The Asbury Foundation Gives $500,000 Donation to DuBard School (with photo)

[Newsguy]

Hattiesburg – The Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg Inc. continues to make a profound impact in the community Tuesday as it gave $500,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi’s DuBard School for Language Disorders. The gift was announced at an 11:30 a.m. press conference at the DuBard School, located on Southern Miss’ Hattiesburg campus.“Words seem inadequate to express the impact of the Asbury Foundation's extraordinary generosity on our children with severe communication disorders, their families and university students in training,” said Dr. Maureen Martin, DuBard School Director. “While words seem inadequate, it is these very words that we take for granted that are so hard for these children to acquire. Thanks to the compassionate hearts of the Asbury Foundation CEO and Board, perhaps soon words will come so easily for these children that they can use them with assurance when speaking, listening, reading and writing,” said Martin.Martin said the donation will fund two additional classrooms over three years for the 70 students currently enrolled in school and the nearly 60 children waiting to enter the 17,000-square-foot building. The money will also provide additional practicum opportunities to future speech-language pathologists, audiologists and educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.Founded in 1962 by Dr. Etoile DuBard, the school has received praise nationally and internationally for its tireless mission to educate preschoolers and school-aged children with severe language and speech disorders and hearing impairments. The school is also applauded for providing guidance and counseling for the parents and families of its students, and preparing university students for professional service.Mary Louise Polk can’t seem to say enough about the school and its staff. Her son, 9-year-old James, suffers from dyslexia and is in his second year at DuBard. Polk said she knows all too well about the importance of classroom space as James had to wait three years before he could enroll. She said the delay, however, wasn’t a match for her determination to ensure her son received the best education possible. “I took a job (physical therapist) at Petal Elementary so that James could be in a ‘language impaired’ class which used the DuBard School Association Method. When he was first diagnosed with dyslexia, we tried many different reading programs with little success until he started using the method,” said Polk who calls DuBard a “blessing.”“At DuBard, James is learning the skills necessary to compensate for his dyslexia and overcome his learning challenges. He is gaining confidence in himself and pride with his accomplishments at school,” she said. “I have no doubt that his future will be brighter thanks to the dedicated and knowledgeable staff at the school.” Asbury Foundation CEO, William K. Ray, also believes James is in good hands. “We have made several gifts to Southern Miss and the DuBard School for its great work with children,” he said. “And we will continue to support the school in the future.”The Asbury Foundation’s first gift of $350,000 was given during DuBard’s building campaign in 1999. The donation financed the construction of three classrooms.The DuBard School facility’s namesake was the largest donor, with the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation’s $1 million contribution towards the erection the $3 million building. Dedicated in 2002, the building houses eight classrooms; two large and four small therapy rooms; two multipurpose rooms used for meetings, dining and professional development; a library; a parent center and a computer lab.For more information, please contact the DuBard School for Language Disorders at 601.266.5223.Asbury Gift – Peter Fos, dean of the College of Health at the University of Southern Mississippi, talks to the press Tuesday at the DuBard School for Language Disorders on the Hattiesburg, Miss., campus, after an announcement that the Asbury Foundation is donating $500,000 to the school. The money will fund two additional classrooms over three years for the 70 students currently enrolled in school, and the nearly 60 children waiting to enter the 17,000-square-foot building. The money will also provide additional practicum opportunities to future speech-language pathologists, audiologists and educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.(Southern Miss Public Relations photo by Steve Rouse)

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