Success Story

 In the sixth grade, our Director Gloria Berman's grandson was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome on the Autism spectrum. His mother Christina Ouillette tried to keep him occupied and used a variety of behavioral strategies to help him function successfully at home.

 Before his diagnosis, Christina was told (while the child was in first grade) that her son required placement in a school with a focus on severe punishment for misbehavior. The alternative, she was told, was that her son would end up institutionalized or in jail. Instead Christina chose to follow the instincts which told her that her child was not willfully disobedient. Her intuition said that her son was extremely intelligent but developmentally challenged in a way that made the mastery of fine motor tasks difficult. His frustration required extra support, not penalization.
In her home state of Arizona, Christina launched a school for children who learn differently and it was very successful. The methods implemented were different than those recommended by the professionals, but effective in unimaginable ways. 

Eventually, Christina relocated with her family to Florida. Her son was home-schooled for a few years before entering the Martin County public school system in 11th grade. He graduated the following year with a high GPA after two very successful years. In the interim, he was able to participate in the activities enjoyed by his peers: including  lessons in Tae Kwan Do, fencing, flying, dancing and Reiki.

 Today he attends college through a scholarship made possible by Bright Futures, works part-time on weekends and performs volunteer service.

 He’s been living alone for over a year with his dogs. Christina's experience illustrates that there are ways to educate and encourage our youth to live independently. All that's needed are the right tools.

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