Miss South Carolina to focus on learning disabilities

I hope those teachers who decided she could never
graduate from high school or dance are taking note.
Shame on them!

Okay, uncle. I went to the website, and got the newspaper, but couldn’t find the article. What section is it in? I always try to read encouraging info to my daughter.

I’ll just past it in here so we can catch it before it is ‘de-posted’

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Posted on Mon, Jul. 15, 2002
Miss South Carolina to focus on learning disabilities

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The new Miss South Carolina says two events stand out in her mind growing up.
One was hearing from her parents that her teachers thought she wouldn’t complete high school because of her learning disabilities.
The other was her performance as a dancer at the 1996 Miss South Carolina pageant. She said she decided then that she wanted to wear the crown one day.
Kelly McCorkle’s dream came true Saturday night as she beat 47 other contestants from around the state Saturday night to take home the crown, more than $20,000 in scholarship money and several other gifts.
This was the third try for the 23-year-old Greenville resident and cum laude graduate of North Greenville College, with a degree in mass communications. After her reign as Miss South Carolina, McCorkle hopes to work in public relations.
McCorkle said her childhood experiences have led her to decide to focus on learning disability education and awareness as her platform.
“I was told that I’d never graduate high school, but I’m a born fighter,” said McCorkle, who suffered from dyslexia and an auditory processing problem, which she says means she doesn’t always process everything that is said to her.
“This has been a six-year process,” she said. “I’ve been learning how to believe in myself. I never thought this would happen to someone like me.”
But first comes a jam-packed schedule of appearances around the state, as well as preparations for September’s Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, N.J.
McCorkle hopes to use her influence to persuade lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow what she calls an “alternative diploma” for learning-disabled students who might not be able to complete regular diploma requirements.
“A lot of these students end up dropping out of school, and this would give them something to work toward, something they could use to get ahead in the work world,” she said.
The learning disabilities were a constant challenge for McCorkle. Even dance school was difficult for her.
“Dance teachers told my parents, ‘You’re wasting your time and money because this girl’s never going to be a dancer. She’s slow and backward and different from the other girls.’ But here I am.”
McCorkle joked there also was a good side to her disability. “I always tell people it comes in handy when my mom gives me a list of 10 things to do, and I only get half of it done,” she said.

Thanks! I printed it off for my 9 year old daughter. Hats off for helping the technologically challenged.