Read Right Systems extends heartfelt congratulations to Shelton High School co-valedictorian Matt Hoss, graduating June 11, 2004 with a 4.0 grade point average in a class of 300.  In 1995, nine-year-old Matt was a student with a serious reading problem. In just 21 hours of tutoring with Read Right^®, Matt eliminated his reading problem, and it helped him change his life.

The following information about Matt comes from three separate sources: excerpts from a recent newspaper story on Matt and excepts from letters mailed to Read Right in 1995 and 2003 by Matt’s father, Shelton attorney Richard Hoss. The Shelton-Mason County Journal, Matt, and his family have provided their permission to publish the following.

Read Right helps rock climber open doors 

Excerpted from May 13, 2004 article by Jeff Green

Shelton-Mason County Journal, Shelton, WA

Matt Hoss is currently learning how to climb mountains. He’s already scaled a number of peaks, though. Consider what the Shelton High School senior has accomplished:

      --He’s earned an Eagle Scout ranking.
      --He has a black belt in martial arts.
      --He has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average at SHS.
      --He works as a computer system troubleshooter
          at a local school district.
      --He has been accepted into an elite private college
          in the Los Angeles area.

“Harvey Mudd College is 20 minutes east of L.A. and it’s a really selective, chemistry-based school. About 800 students, so really small,” Matt said. It’s also a place where many of the students skateboard from their dorms to class.

Until the time he was in the fourth grade Matt had trouble with reading. He went to the Read Right tutoring program in Shelton for assistance, which he said helped a lot.  “I don’t remember too much of it, but it was just all of a sudden the light bulb went on and then I was off and going,” he said.

Reading opened a lot of doors for him. He reads novels, enjoying that side of literature, but also things on the Internet, which really got rolling at about the same time he became interested in computers. “My reading now consists mostly of textbooks and different scientific theories,” he said. He’s been wanting to pick up a novel for a long time and hopes this summer he’ll have some time for some pleasure reading.

“I’m just fascinated by all the new technologies and discoveries and where it’s all headed,” he said of science. He subscribes to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s technology magazine.

When he was a freshman at Shelton High School, he and his father, Shelton attorney Rick Hoss, were back in Boston, walking around the MIT campus. Matt spotted the campus bookstore. They went in and much to Rick’s surprise, his son ended up coming out with an armload of technical science books.

“I love the bookstores at colleges. I spend hours in bookstores just because they have such interesting theories and scientific ideas. That’s where I usually hang out is the science section,” he said.

 From the Read Right archives (published with written permission):
 June 30, 1995 
Dear Ms. Tadlock & Mr. Gilles,

Your firm recently assisted my wife, Martha, and I with our son’s very serious reading problem. I am writing to express our great appreciation for your help and our great respect for the Read Right program. Our nine year old son, Matt, had a significant reading problem, and the best efforts of Martha, his teacher and I were unable to help. For nearly three years we assumed that hard work and long hours of practice would solve his reading problem. We were wrong.

 There is no way I can adequately describe the frustration we experienced when listening to Matt try and read aloud. We have always known he is a smart kid, and he was certainly trying very hard. We spent some time reading with him every day, often an hour or more. The frustration was so great I even got angry with him more than once because I just didn’t think he was trying hard enough. Why couldn’t he figure this out?

Martha has a Masters Degree and teaches math and science at the same school Matt attends. She kept in very regular contact with Matt’s teachers, seeking advice and special attention for his reading problem. Matt has always had exceptionally good teachers, and each tried hard to help. Martha has become aware through her experiences that different students sometimes require different teaching methods, so she was receptive when I suggested we give Read Right a try.

Matt solved his reading problem after 21 sessions over a 2 ½ month period. He has become an excellent and exuberant reader, and he is as proud of himself as we are of him. On his own he is reading three or four books a week now and is reading aloud to his mother, sister or I every spare minute.

Read Right solved for Matt in 2 ½ months what the best teachers and programs at his public school, and what Martha’s and my best efforts could not.

 Based on my personal experience with the Read Right program, I know it works. My family is grateful for your expert help.

 Sincerely,
Richard T. Hoss

 From the Read Right archives (published with written permission):
 May 2, 2003 
Dear Dee & Lee,

I recently looked over a letter that I sent you on June 30, 1995, when my son Matt was in the third grade. I want to update you with Matt’s present situation.

Matt is a junior at Shelton High School and maintains a 4.0 GPA while taking the most difficult classes offered. He is nearing completion of his nearly two yearlong Eagle Scout project. We’ve been told it is one of the most ambitions and successful projects in Black Hills Scout District history. Matt’s soccer team won the state championship last fall, and he recently traveled to Los Angeles to complete his black belt test in Hwa Rang Do, a comprehensive martial and healing art which he has studied intensely for eleven years.

He is really proud of his overflowing shelves of books on a wide variety of subjects, all of which he has read. His shelves are filled with Greek classics, physics books, Shakespeare, science fiction, modern novels, Asian history, computer books and books on dozens of other subjects.

Many years ago I shared with you our frustration with Matt’s slow learning, so I thought it was only fair that I share some of the joy he brings Martha and me. Read Right Systems, Inc. deserves much credit for giving Matt the tools, skills and opportunities to make the best of himself. We can never thank you enough.

Sincerely,
Richard T. Hoss

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