Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/meet-cover-director-theadora-de-soyza-miriam-de-soyza-learning-center-inc.-bronx-new-york/5009361/
Sporting a bright pink swimsuit, Maria is held at the edge of the kiddie pool. She pulls back from the feel of water on her toes, rejecting this new sensation. But an hour later, she sits happily in the pool, splashing the water with eager hands, her face filled with delight. She just needed a little time and some gentle encouragement; she is a child with special needs. And her needs are being met here at the Miriam de Soyza Learning Center Inc. in the South Bronx, an early intervention program for children needing extra time and some special attention. Like the other children here, and their parents, she is encouraged to try new things, enjoy new experiences, and to connect with others, both adults and children."The heart of early intervention," says Theadora de Soyza, founder and director of the program, "is the opportunity to change. Children who come here do change. There are dramatic stories of change, and also little ones. Parents see these changes in their children and it helps them see their children in new ways. This gives them support in their parenting, and it gives them hope. ...