Growing up in upstate New York I tried my best to remain unnoticed as a student. If I could manage to be a good kid, pay attention and do my homework, maybe they wouldn’t notice my test scores. There was something about tests that made me anxious. I’m not sure if it was night before while I was staring at pages and pages of words, not quite comprehending what was in front of me or the thought of having to fish through pages and pages of assessment in the dead silence. Either way, tests were not my thing.

In fact, I skipped the SAT and decided to take the route of Junior College to help avoid the need to take higher level math classes. It’s striking what one will do to avoid the academic tests in our life. So, you get the idea, I had test anxiety and I did everything possible to avoid it. Here is where it gets interesting; several years ago the country endured a major recession and I searched for a way to make up for a financial shortfall. Luckily, I found a position at a financial firm. They say the issues we don’t deal with will come back time and time again. Well, the finance world is full of assessments. In fact, every step along the way is a major exam. This blew me apart internally. How was I going to succeed in this new endeavor if I couldn’t pass the tests? Short answer, I wasn’t.

This story has a positive ending however. I decided to tackle this test anxiety by using the tools and strategies I learned from Gayle Moyers when I worked at Moyers Learning Center. I returned to The Listening Program and listened consistently to the music that calmed me internally. My wife and family supported my every move along the way and I was able to pass the Series 7 and Series 66 to become a legitimate financial advisor. Now I have a skill I can utilize for the rest of my life.

When I walked into Moyers Center for Learning and met Gayle Moyers for the first time I didn’t know both she and her programs would have a lasting impact on my life. I simply believed in the logic of her reasoning. What she said made sense. She had a never give up on the student attitude and an absolute belief in the power of music in making the difference for learners of all ages. She used this to propel her to create Learning Ears.

I’m proud to be the individual she has chosen to carry on her legacy, but education is a community effort. We will work with unbridled determination to deliver Learning Ears and other Moyers Learning Systems programs to everyone that needs it. Her life’s work is now the work of so many families. I am no longer anxious about tests. I take them head first, because I have learned to do my very best and like Gayle always said, “My best is good enough.”