Keegan

This is what his file says:
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (untreated)
• Autism Spectrum
• Disruptive Mood Dysregulation
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder

But this is what he says when you meet for the first time: “My name is Keegan and I read chapter books now.”

Keegan is 14. He’s been living at our specialized services group home for almost three years. And for the first time since we met him, he is proud of himself and what he has accomplished.

When he joined our program, there were challenges. Keegan was angry and had frequent outbursts. He noticed other students reading; we noticed he wouldn’t pick up books even to look at their pictures. Although he hid it behind his angry mask, Keegan couldn’t read at all.

Phonics didn’t make sense to him, but Keegan quickly mastered sight words using flash cards. And then, just like that, everything clicked.

Every car ride meant signs, billboards, and bumper stickers were read aloud. A trip to the grocery was narrated by reading the aisle signs. It was nonstop. He was thirsting for knowledge.

Then we witnessed something we never will forget: Keegan told his parents he could read. And he didn’t just tell them – he read to them.

Keegan’s life will always be bumpy; he faces daily challenges we cannot fully comprehend. But he faces them now, standing taller and speaking with greater confidence. He is learning about the world and having fun – daily adventures found within the pages of his books.