Gersh Experience
Melville, NY

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Gersh Brings Special Education
To The Middle East

Gersh Educational Services founder, Kevin Gersh, was recently offered a trip anywhere in the world to explore business opportunities as part of a joint award by Inc. Magazine and British Airways for being one of America's top entrepreneurs. "I chose the Middle East," said Gersh, whose education businesses serve primarily children with special needs, "because I've worked with families from that region whose children were terribly underserved due to the stigma of learning differences. Those families need help."

Gersh found himself in Dubai where he was befriended by a local sheik, Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, who helped Gersh navigate the culture and explore the needs of the country and the region. "As a Jewish-American, it was humbling and enlightening to be welcomed into this man's home as a brother," said Gersh. "He's as excited as I am about bringing these much needed services to his community." Gersh explained that in some circles, having a special needs child is viewed as an indicator of a tainted family blood line. Many families-especially high profile or royal families-react to the stigma by hiding their child's problem or sending the child overseas. Gersh and his contacts in Dubai hope to erase this stigma and provide local services for students with autism-spectrum and other learning differences.

Because of Dubai's progressive reputation, Gersh hopes that it will become a regional hub for improving special-needs services. Good education and good business, says Gersh, are both about identifying and meeting real human needs. "Dubai is full of incredibly open-minded, compassionate people who just want the best for their children. They're ripe for innovation," he said. "It's exciting."

Gersh Educational Service has served young people with autism-spectrum and related neurobiological disorders for over 20 years. The company includes a Montessori school, a special-needs camp, several K-12 schools (Gersh Academies), a residential college and career program (Gersh Experience) and a consulting company that helps institutions and professionals better serve their special-needs students (Gersh Consulting).