It was a sunny fall morning at Barton Elementary School in Mrs. Smay's 2nd-grade class.

All of Mrs. Smay's students were beginning to work on their morning coloring sheets when she announced that they had a new student joining.

Opal Lentz walked quietly into the room, holding a small notebook close to her chest. Opal loved to draw, but reading was hard for her. Opal was diagnosed with dyslexia last year, which made letters feel like they were dancing or flipping on the page.

Mrs. Smay smiled warmly. "This is our new friend Opal. I hope you all can make her feel welcome." She gave her a seat close to the front.

Three classmates, Tyler, Stevie, and Charlotte, whispered to each other. "She seems nice," Stevie said. Charlotte nodded. "She seems nervous, though." 

During reading time, Mrs. Smay asked everyone to read a short paragraph. When it was Opal's turn, she froze. The words began to blur and she was stumbling over letters. A few kids began to giggle.

Opal's cheeks burned. "I... I can't do it," she said as she ran out of the room. Tyler, a boy in the back, turned to Charlotte sitting next to her. "She probably doesn't know how to read." He snickered to himself. "Opal learns differently. Her brain is wonderful, but reading takes more time. We need to be patient." Mrs. Smay said.

After their reading lesson, Mrs. Smay gathered everyone on the rug. "Dyslexia doesn't mean someone isn't smart. It means their brains read uniquely."