and by
sharing them with friends and even teachers. He won
a writing contest, is a published poet, and has
risen to join the highest reading group in his
grade. Bobby has returned to his Mom’s home and has
learned to turn to others when he needs help.
Switzer Learning Center helped Bobby grow
academically, learn to trust others and find new
ways of coping with overwhelming feelings. Switzer
Learning Center made an academic, social and
emotional difference for Bobby.
Jerry was a shy and socially
awkward teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. At
Switzer Learning Center, he seemed to fade into the
woodwork, never making trouble or standing out in
any way. On a class trip to the old Marineland in
Palos Verdes, Jerry saw a dolphin show and his
changed his life. With the support of the Switzer
staff, Jerry began volunteering at Marineland and
eventually became a dolphin trainer after
graduation. In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the
gulf coast, Jerry was part of the team that went in
search of eight dolphins who were swept into the
Gulf of Mexico from the Marine Life Oceanarium of
Gulfport, MS. The dolphins were found and rescued
just before the next Gulf hurricane hit. Jerry made
a difference for eight dolphins in Mississippi and
Switzer Learning Center made a difference in the
life of a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome.
Geraldo hardly ever spoke in class.
Although he could complete his class work without
too much difficulty, speaking in class was just too
much for him. Even though he usually knew the
answer, he never volunteered to answer questions and
frequently only spoke one or two words at a time.
Geraldo had so much social anxiety that he
frequently hid during lunch. When it came time to
graduate, Geraldo wrote his graduation speech but
everyone thought his teacher would read it for him
since he would not be able to give his speech in
front of 200 students and guests. The morning of
graduation, Geraldo was found hiding in the
bathroom, too terrified to come out. After a fellow
graduate coaxed him out of the bathroom, Geraldo
took the stage with his classmates. When it became
Geraldo’s turn, many in the audience held their
breathe anticipating whether Geraldo would be able
to give his speech. Geraldo went to the podium and
quietly read his whole graduation speech. Switzer
students and staff cheered him on when he hesitated,
and gave him a raucous standing ovation with cheers,
whistles and more than just a few tears. Geraldo had
done what seemed impossible, and Switzer Learning
Center supported him all along the way.
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