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The LEAD (Learning and Educating About Disabilities) Foundation was organized in 2002
by a handful of parents familiar with the frustrations and difficulties of putting
students with learning disabilities and/or AD/HD through the public school system.
The Foundation supports and educates the entire Colorado Springs community on issues
relating to learning disabilities and AD/HD by hosting free Community Forums
to the public, often featuring nationally known speakers and experts on learning disabilities,
sponsoring a Parent Support Group to parents in the junior high
and elementary schools, funding scholarships to students
with learning disabilities and providing a community Resource
Center of materials on Learning Disabilities and AD/HD.
In addition, the Foundation
supports the unique LEAD program in the Cheyenne Mountain School District in fulfilling
their mission to educate others about learning disabilities. Started in 1997, The LEAD
program has built a reputation throughout the nation, as an exemplary curriculum for
"Learning and Educating about Disabilities".
Replication of programs similar to LEAD in other high schools, which teach students with
learning disabilities the importance of self-knowledge and self-advocacy skills, is one
of the primary goals of the LEAD Foundation.
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The U.S. Department of Education’s Carolyn Snowbarger, traveled from Washington D.C. to Cheyenne Mountain High School to present the prestigious 2007 No Child Left Behind American Star of Teaching Award to LEAD founder and director, Al Pocock. The award was presented at an all school assembly on Tuesday, August 28. The selection process for the award begins with an elite field of over 4,000 candidates from across the country. The Department of Education recognizes and honors one teacher from each state and the District of Columbia based on the candidates innovative instructional strategies, improving student achievement, and making a difference in the lives of their students. Pocock, a long time special education teacher and department chair at Cheyenne Mountain High School, founded the innovative “Learning and Educating About Disabilities” program in 1997. LEAD is nationally recognized for teaching the skills of self-advocacy and the importance of self-knowledge to students with learning disabilities and AD/HD. The nomination for the award came from the parent of a former LEAD student who credits LEAD for her daughter’s success, both in high school and college. "The skills LEAD students have acquired have not only helped them in college, but are also helping them to be successful adults in the workplace", the nomination states. The award came as a complete surprise to Pocock, who suspected a mistake had been made when he was told to sit with District 12 administrators and dignitaries at the school assembly. Upon accepting the award, Pocock recognized and thanked the students at Cheyenne, who had the guts and courage enough to join LEAD.
