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Fremont High School
the
PHOENIX
Vol. 5 Issue No. 6 april 5, 2017
by Momina Nadeem
Autism Awareness
Online Editor
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the amount of children diagnosed with autism has increased from one in 150 to one in 68 from 2000 to 2012. Based on this statistic, it is clear that the number of people being diagnosed with autism is increasing as time progresses. This is the reason why, every year, the month of April is dedicated to raising awareness for the developmental disorder. However, despite increased efforts to boost awareness, the amount of derogatory jokes and memes about autism on the internet continue to grow. A Google image search for “spongebob autism memes” will yield hundreds of offensive jokes with the sole purpose of making fun of people with autism. It has become an internet trend over the years to refer to anything stupid as “autistic”. This comes to show that people with autism are vastly misunderstood. “There is a misconception about autism being tied to all stereotypical behaviors, and maybe individuals that do not interact with others,” Fremont High School Special Education teacher Isabel Sandoval said. “If you’ve met one person with autism, that’s one person. They’re all so different, and that’s very important to know.” Autism is defined as a developmental disorder that impairs the ability of a person to communicate and interact. “Because it’s a communication deficit, individuals with autism struggle with communication,” Sandoval
said. “Being able to articulate what they want or need is very difficult for them, and they are also misunderstood because of their ‘quirkiness’.” Since the percent of children being diagnosed with autism as well as other developmental disorders is increasing every year, it has become more important than ever to raise awareness and create more accommodating, welcoming environments for people with these disorders. This is the goal of Best Buddies, a club on campus as well as many other schools across the nation, which gives students from the general population the opportunity to form friendships with students who have special needs. “I find that Best Buddies for me personally is a very rewarding experience, mostly because of the opportunity to be a role model for the kids and to learn more about them,” James Kanuch, vice president of Best Buddies, said. “It’s good to know that I’m helping to make a difference in providing a friendly environment for these kids.” “For me, Best Buddies is a place that promotes the inclusion of everyone, regardless of intellectual or developmental disabilities,” Mei Murphy, president of Best Buddies, said. “It’s important for everyone to have a safe sanctuary where they know they won’t get judged.” Best Buddies hosts annual friendship walks every April to raise awareness of Best Buddies and the importance of integration of those with special needs into society, schools, and
workplaces. “This year’s Friendship Walk is on Saturday, April 22 in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from 8:00 to 1:00,” Murphy said. “It’s a 5 km walk to fundraise and raise awareness for Best Buddies. There will be guest speakers talking about the role Best Buddies serves in bettering our society.” Autism is a lifelong disorder, which is why Sandoval believes that creating more jobs for people with disabilities in the community will not only be effective in raising awareness, but to also encourage independence among people with developmental disabilities. “[High school special education programs] teach daily living skills, social skills, and some functional academics,” Sandoval said. “For example, our math looks more like how to make a purchase.” According to Sandoval, special education programs such as the one at FHS also teach pre-vocational and vocational skills, as well as provide job training for the students. “I work at K9, and I also work at Perks,” Ethan Consuegra, Best Buddies director, said. “K9 is this place where you make dog biscuits. After we make the dog biscuits we sell them to these animal hospitals; that’s where we take the biscuits to after we’re done cooking them. And Perks is a little coffee shop, like Starbucks.” Consuegra particularly enjoys working at K9, where he gets to shape the dog biscuits and bake them. Consuegra also enjoys his participation in Best Buddies.
“I think Best Buddies is important because it helps people make new friends,” Consuegra said. Fremont Union High School District has a very comprehensive Special Education program, according to Sandoval. “I really think the program here is tailored for the needs of the students. The district does a very good job of having a very comprehensive program.” FHS has two types of classes for students with special needs: the Academic Community Transition (ACT) program, and the Academic Communication (AC) class. “The ACT program focuses on functional academic skills. The AC class teaches those skills that individuals with autism lack, like the social skills and the problem solving skills.” The ultimate goal of these programs? “To create independence and self advocacy,” Sandoval said. Efforts to increase awareness extends far beyond the school level. For instance, Sesame Street recently introduced a new muppet—Julia, a red haired little girl with bright green eyes. Julia also has autism. Including a character with autism in a children’s show not only brings awareness for developmental disorders to children at a very young age, but it also brings a sense of reassurance and hope to families of people with autism. “It warms my heart, because how do you reach little ones and teach them what autism looks like, what it is, and how to not feel afraid or apprehensive to approach someone with
autism?” Sandoval said regarding the introduction of Julia to the cast of Sesame Street. “I thought it was a very beautiful thing.” Additionally, Lionsgate’s theatrical reboot of the 1990’s franchise Power Rangers features a superhero with autism: Billy the Blue Ranger. Becky G, who played Trini Kwan in Power Rangers, talked about the importance of autism visibility in an Instagram post upon the release of the film. Her younger brother, Alejandro, is also on the spectrum. “To see [Alejandro] react and identify himself in such a special character like Billy made me so extremely proud of the message of this movie,” she said on her Instagram post. “Last night I think he himself finally realized that he’s our hero. That he too is powerful in his own way. That being unique isn’t a bad thing.” Families and friends of people with autism and other developmental disabilities hope that this trend of breaking barriers and encouraging inclusivity will continue in other forms of media as well. “[Awareness for autism] has increased significantly, and I think it can increase even more,” Sandoval said. This Autism Awareness Month, the FHS special education department will be putting forth their own efforts to inform and educate students about autism.