Why Oakwood?

Every child’s learning journey is unique. On this page, families from the DC Metro area, Northern Virginia, and beyond share their stories about discovering their child’s learning differences, searching for the right school, and finding support at Oakwood.

These personal accounts highlight how Oakwood’s individualized and multisensory program, literacy support, and caring community have helped students grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

Explore these stories to learn more about what life is like at Oakwood and how families navigate the path to success.

Journey to the Finish Line: Layla's Story

Kamel-Farghal Family

Layla's Story

Our daughter Layla was born with a condition called Brown Syndrome, which causes her peripheral sight to show double vision. There are treatments to support Brown Syndrome, but most are ineffective for Layla’s case. This condition can present like dyslexia because of the way her brain processes the double vision. Because of this, Layla was unable to read when she came to Oakwood School at age eight. But after two months at Oakwood, Layla was reading on her own!

Now at age 12, with the support of her family and teachers, Layla has a solid grasp on how to overcome her condition and not let it be a barrier to her success. She knows Brown Syndrome gave her the superpower of double vision, but what she did not know before coming to Oakwood was that her condition has also instilled an inability to accept defeat.

What some may consider a disability, we consider to be her superpower!

As Layla begins to think about life after Oakwood, she is hopeful about the future. She looks forward to one day attending high school with children from our neighborhood and hopes to attend Stanford University and become a dentist. As our daughter gets closer to the finish line, we are so thankful to Oakwood for helping Layla realize her potential.

This piece originally appeared in the Annual Fund Year-End Appeal in the Winter of 2024.