academyautismvisit4

LYNN - With the increasing number of autism diagnoses over the last decade meaning more autistic children are entering school, it is often difficult for students not affected by the disease to understand the complicated and mysterious condition that afflicts some of their peers.

In the case of students at the Classical Freshman Academy, the two autistic students in the school's Creative Options For Autistic Children (COACH) program are a visible part of the student body, eating lunch and attending assemblies with the other students, but most of the freshmen did not know how to interact with them because they did not understand the disease.

In recognition of April as National Autism Month, COACH teacher Erin Coburn decided to educate the other students in the school on the specifics of autism, and received a large and unexpected outpouring of support and participation from the student body.

Thanks to support from the Doug Flutie Foundation, a charity set up by the former Boston College and New England Patriots quarterback who has an autistic son, the Autism Alliance gave two presentations at the school this month to educate students on the disease.

Coburn and her teaching aid made over 300 autism ribbons for students to wear in support of the month, and informative pamphlets were made available to every student so they could study up on the facts of the disease.

"The students have always interacted with my kids, but just like anyone that isn't familiar with it, they aren't sure how to react to them," she said. "So many members of the school community have been supportive of this."

Students took an overwhelming interest in the cause, and showed their support when Coburn asked them to contribute to a puzzle display on the wall in the school's hallway. Puzzle pieces are the symbol for autism awareness, because doctors are still trying to piece together the puzzle and find a cause of the disease. Coburn asked students to take one puzzle piece and put something they learned or felt about autism on it so she could combine them into one large puzzle on the wall.

The response was huge, and thoughtful, as students shared their thoughts on the affliction and showed that the presentation and lessons on awareness really got through.

"The response was overwhelming, they are really proud of what they have done," Coburn said. "You can go in to a classroom and ask kids what they learned, and maybe one or two will raise their hand and give an answer, but this was a way for them, on their own, to get their thoughts down on a piece of paper.

"This is a really good portrayal of how the kids feel. Every time I walk by I see a new piece that I haven't read that is really thoughtful. Some kids wrote paragraphs, and others just put down a fact that they learned. That's OK, that shows that at least something got through to them in the presentations."

The COACH program is in its first year at the Classical Freshmen Academy, the first time that the Lynn Public Schools have offered a high school program for autistic children.

Coburn says the program has been a huge success, and has really helped her two students, Kevin and Mark, make progress proving the need to sustain the program at the high school level.

"Just since September these kids have made so much progress because they have been given an opportunity to learn," she said. "You can't just throw autistic children in a classroom with other special needs kids because there is such a different way that you have to deal with them. I can already see a change in the way they interact. When people used to say hello they would just look down and not respond, but now you are starting to see them confidently put out their hand."

The Doug Flutie Foundation was so impressed with the program that they donated an extra $400 on top of the money for the two presentations this month, and Coburn says she is already beginning to notice a change in the way that other students interact with Mark and Kevin.

"Autism is such a main part of their generation because it has become such an epidemic now," she said. "Now they know that they can make a difference just with a smile or a wave."

By the way, the Freshmen Academy School is becoming famous. Mr. Currier, one of our teachers, does a bit of songwriting and his newest is called "The Academy". It's a cute and catchy tune and you can watch the video of "The Academy" when you get home by going to YouTube.com and by typing in Mark12b in the search bar.