The Promise School Airs on "A World of Difference" and Receives the Difference Maker Award

Written By Pamela Saunders

This weekend, we watched our story come to life on screen, and we are still holding the feeling close.

On Saturday, September 5th, 2026, The Promise School was featured in A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity, the acclaimed documentary series created and produced by Beacon College. Our "Difference Makers" segment aired on the PBS app, on YouTube, and on stations across the country. We are also deeply humbled to share that Beacon College honored The Promise School with its Difference Maker Award.

To see our mission, our students, and our family reflected back to us with such care was, in the truest sense of the word, surreal.

Please watch our story, filmed by NG Production Films for Beacon College's "A World of Difference."

The story behind The Promise School

The segment tells the story most people never see. Before The Promise School had a name, a building, or a single student, it had a why.

Two of our four children learn differently, with diagnoses of dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Like so many families, we spent a long time searching for a school that would meet them where they are, and coordinating the testing, therapies, and support that search demands.

The deeper inspiration came from our son, Leo. Leo was born with rare genetic disorders, and he lived three years and three days. He could not see, talk, eat, or move well, and yet his life was extraordinary, because of the coordinated, whole-person support we were able to surround him with. We called him perfectly imperfect. Caring for Leo taught us a truth we now build everything upon. No matter who you are, you deserve the right support to thrive.

The Promise School is Leo's legacy, and it is the answer to the question we once asked in the dark: what can we do for our child?

What families see in the film

The heart of the segment belongs to our students and their families. One father, whose son had struggled with literacy before finding us, says the words we will never tire of hearing: "We got our son back." Another parent, part of our founding families, describes a "totally different child," a boy who once dreaded reading and now loves it. She calls it the biggest blessing a parent could hope for.

That transformation is the whole reason we exist. Our approach pairs the Orton-Gillingham method, the gold standard for teaching students with dyslexia, with occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social and emotional support, all under one roof. Children arrive in August unsure of themselves, not yet believing they are capable. Over the course of the year, they become confident learners. Watching it never gets old.

Our thanks

A film like this is a gift, and it was made by remarkable people.

Our deepest gratitude to Darryl Owens, the creator, producer, and host of A World of Difference, whose beautiful introduction framed our story with such grace, and to Beacon College for a series that celebrates neurodivergent learners with the dignity they deserve.

Thank you as well to Naman Gabriel and Brandon Pebbles of NG Production Films, whose shooting, lighting, and editing were nothing short of superior. They told our story with a tenderness we felt in every frame.

Please share our story

If our story moved you, we would be super grateful if you shared it with a family whose child learns a little differently and deserves a place to belong. You can send them the video above, or these links:

A diagnosis can feel like a locked door. We are here to tell you it doesn’t have to be. With the right education and support, your child can do remarkable things. It is okay to think differently. It is okay to learn differently.

To learn more, schedule a visit, or ask us anything, reach out at promise-school.com or call (843) 604-5355. We would love to meet your family.

Pamela Saunders
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