Discovery Program of SC

Discovery Program of SC is a nonprofit Learning Development Center, a Program of Excellence with the National Institute for Learning Development (NILD).

NILD is a nationally certified organization. Its programs are located in over 1000 schools and private practices nationally, as well as over 40 countries . It has been training Educational Therapists and developing programs for almost 40 years. NILD trains educators in a model of intervention utilizing a variety of methods designed to develop learning ability and strengthen cognitive functioning. Specifically, NILD uses interactive language in a dynamic, unscripted approach. The method is intentional and explicitly focused upon learning needs defined through psycho-educational assessment. The educational therapist guides the student through Socratic questioning, inductive reasoning, systematic feedback, self regulation and direct transfer to life skills. The goal of NILD Educational Therapy® is to equip individuals who struggle to learn to succeed as independent learners.

Our Mission is to Unlock the Minds of Struggling Learners by reacihing the communities of South Carolina with information and services to help those who struggle to learn (whether with learning disabilities or other learner disorders) in order to become independent students.

Our Vision

• Students: Every student will receive excellent NILD Educational Therapy® or related interventions and will demonstrate measurable progress in academics, learning skills and self-esteem.
• Families: Every parent will receive excellent services including: frequent communication with therapists and staff, assurance of transcendence to grade level content, collaboration with other professionals in the students' lives, and support services as needed - from point of initial contact through completion of the program.
• Therapists: Every NILD educational therapist will provide excellent services to students and families as a result of professional training, staff development and support from team members and supervisors.
• Satellite Offices: Every satellite office will be an excellent resource for change in local education systems and will increase the communities’ awareness and support of learning development. They will provide information for parents and educators on learning disabilities and their impact on students, families and the educational environment.

Founder & Executive Director, Donna Weston

Donna Weston, Executive Director of Discovery Program of SC, is an educator and educational therapist, but is also a parent of a learning disabled and ADHD child. Her passion for the struggling learner and their families is born out of her own experience. Her son, Ryan, was born with congenital heart defects requiring four open heart surgeries. She and her husband, Mike, knew that learning difficulties would probably result, but they had no idea of the consequences to come. Not knowing about Educational Therapy until Ryan was a teenager, Donna home schooled him throughout his educational career, while her other two sons experienced a combination of home, private and public educations. She and Mike watched this energetic, out-going, intelligent boy who loved to explore and learn become frustrated, angry, and blame himself and the world for his being "stupid". When Educational Therapy was finally made available to Ryan, he refused to cooperate after only a few months. Donna knows first hand the challenges and heart-aches often involved in raising a child with learning disabilities: trying to keep them interested in education, trying to convince them that they are not "stupid", helping the family deal with the emotional and behavioral consequences that often accompany the learning challenges. Every minute, every moment, every effort was worth it. Ryan, today, is a young adult with a very close relationship with each member of his family.