For the second year Colquitt Regional Medical Center administration and staff awarded elementary students who excelled in the educational program Fast ForWord during the 2014 school year.

Fast ForWord is a web-based educational software that serves as a resource for struggling readers and is backed with over 30 years of brain research, according to a press release from the hospital. The program speeds up the learning process for students of different ages and abilities for those working at, above or below grade level by applying proven research on how the brain learns.

Gracie Qurnell, The Learning Center’s SciLearn coach and manager along with Renee W. Crosby, Speech Pathology/Learning Center director, and Jim Matney, president and CEO of Colquitt Regional Medical Center, presented 10 students from Stringfellow Elementary School with iPad Minis for their hard work and success in the program.

“These students proved that this program is an effective learning tool,” Matney said. “I’m thrilled that Colquitt Regional Medical Center had a helping hand in offering this program so these kids can expand their minds and gain useful knowledge to successfully transition to the next level of education.”

“The Learning Center also made special presentations this year to Ms. Darlene Reynolds for her retirement as principal of Stringfellow Elementary, and iPad Minis were presented to Mrs. Grier and Ms. Jordan for their on-going dedication to their respective schools’ Fast ForWord programs,” the press release said.

Criteria for being eligible of winning the iPad Mini were set forth at the inception of the program. Each student had to have good attendance, successful participation and completion of the program, an effort to succeed, and a one-year gain in literacy and reading skills. The students surpassed each challenge. The average learning gain was two years.

The Learning Center in the Speech Pathology Department, housed in the Vereen Rehabilitation Center, also uses the Fast ForWord program for clients with learning struggles.

“Since its development in our department, parents have reported noticeable increases in their child’s attention span and reading skills,” Crosby said. “We are happy to offer this program to our patients and are thrilled to see the positive results.”

If you are interested in learning more about The Learning Center at Vereen Rehabilitation Center, please contact Renee Crosby at rcrosby@colquittregional.com or by calling 891-9323