Foothills Academy was founded in 1979 to provide children with learning disabilities with the tools they need to pursue a post-secondary education and future career.

In the 1970s, Gordon Bullivant, who was the first educational psychologist at the Alberta Children's Hospital, saw a need for a school for students who didn’t fit into the traditional education system.

Bullivant and a few partners, started Foothills Academy, which has now become world renowned.

He is now executive director and says the school is a dream come true.

“Back in 1976 there just were no services for children with learning disabilities, people didn't believe in them. We were shipping all our children to the United States to get services there and we figured, why don’t do we it in Calgary here,” said Bullivant.

The group tried to create a school in the public system and were refused so they decided to go out on their own.

“It's quite remarkable, 98 percent of our kids go on to post-secondary education we have everything from aeronautical engineers to teachers to special Ed people to nurses to, you name it we've got it,” said Bullivant.

Darlene Winch’s son, Brandon, has a form of autism and says the academy has been life changing for him.                                                      

“When he was in grade seven, we were told by the public system, he probably would not graduate. We had to figure out some more options and that's when we discovered Foothills Academy,” said Winch.

Brandon is in grade 12 now and will graduate this spring and go to university in the fall.

Lauree Lavoie is a teacher at the academy and is inspired by the way Bullivant deals with kids and parents when a student is struggling.

“His neuro-psychological background provides him with a great forum to be able to explain to that child how he learns best,how she is able to understand their learning and they walk away from those meetings inspired and feeling very confident,” said Lavoie.

Over the years, Foothills Academy has become a world leader in special education.

“We held the first ever world summit on learning disabilities in Lake Louise and had experts from around the world come and hear us,” said Bullivant.

For his part in showing Calgary and the world what people with learning disabilities can achieve, Gordon Bullivant is our Inspiring Albertan this week.

For more information, visit the Foothills Academy website.

(With files from Darrel Janz)