The Sakonnet River Bridge is one of the three main bridges Aquidneck Islanders use to travel off-island. Located in Portsmouth, this bridge connects the island to Tiverton, and it has a special bonus feature distinct from the other two bridges: color-changing lights. The colors of the lights mean something different each time they are lit.
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority has a special calendar that tracks the annual lighting events – what days the bridge will be lit with color other than white, and why.
On Friday, October 18th and from Sunday, October 20th through Wednesday, October 23rd, the Sakonnet River Bridge will be lit up red for Dyslexia Awareness Month, broadcasting recognition of the learning disability and celebrating neurodiversity. This is the fourth year the bridge will turn red, a tradition made possible by the efforts of twelve-year-old Middletown native Cam McCollough.
As is the case for many kids, Cam’s dyslexia diagnosis was not readily apparent. His teachers could track his reading level and mark tests for corrections, his parents could keep an eye on his grades and discuss how he was doing in school in parent-teacher conferences, but there was no bright flashing sign that said Cam needed to learn differently to succeed. “Cam was slower to read than his brother, but it was COVID, and a lot of kids were ‘behind,’” his mom, Kylie McCollough, remembers. “We were told not to worry and that he would catch up. He was still struggling the following year, and between second and third grade, we decided to have him tested.”
For Cam’s family, the diagnosis was “a double-edged sword.” There was a clear answer as to why Cam was struggling, but the private school he was attending at the time would not provide dyslexia support. His mom made the decision to homeschool him for the remainder of the year and apply for schools with dyslexia programs for the next year. That came with its own struggles: “The schools with dyslexia programs are very competitive and have long waitlists. They are also expensive” and, for Aquidneck Islanders, they are a rather lengthy commute, McCollough says. She listed the 2024 tuition for The Sally Borden Program at Friends Academy and The Hamilton School at Wheeler – $42,600 per year, and $58,550 per year, respectively, which does not take into account the time and gas money needed to make a 45-minute commute twice a day, five days a week.
The McColloughs had looked at enrolling their son in public school, and met with administrators to talk about support options for his dyslexia. “Unfortunately, even though their reading is far below grade-level, children with dyslexia score too high on the placement tests to qualify for additional help. We spoke with parents who had been fighting and even engaging attorneys for years to get IEP’s and the support they needed in public schools to no avail,” McCollough explains. “We are incredibly grateful for Friends Academy and to have a school that champions neurodiversity. Our hope is that dyslexic thinking is viewed as a valuable and necessary skill, and all public and private schools receive teacher training and funding to educate tomorrow’s leaders.”
The dyslexia diagnosis radically changed the McColloughs lives, and while they grappled with new challenges, they also found support in the community. “Other people with dyslexia […] reached out when I posted on Instagram. One of the nicest messages I received was from local sailing legend Rome Kirby, who is also dyslexic: ‘He doesn’t realize it now, but it’s going to benefit him in the future. He’s learning valuable lessons – work ethic is the big one. I’ve used it to my advantage. If he ever feels down or sees it as a handicap, send him my way,’” McCollough says. She advises parents to test their children early – in first or second grade – if there is even a suspicion they may be dyslexic, as it is very hard to get a spot in a dyslexic program after 3rd grade as they are often full by then.
Cam first learned about Dyslexia Awareness Month from an Instagram post by Richard Branson and his organization “Made By Dyslexia.” Learning that the month of October was dedicated to dyslexia awareness gave Cam a seed of an idea. That seed germinated when he and his family lived in New Zealand. “We lived there for the 36th America’s Cup, and they lit up the Sky Tower in Auckland to raise awareness for different causes,” Cam explains. “I could see it every night from my bedroom, and I thought maybe we could have something like that in Rhode Island. My mom helped me look at different places that lit up different colors to raise awareness, and I sent a letter asking if the Sakonnet Bridge could be lit up for dyslexia because we saw they changed colors for other things.”
That was in 2021, when Cam was only nine years old and newly diagnosed with the learning disability. “I hope that more people will become aware of dyslexia. One in five people have dyslexia,” Cam states, bringing attention to the large number of people who struggle with the same type of neurodiversity. “I also hope that more schools will start changing to have dyslexic programs, too,” he says.
The Sakonnet River Bridge has become a symbol of Cam’s strength and success. Each year in October, whenever the bridge turns red, it represents “everyone coming together to support the dyslexic community,” Cam says. He remembers when he first saw the lights change for his request to The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority: “I felt like ‘WOW, this is actually happening.’ I couldn’t believe it.” And four years later, “It’s still really special to me. It makes me proud to be dyslexic.”
