Editorial: From “He Can't Learn Here” to Thriving
Shmuli Evers
A letter of thanks to the teachers who believed in my son.
There was a time when the words “your son has ADHD” felt like a life sentence. His first school told us the environment wasn't right for his needs and recommended medication so he could thrive elsewhere. Devastating in words. But then, thanks to an incredible group of educators, we began a journey that restored our hope.
This post is for all the teachers, therapists, coaches, and everyone in the community who believed in a child like mine. Your unwavering support has helped my son succeed academically. You have helped him discover his love of writing, nurture his potential, and gain the confidence to achieve his goals.
Now, he has graduated high school with honors and is writing stories with the aim of becoming a published author.
Thank you for believing in him when others doubted.
The challenges were real. Traditional methods didn't resonate with our son. But we knew we had to find an environment that would. We had to look for a different school with smaller classrooms so he wouldn't get thrown off track. We were fortunate to find Lubavitcher Yeshiva Ocean Parkway and Darchai Menachem, who brought out the best in our son. Their teachers saw the brilliance beneath the surface. You embraced our son's unique learning style, nurtured his curiosity, and encouraged his strengths.
One teacher in particular stands out: he instilled a sense of wonder in his classroom and gave kids superpowers (even a permit to travel to the moon!) This, combined with support from other educators, expanded my son's creativity and love of learning in ways we never imagined.
We decided to explore a different approach. My wife took on the monumental task of overhauling our son's diet. It was a full-time job. We even made his snacks ourselves, to fit his school lunches (check out her blog). We chose a low-carb, gluten-free approach and eliminated processed foods and artificial colors. It wasn't easy, but we were determined to find what worked for our son.
Special thanks to his therapists for giving him the tools to thrive using his ADHD superpowers — they helped him understand himself and navigate the world with confidence.
As his mind grew, so did his desire for academic challenge. After completing eighth grade, he felt he needed something more and transferred to a mainstream yeshiva, Meshiftah of Chovevei Torah. It wasn't an easy path. He had to push himself incredibly hard to achieve his new goal, but his rebbis there believed in his potential just as strongly as his previous educators, nurturing his drive and helping him achieve things he never thought possible.
Words cannot express my gratitude for your unwavering support. Thanks to you, my wife's tireless efforts, and the dedicated educators at Lubavitcher Yeshiva Ocean Parkway, Darchai Menachem, and the Meshithua of Chobevei Torah, you ignited a passion for learning in my son. You didn't just teach, you empowered.
Today, our son stands tall — a testament to the transformative power of dedicated educators, the unwavering love of parents, and finding the right environment for a child to thrive in. We are forever grateful to you for believing in our son when others doubted.
This journey has been a testament to the strength of a supportive community, especially a strong partnership between home and school. It hasn't always been easy, but watching my son thrive has made the efforts worth it. I want to offer a message of hope to other parents on a similar journey. There are so many amazing educators out there who will treasure your child's unique talents. Families and schools can work together to find effective approaches to support each child's needs. Most importantly, unwavering love at home creates the foundation for any child to reach their full potential, no matter what label they may be given.