An Online Magazine Dedicated to Awareness, Acceptance and Awesomeness Presented by We Rock for Autism
November 2015 Issue #15
Tattoos for Autism Awareness 2015 Event
Swearing Off of Swearing... (A look at repeating bad words) By Joe Normal
Presented by
Sesame Street Introduces New Character with Autism Oregon School Shooting Hero is also an Autism Father
Despite Autism, Freshman Key Piece of Stadium’s Football TeamAu New kits help Seahawks fans with autism
November 2015 Issue
Editor: Chris Wilson Proofreader and Content Editor: Justin Wilson, Jr. Subscribe for FREE today! www.TheMonthlyMelody.com/subscibe ___________________________________________________________________________________________ The Monthly Melody is a Publication of We Rock for Autism, Inc. a Nonprofit Organization. PO BOX 25884, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024 – support@werockforautism.org www.themonthlymelody.com – www.werockforautism.org ___________________________________________________________________________________________ The Monthly Melody and We Rock for Autism, Inc. does not endorse the views, products, or services contained herein. We are not responsible for omissions or errors. The Monthly Melody and We Rock for Autism, Inc. are not responsible for articles submitted to us without the final approval of the organization’s President. All articles and Advertisements are subject to final approval by our Board. We reserve the right to edit any article sent to us. Letters to The Editor should be sent to support@werockforautism.org We do not publish open letters or third-party letters. Letters for publication must include the writer’s address and phone numbers. We cannot return or acknowledge unpublished letters. Writers of those letters selected for publication will be notified prior to press date. Letters may be shortened for space requirements. . Copyright © 2015 We Rock for Autism, Inc. All rights reserved. Content contained in this publication may be reproduced for onetime personal use. However, anyone wishing to reproduce and distribute any content from within this publication for purposes other than personal use must request this intention in writing directly to the publisher. Failure to do so will be in violation of the copyright held by this publication.
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We Rock for Autism is dedicated to promoting the awareness and acceptance of autism. Through various events and fundraisers we strive to raise funds to help children with autism attend music and art therapy session. If you would like to learn more about We Rock for Autism or keep up with upcoming events and the latest news, check out our website at www.WeRockforAutism.org or connect with us on our social media pages.
Despite Autism, Freshman Lineman, Bailey Elder, Key Piece of Stadium’s Football Team
some people, like Elder, are mildly impaired, while others are more severely disabled, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. And that’s how Elder prefers it. “I don’t like to tell anybody about my problems because they look at me differently,” Elder said. “I don’t like using it as an excuse, at all. ‘What, oh, I have autism. I can’t do this, I can’t lift weights, I can’t get better.’ That’s not what it is. No, it’s an excuse to get better. Because when people see me and I have this, they are like, ‘Wow, you are succeeding with that?’ ” Elder plays football for Stadium, but attends Tacoma’s Science and Math Institute (SAMI). He also has Dysgraphia, which makes it difficult for him to write coherently. He needs a scribe to assist him with assignments. But to Elder, these are not disabilities. In school, he is taking college-level calculus and said he is set to graduate with all of his high school credits by the next school year (he’s been attending SAMI since seventh grade). On the football field, next to nothing holds him back. He said he enjoys reading encyclopedias about space and weather. As long as it’s not fiction, he’ll read it. He’s also a cheese fanatic — as long as it’s “real” cheese such as Emmental or Mizithra and not American.
At age 10, Bailey Elder was diagnosed with autism. Five years later, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound freshman is starting at right tackle for the Stadium High School football team. Few of Elder’s teammates know about his diagnosis. Because it’s a spectrum disorder,
Elder said he wanted to be an astrophysicist — though he’s not so sure now — and eventually wants to play football for and attend the University of Washington. Stadium coach Thomas Ford said he’s worked with at least 10 kids with autism through Special Olympics programs since 2007.
Elder’s parents asked Ford to treat their son like any other football player. Which, at first, Ford had a hard time believing he could do.
Ford said he once told Elder in the spring to line up as a nose guard on defense and “ruin the center’s day.”
“Most autistic students that I’ve worked with were really shy, really passive, socially inept and really in situations where I was the initiator of all conversations, essentially,” Ford said. “Bailey is nothing like that.
“He drove the center seven yards in the backfield and runs off the sideline and he’s like, ‘Coach, do you think I ruined the center’s day?’ ” Ford said. “I was like, ‘Yes, I’m pretty sure you did.’ ”
“For me, his disability hasn’t affected him. Just outside of him needing that extra second to rethink either what happened or instruction. That is going to happen. Other than that, we really haven’t had to coach him any different, and we were very worried we would have to.” Said Elder: “I’ve noticed that if I don’t do something right, (Ford) doesn’t tell me, ‘Oh, you did a good job.’ It’s ‘Bailey, you need to do this better, you need to work on this,’ and that’s what I need. I need to be told what I need to work on, or else I’m not going to get better.” Most of Elder’s challenges are ones that any freshman endures — footwork, coordination, understanding schemes and technique. But they certainly aren’t enough to keep him out of the starting lineup. “He’s just like another one of the guys,” said Stadium left tackle John Blasco Jr. Elder was a rotational player in the season opener against Fife, but Ford saw something that stood out — and it wasn’t that Elder was a freshman, or that he has autism. Ford said he’s never seen a player as athletic as Elder with his disability. Because Elder takes instruction so literally, it’s made Ford and his coaching staff have to be careful what they ask of him.
Elder’s been thrust into the starting lineup since the loss to Fife, though he didn’t play against Gig Harbor because he traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend to the funeral of a family member. When he got back? “The first thing coach Ford told me when I came back was, ‘I’ve never been so happy to see you in my whole life,’ ” Elder said. “And he gave me a hug.” It wasn’t always so easy for Elder. He said football is what has helped him develop coordination and social skills.
“My first day ever, I had no coordination, no football IQ,” Elder said. “I didn’t know where I was; I was tripping over my own feet. I was always being overlooked and always being third string or fourth string, never getting to play and always having to be on the halftime team. … (Coaches) were always telling me I’m lazy and not working hard and didn’t realize I have a mental disorder. It’s hard for me to get the stuff down.
“But to him, it’s not a disability. He uses it as a skill enhancer.” Stadium is clearly a far cry from teams that Bailey Elder has played on in the past. He said this is the best he’s been treated by coaches and teammates at any level. He’s hosted what they call Fat Parties, where the team’s linemen get together to build chemistry. Stadium’s running back, Jamon Chambers, has 582 rushing yards (7.5 per carry) behind that offensive line through four games. Elder said he plans to try out for the school’s basketball team this year, and he’s spent time volunteering at an elementary school in a special needs class.
“Also, just the amount of remarks I would get. ‘Oh, you stand like a girl.’ I’ve gotten that one a lot. It wasn’t very fun for me at the youth level.”
“My mom was telling me that she had a suspicion that I had autism at age 8, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want it to affect me or phase me,” Elder said. “It’s just another thing to add to my story. A kid with autism is starting as a freshman. It’s amazing. I don’t like to toot my own horn, but at this point I feel I deserve it because of all the hard work I’ve done and what my parents have pushed me to do. Now it’s all paying off.” Source: TheNewsTribune.com (By TJ Cotterill)
His father, Scott Elder, said it was clear to he and his wife that their son had autism. But they didn’t decide to get him tested until he was 10. Scott Elder said he believes he and his wife have a high-functioning form of autism, as well. “At first we were like, ‘I don’t know if we want him labeled,’ ” Scott Elder said. “I don’t want people to pigeonhole him or that sort of thing. But we kind of had our hunch since he was very young.
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Tattoos for Autism Awareness 2015 We Rock for Autism held their first Tattoos for Autism Awareness event at Cool Cat Tattoo in Oakland Park, FL on Sunday, October 25th, 2015. Legendary tattoo artist, Bobby Badfellow, spearheaded the event and designed some Autism Inspired, Halloween Themed tattoos for the event. Fellow Cool Cat artists, Meghan and Todd were on hand to ink some folks as well. Meghan also designed some of her own Halloween and Autism themed pieces for the event. Several South Florida tattoo lovers showed up to show their support and get some ink. There was a steady stream of ink lovers and even a few there getting their very first tattoo. Tattoos ranged from pre-designed autism awareness tats, Halloween tats and some that combined both themes. There were also some custom designs that were drawn up on the spot, based on some customer ideas. Many of the tattoos were done in honor of family members or friends. Pat Wilson got her very first tattoo in honor of her grandson Tyler. She was a little nervous, but she handled it like a champ. Some of the tattoos incorporated both autism awareness and music, which fit right in with We Rock for Autism.
All in all the event was a success. “It’s about spreading awareness and celebrating our loved ones”, said Chris Wilson, President of We Rock for Autism. “The funds raised will help us support local kids with music therapy, but the primary focus of this event was giving people the chance to permanently show their support and provide great conversation pieces that will focus on autism awareness.” Based on the turnout, Bobby hinted to the fact that this type of thing might happen more often. Cool Cat Tattoo has become a great supporter of causes and it seems as if We Rock for Autism and Cool Cat Tattoo have formed a viable partnership that will last for years to come. As of now, it looks like the two will be shooting for another Tattoos for Autism Awareness day sometime in April of 2016. “Seeing as how April is Autism Awareness Month, it sure seems to be the perfect time,” says Bobby Badfellow, Cool Cat Tattoo Artist. “We will design some traditional autism awareness style tattoos and help some more supporters get some cool ink.” Check out the following pages for some pics from the event.
TATTOOS FOR AUTISM AWARENESS 2015 – PICS
TATTOOS FOR AUTISM AWARENESS 2015 – PICS
Oregon School Shooting Hero
Is also an Autism Father On the morning of October 1, 2015, shots were fired at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. A 26-year-old student opened fire, killing nine people and injuring at least nine others. Following a gunfight with police, the student then killed himself. According to KGW Portland News, this is the deadliest shooting in Oregon’s history. Victims’ ages ranged from 18 to 67, some of whom were students on only their fourth day of college. Chris Mintz, a 30-year-old Army veteran and student studying fitness training at the college, was one of the many injured from this horrific event. Mintz was shot seven times as he blocked a doorway in an attempt to stop the shooter. According to Hannah Miles, Mintz’s main concern during the shooting was the welfare of others: “He ran to the library and pulled the alarms and he was telling people to run, grabbing people, telling them, ‘You just have to go.’ He actually ran back towards the building where the shooting was… and I don’t know what happened to him.” However, Mintz is not only an Army veteran, student, and now hero – he is also a father to a young boy with autism, Tyrik, who celebrated his sixth birthday that same day of the shooting. Tyrik has non-verbal autism, which is a form of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
According to Mintz’s friend, Mike Gwaltney, he “loves his son unconditionally.” As Mintz faced the shooter, he repeated pleaded for his life and some sympathy, crying out “It’s my son’s sixth birthday!” He also often takes his son to Umpqua River or to the beach. Since Mintz likes to keep a schedule for Tyrik, the shooting will undoubtedly affect their lifestyle. We believe that all parents are heroes, but Mintz has grown to become a shining star within the autism community, showing that parents of children with autism will truly do anything to protect others. From pictures posted of Mintz post-surgery, he maintains a smile on his face, and we wish him the best as he works towards recovery. The following are the list of the lives that were lost that day, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who were affected by the horrible tragedy: Lucero Alcaraz (19), Quin Glen Cooper (18), Kim Saltmarsh Dietz (59), Lucas Eibel (18), Jason Johnson (33), Lawrence Levine (67), Sarena Dawn Moore (44), Treven Taylor Anspach (20), and Rebecka Ann Carnes (18) Source: American Autism Association
Joe N O R M A L
SWEARING OFF OF SWEARING!
set a good example for my kids, (if they only knew!) and as a performer of children's music, I've been an angel at keeping it all in check,be it onstage or whenever the younger set is near.
by Joe Normal
Drayke, who is on the higher-functioning end of the spectrum, is now at the age where he is hearing foul language from the older kids at school and on the impossible-to-monitor youtube videos he streams throughout the week. Worst of all, he's begun using some ofthe words he's heard himself.
Perhaps it's a generational thing, but I'm sure many of you people my age know how repulsively horrible a bar of soap tastes and can stillrecall earning the waxy feel of an Ivory Soap treat between 'yer molars for using the "F" word or for saying "Sh*t" too loudly when Mom was within earshot. Seriously, who has ever answered "Yes!" to the unlucky question "Do you want your mouth washed out with soap!?" The last time I avoided the privilege of imbibing a liquid detergent refreshment was for using the "Sh*t" word when I was about six years old. Mom was after me with the Palmolive she grabbed from the kitchen sink, and remorsefully I pleaded with her not to do it as I ran across the apartment and scurried under my bed far enough where she couldn't reach me. I sincerely cried my eyes out under there in fear and regret, and simply would not come out from under the bed until she backed off in frustration and promised to let me off the hook. Soap or no soap, this would not be the last time I swore like a sailor. In fact, being from New Jersey in some ways has given me license to roll the F-bombs off my tongue like poetry whenever I please... "Effin' THIS" and "Effin' THAT" and "What aEffin' EFF!"...You get the picture. At home these days I do the best I can to refrain from using swear words, preferring to
In addition to the occasional "F" word, he'll blurt aloud words like "Penis!" and "Nipple!," though less offensive, they can be equally embarrassing... "Dickens!" is another of his favorites (sigh). It's hard for me sometimes to not laugh at his vulgarity, because I too was guilty of spewing forth great measures of bar room obscenities like a truck driver from the Bronx. Now, as a parent, I've got to do what is "right" and socially acceptable and help stop a bad habit from forming or possibly getting worse. What sets our situation apart from most families dealing with this issue is that Drayke has communication and processing issues that center around his expressive language skills. He gets tripped up quite often verbally, struggling to get his ideas across with words,and simple things like asking questions or for help, describing things, people, and experiences, andrecalling people's names or the names of objects can be agonizing on the listener whose patience can be stretched to the point of frustration waiting for him to make his point. I watch sadly sometimes as Drayke fades into the background, soft-spoken, shy, while others rudely interject or talk loudly over his attempts to speak. His voice, demeanor and body language don't command the same respect and
presence typical kids get. I sometimes fear that people will not take him seriously as he grows up and into society... that he will be invisible and unheard, and ineffective. As a non-traditional music educator, I facilitate children and students of every age to work and create without rules... it's an open playing field for self-expression and discovery.
Equally, I will encourage him to give me alternative words he could use in place of the cuss words, and thank him for his suggestions. He truly appreciates exercising his First Amendment Right in my presence, and with a bit of co-piloting on my part, perhaps he can become a responsible driver behind the wheel of the vocabulary express.
So as I witness Drayke discovering the reaction his new words get from the people around him, I recognize that it is not the attention he is excited about, but it is the power that words have to impact his world and the confidence and power he feels from that that he is excited about! This is a great thing... Why would I want to stifle that by squashing ANY verbal attempts he makes to impact his world and risk suffocating his further attempts at expression? So I'm taking an unorthodoxapproach to curtailing his new "expressive language": I've decided to allow him certain swear word privileges. He can pull me aside in a private side-bar anytime to repeat whatever curse word is on his mind or he'sdying to get off his tongue. I can see how great it makes him feel to hear the words coming out of his mouth perfectly, to effectively enunciate and wield the hard consonants, to love embracing new words, ones that command a reaction. He relishes in being able to tell me what words he's overheard his brother or his brother's buddy say out in the backyard a few minutes earlier. This act is less about being a tattle-tale, and more about embracing his own sense of verbal power,ability and ownership.
Joe Normal Recording Artist, Songwriter, Author, Educator (and, oh yeah‌ Autism Parent.) Site: www.JoeNormalUSA.com Twitter: www.Twitter.com/JoeNormalUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoeNormalUSA
New kits help Seahawks fans with autism
Wilkerson and Jennifer Sollars Miller, who cofounded the non-profit, are both moms of children with autism. "They have to learn the skills. They're not going to learn unless they're actually in the environment," said Miller. "And so all these skills that they've learned and acquired through schooling and therapy, we want them to be able to use those skills and be able to enjoy life." The moms reached out to the Seahawks this past summer, and this weekend's game against the Panthers marked their first partnership with an NFL team. "We're starting here but we're already getting calls from all over," said Miller. They're hoping to offer their kits at other stadiums, and show teams that they can be welcoming, and still turn up the volume.
If you're sensitive to sound, an NFL game might seem like the last place you'd want to go. It's sensory overload. And that's one of the reasons why the Seahawks just partnered with a pair of moms from Tulsa, Okla., who started a non-profit program called I'm A-OK, which offers free game-day kits to fans who are on the autism spectrum. "Children with autism are often sensitive to noises, so there's noise cancelling headphones as well as earplugs," said Michelle Wilkerson, I'm A-OK cofounder. There's also a toy to keep a child occupied and a detailed game day schedule so families know exactly what to expect during their time in the stadium. ID wristbands and stickers let other fans know that the person sitting next to them might have some difficulty enjoying the game. "You do have to get a child acclimated to be in these noisy environments," said Wilkerson.
Source: King5
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Meet Sesame Street's First Character with Autism: 'We Want to Create Greater Awareness and Empathy'
of U.S. social impact, Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, tells PEOPLE. "And with one in 68 children having autism, that's a lot of bullying. Our goal is to bring forth what all children share in common, not their differences. Children with autism share in the joy of playing and loving and being friends and being part of a group." Looking to highlight commonalities among children instead of focusing on differences, the app and online videos explain what having autism is like from the perspective of a child with autism.
Fuzzy favorites Grover, Abby and Elmo are joined by their newest muppet pal, Julia, a character with autism, in Sesame Street Workshop's new nationwide initiative.
"This is what makes our project so unique," says Dr. Betancourt. "When we explain from a child's point of view that there are certain behaviors, such as slapping their hands or making noises, to express excitement or unhappiness, it helps younger children to understand how to interact with their autistic peers. It makes children more comfortable and therefor more inclusive."
Launched Wednesday morning, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children aims to reduce "the stigma of autism" with the introduction of the first muppet with autism. The initiative, created for communities and families with children ages 2 to 5, includes a free downloadable app that incorporates video, digital story cards designed to make daily life tasks easier for families of children with autism and storybook materials for providers, organizations and caregivers. "Children with autism are five times more likely to get bullied," senior vice president
Directed at families with children with autism as well as the general public, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children hopes to educate parents on best
practices for everyday stressful situations such as brushing teeth, going to bed and crossing the street. "Families with autistic children tend to gravitate toward digital content, which is why we created Julia digitally," executive vice president of global impacts and philanthropy, Sherrie Westin, tells PEOPLE. "We want parents and children to understand that autism isn't an uncomfortable topic. In the storybooks, Julia explains to her Sesame Street friends how she likes to play a little differently from them. "If you're five years old, and see another kid not making eye contact with you, you may think that child doesn't want to play with you. But that's not the case," says Westin. "We want to create greater awareness and empathy."
Sesame Street is expanding the initiative through social media using #SeeAmazing online to promote awareness. "We are trying to spread the story about the theory behind this whole thing – love and acceptance," says Dr. Betencourt. "Everyone is touched by autism, and by creating Julia, Sesame is bringing children together."
Researches worked for three years developing the initiative and hope it will ultimately bring people together. "Some people don't even know whether they're even supposed to say the word autistic," says Westin. "By opening up a dialogue we are trying to get rid of any discomfort or awkwardness, it's time to increase understanding." Source: People.com
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