Annie Unger ’17

Rich Henry was a young teacher in public schools when the subject of learning disabilities first gained broader awareness. He took a few classes to improve his teaching and ended up getting a master’s degree specializing in this field. When Rich came to Cushing in 1982, a study skills class and a class to promote reading skills already existed. Soon Dr. Curry approached Rich to head up a new initiative called the Language Development department, which went through several names before it became known as the Academic Support program. While language-based challenges were some of the earliest difficulties to be widely recognized, Rich points out that Cushing’s Academic Support teachers always helped students with a wide range of skills.

“There was a lot of categorization in how people viewed things then,” Rich said. “But it’s clear that students with one learning challenge often have others. For example, a student with dyslexia may also have attention-deficit disorder.” Rich appreciated that Cushing was a school that sought to look beyond labels: “Cushing bought into the idea that every kid is different. All you can do is identify what a student does well and where they need support. Dr. Curry always called on us to focus not on a teacher-centered model, but rather on what would work best for students.”

As the new department grew, Rich emphasized the importance of participating students also being wholly integrated into the school community. “We wanted to honor the college prep curriculum, while at the same time providing support,” Rich said. “And it was important for students to have time in their schedule for athletics or taking a photography class.” Similarly, Rich wanted Academic Support teachers to be a full part of campus

When Annie Unger ’17 started her first postcollege job at a Nashville interior design firm, she immediately identified how client binders, textiles, and other materials could be better organized and suggested a system that her boss adopted. The ability to set herself up for success was a key strategy Annie learned at Cushing Academy. “I didn’t realize until I was in the working world how much I would use those skills,” she says.

The robust programs for students with learning differences attracted Annie to Cushing. “That’s one of the reasons I went to Cushing — for the Academic Support program,” says Annie, who transferred in as a sophomore. Immediately she noticed that Cushing was different. Support is “built into the schedule, which was really nice,” she says. At her previous school academic support “was kind of like a study hall, but with them not really teaching me any skills. So when I went to Cushing, I was like: ‘Whoa. This is a night and day difference.’”

Annie learned to make a daily to-do list and to color code her calendar, marking tests in one shade and project deadlines in another. She learned that people who have ADHD, as she does, often find learning easier when they are moving. Cushing’s Academic Support center has big bouncy balls to sit on and treadmills to walk on while working. “I never realized that I was always fidgeting. Maybe I just needed to move around,” she says.

At Cushing, Annie learned to prioritize, plan, and juggle, which made all the difference when she faced academic coursework, social life, and sorority commitments at the University of Alabama. “I would have a class at 8:00 am and then two hours until my next one, so I was like, ‘All right: I’m going to work on this project before my other class,’” she remembers. “I got in the swing of things and really did very well in college.” — Annie Unger '17

Annie credits her transformative final three years of high school with her success in college and the workforce.“I think it was not just the academic support program, but Cushing as a whole,” she says. “It was such a family and everyone just wanted you to do well and become the best person you can be, and I truly believe that I have... And it’s because of Cushing.”