I’ve been told “you can’t do it” so many times
I just learned to push through it!

This story was written entirely by a human who has dedicated his life and career to honing the craft of writing on paper and for the screen.

Dyslexic students are told countless times
that there’s something wrong with them.

In the Fall of 2025, we created a stage for the dyslexic student to testify to the world. To explain. To show us how to understand.

In a dramatic courtroom setting put on at The Gow School’s very own blackbox theater, we created a rap-epic testimony called “Dyslexia Testifies!”

The students were vibrant and highly engaged in our process. They gave extremely strong performances. With very little time on screens, these students made a strong impression.

At the center stage we had Shea, the student body president. Dealing with dyslexia since early childhood, Shae knew closely what it means to be dyslexic. Shea learned our lyrically complicated rap verse in less than twenty-four hours.

The only ask was that we adjust the spelling of some of the words in the script to make them more quickly readable for the dyslexic mind.

Below are the lyrics of the song. The final product at the end.

Dyslexic students live their life as though they’re on trial

(Verse 1)

I’m dyslexic okay
What else is there to say?
You got me figured out
Simple open and shut case

I’m a “remedial student”
Been told “YOU CAN’T DO IT!”
Heard it so many times
That I just learned to push through it

Dyslexia, dysgraphia,
Dysfunctional, distracted
I’ve been legally dissed
so many times I feel REDACTED

Now you might be thinking
I got good reason to QUIT
But in the face of all the struggle
I’ve developed some grit

*Strong and charming performances from the Gow student body*

(Verse 2)

I’m always gonna try the be
The best that I can be
While I’m carryin a weight
That most of you don’t even SEE

I’ll put triple the hours
I’ll give quadruple the time
To learn the letters and shapes
we only RECENTLY designed

We treat ‘em like a FACT OF LIFE
Found in nature
Name me one other animal
ritin thoughts on paper

then humans create ENGLISH
We must be COMEDIANS!
So many silent letters
Hiding like a CHAMELEON

(Verse 3)

Exception! Exception! Exception!
I’ve become a detective
Of linguistic deception

Anglo-Saxon, Germanic
Not to be dramatic
While I restle Latin roots
For you it’s automatic

Exhibit S
“This is a treasure”
Do you notice
The many sounds
of the same letter?

Now excuse me for dropping
a bar this candid
But people take the miracle of reading for GRANTED

“The Gow School taught us so much about dyslexia. We hope that our film will teach audiences worldwide what we learned at Gow.”

— Rob, Director - DYSLEXIA TESTIFIES!

(Verse 4)

Reading’s NOT so simple as ABC
I’ve gotta jump through
ENDLESS HOOPS
To get a college degree

You think I’M an outsider?
Like words aren’t for me
But what if I’m on the INSIDE
Like a cop on the scene

I’ve seen the bones of our language
Dissected ALL sounds and letters
Broken down the words
For my neural receptors

You know my brain might SEE things differently
But if we were all the same
Who’d have the EPIPHANIES?