Duo have prescription for students' woes

Instead of accepting it as a necessary part of the educational system, she, along with her daughter, Kim Bellini, started The Woodlands LearningRx, a one-on-one training center intended to develop cognitive skills in students.

Buzbee graduated from Lamar University with a degree in psychology in 1972, and although she never went to work in that field, opting instead to be a stay-at-home mom, her enthusiasm for the subject never waned.

“I have always had a keen interest in people,” Buzbee said. “I had some part-time jobs where I worked with children and worked in the schools. I’ve always had an interest in that area. When (my daughter) was in college, I decided to go back to school myself, and I pursued another bachelor’s degree in education.”

After graduating from Sam Houston State University with her new degree, Buzbee went to work as a third-grade teacher, a position she held for seven years.

“We noticed that kiddos could just not get everything we were trying to teach them,” Buzbee said. “We had a friend who had taken her little girl to a similar program, and she encouraged us to do some research and start doing this.”

Inspired by her friend’s success with the program and her own experiences in the classroom, Buzbee decided that it was time for a change.

“Sometimes you don’t feel like you’re really making an impact when you’re teaching,” Buzbee said. “We just felt like there was something underlying, a reason why we’re not reaching some of these kids.”

When Buzbee and Bellini started The Woodlands LearningRx from their home five years ago, they had no way of knowing that the enterprise would turn out to be as successful as it has been. After a year and a half in business, they were able to expand and start training others to implement the system.

Now the business has its own building, a regular staff and dozens of students, young and old, attending training sessions, a great deal of which can be traced back to a simple suggestion from a neighbor.

“I thank my little neighbor, who encouraged us to pursue LearningRx and learn how to do this,” Buzbee said. “She really encouraged us a whole lot, and we’re glad she did.”
About Beth Buzbee
Age: 62
Occupation: Co-owner of The Woodlands LearningRx
Community Connection: Lives and works in The Woodlands
Fast Fact: Graduated from Sam Houston State on the same day as her daughter

Chris Marshall is a freelance writer. He can be reached at neighborhoods@chron.com.