Joining of Programs for Disabled Feted

Big names and small tykes gathered Wednesday to celebrate the partnership of two programs dedicated to helping children with learning disabilities.

Actress Marlee Matlin, Gayle Wilson, wife of Gov. Pete Wilson, and Los Angeles Kings hockey star Eddie Olcyzk joined teachers, volunteers and public officials at the ceremony for the Summit View School and the H.E.L.P. Group UCLA Neuropsychology Program. Children from Summit View, which was established by the H.E.L.P. Group in 1995, sang songs and presented guest speakers with gifts of appreciation.

“I was once a child like you, looking for guidance,” said Matlin, who is deaf and won an Academy Award for her role in the film “Children of a Lesser God.”

“There were people who helped me achieve the self-confidence that allowed me to be what I am.”

Summit View offers individualized, multidisciplinary instruction to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The five-acre school grounds feature a computing center, library, science laboratory, athletic space and a student store.

The H.E.L.P. Group is a coalition of nonprofit agencies that provides educational and therapeutic services to children. It recently paired with the UCLA program, which treats children in need and trains professionals to work with them.

Paul Satz, a UCLA neuropsychology professor, stressed the need for reaching children with problems early on. “Give them a shot before they realize what failure means,” he said. “Give them hope.”