I was having a stressful morning. No further elaboration needed, but stepping into the Tateo household, the sheer warmth and welcome I felt made that all instantly dissolve. I had arrived for the cover photo shoot with Cathy Pinsky who was assigned to capture the amazing family behind North Castle’s annual Armonk for Autism 5k with photos to accompany Ella Ilan’s article. For the last couple years, I’d noticed signs all over town alerting residents to the walk. We finally decided to delve a little deeper in time for April which is World Autism Month–finding out that the walk was Morgan’s sister Reese’s idea and that she spearheaded it only made this family’s efforts that much more poignant. Kudos to the Tateos for building greater awareness and for fostering community too. In the meantime, spring is in full swing. We have a couple unique ‘Happenings’ suggestions and ‘so much more’ in these pages. We are also hard at work on May and June editions. As usual, we welcome your ideas and your support, too. Write to grace@insidepress.com
autism
Extraordinary Ventures Doing Extraordinary Work
How one local organization provides employment opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum
For parents of children on the autism spectrum, figuring out what comes next after their children age out of school is difficult and stressful. Enter Extraordinary Ventures, a nonprofit organization that provides jobs and a comfortable working environment to adults on the autism spectrum. After visiting Extraordinary Ventures in North Carolina, Chappaqua resident Elise Orlando, whose son is on the autism spectrum, saw an incredible opportunity to bring a similar setting to Westchester as many students at Devereux, a school for children with autism in Millwood, were on the verge of graduating. Extraordinary Ventures offered to open a New York establishment, and now two years later Extraordinary Ventures New York (EVNY) has approximately thirty employees, a number of different businesses and a space in Mount Kisco.
The four board members along with the rest of the staff work tirelessly to support the employees, and have built this organization into something truly amazing. The employees work two to four hours a week, get paid, and even pay taxes, just as they would in any other job. Orlando, a board member, said, “We have worked hard over the years to ensure our children get cutting edge education to meet their needs. They are ready to contribute to society, but in their own way.”
Working Hard & Gaining Confidence
EVNY began with making, packaging and selling candles and bracelets, all of which are broken down into steps to follow. “We look at our population and figure out what skills they have and develop businesses around it,” explained Orlando. The candles and bracelets are often themed seasonally or around holidays, and they can also be customized for gifts or favors for showers, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and more. The employees are very proud of the merchandise they make, and some of them additionally work as salesmen at the various places the products are showcased, including farmer’s markets, craft fairs, and holiday boutiques. According to EVNY Director Liz Oliveto, “our guys feel much more confident…seeing that they can do things.” This confidence leads to saying yes to trying new things and even volunteering to do tasks, in addition to extending to home life. Both Oliveto and Orlando described how thrilled parents are to hear their children talk so excitedly about work and even change their behavior at home by doing things like baking brownies.
EVNY is also about to launch a commercial laundry service, with an additional specialty service for items like sleeping bags and pet beds. “You can bring your laundry anywhere, but by allowing EVNY to handle it you provide employment for adults with autism and support a mission,” said Orlando. With businesses like this and the candles and bracelets, EVNY is providing these individuals with a variety of opportunities and an environment in which they can interact and learn new skills. “Far too often they are told ‘you can’t do that,’” explained Oliveto, who worked with many of the employees at Devereux. “And that’s the great thing about Extraordinary Ventures…here, they have choices.”
Looking Toward the Future
Moving forward, EVNY is also launching a Vocational Training Program. This 12-session course will teach students the skills necessary to prepare for a job, perform job tasks, and interact properly while at work. Students will learn things like writing a resume, dressing for and participating in an interview, and completing forms. A regular volunteer cohort is also in the cards as the organization continues to grow. Oliveto is hoping to get volunteers of all ages, from 13-year-olds and high schoolers to retirees and senior citizens, to come to EVNY and spend time with the employees. With new partnerships with local groups like the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Mount Kisco, many people will have the opportunity to work closely with EVNY and help them in their mission.
Orlando discussed how the incidence of autism spectrum disorder has increased since her son was diagnosed in 1994, and how education and employment opportunities need to keep up with that. There is no doubt that EVNY is starting to bridge that gap by providing this wonderful opportunity for these employees. In her words, “There’s nothing better than seeing the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment among our employees when they complete a job. And they always seem surprised when they get paid for it!”
The love and passion of Oliveto and her staff is incredible and will only help the organization continue to grow and be more successful in the years to come. With the amazing community interest and support, EVNY will no doubt keep growing its businesses and helping more adults on the autism spectrum. As Oliveto explains, “I genuinely like my employees…they’re fun to work with and fun to be around. I’m glad we made a place where they are happy, productive and comfortable.”
To learn more about Extraordinary Ventures New York, visit www.EVNY.org.
Town of New Castle to “Light It Up Blue”
The Town of New Castle will be participating in Light It Up Blue day on April 2, 2016.
Every year on April 2, the United Nations celebrates its international “Light It Up Blue” campaign to raise awareness of autism. People from around the world join together in support of Autism Awareness Month by lighting up their communities or wearing blue. Thousands of iconic landmarks, skyscrapers, schools, businesses and homes across the globe unite by shining bright blue lights in honor of the millions of individuals and families affected by autism.
According to Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S. Autism now affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys.
The Town of New Castle is helping raise awareness about the growing public health concern by lighting the gazebo up blue light. There will also be blue ribbons throughout downtown Chappaqua & Millwood. The Town of New Castle recognizes that youth with special needs and their families have unique needs that are not easily addressed. The Town of New Castle is committed to inclusion and providing opportunities for recreation and enrichment that improves the quality of life to residents of all abilities. The Town of New Castle recently created the Exceptional People of New Castle to support the needs of residents with special needs. Besides sport programs, the committee would focus on organized recreational, educational, social and skill building activities, and also raise general awareness about the needs and rights of persons with disabilities. The committee would also work to provide educational, employment & theatrical opportunities.
New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated “On April 2nd we are asking residents and building owners to do their part in raising awareness to shine a much-needed light on autism and its impacts. Our lives are all touched in one way or another by the growing epidemic of Autism. Our community is honored to join those across the world to Light It Up Blue. There are many families working hard to provide the best life for their children, while at the same time being tireless advocates for their children. I want to thank New Castle resident Danielle Abrosh Gootzeit for bringing Light It Up Blue to New Castle.”.
Danielle Abrosh Gootzeit stated “As a mother of a child with Autism, I wanted to bring Light It Up Blue to my community. The response from New Castle Supervisor Rob Greenstein, residents and merchants has been overwhelming and quite touching. I am so proud to live in such a caring community. When a community supports people with Autism it makes a world of difference in their lives. Our local merchants are so incredibly supportive and generous. I can’t thank them enough”.
Chappaqua Hardware will be selling discounted blue lights, and donating $1 for every light bulb sold. They are also donate 5% of all Weber Grill and Big Green Egg sales on April 2nd if customers wear blue
Hip Kids will be selling blue shirts, and taking part in the wear blue discount program.
Whispering Pines of Chappaqua will donate 5% of our sales that day. They will also be selling all blue flower bouquets to help promote Autism awareness that day.
Breeze will design a blue window for the day and donate 10% of all sales that day to Autism Speaks.
Petticoat Lane will be donating 10% of sales that day to Autism Speaks and have all my items clothes, bags, wallets in blue on 20% off.
Squires Family Clothing & Footwear will donate $25 for each Blue Blazer sold on that day.
Lange’s will be selling blue bagels
Eye Gallery will donate 5% of its total sales on April 2nd. Also I’m putting aside about 80-100 blue optical and sunglass frames for the month. They will be 20% off(frame only) and we will donate 20% of sales of any sold for the month.
King’s Scribe will have blue balloons
Scattered Books is having a sale through April 2nd which will culminate on 4/2 with the NY Yankees Chaplain in the store and an outdoor blue book display. 10% donated to Autism Speaks
Sherry B. will change our purple velvet cupcakes to blue velvet. They will also donate $1 from the sale of every blue velvet cupcake on that day to Autism Speaks.
Desires By Mikolay will be selling Blue Garden NEST candles and diffusers, a portion of the proceeds is donated to Autism Speaks
Sarah Fleece Blankets will donate 15% to autism awareness on any blankets ordered that week.
Carolyn Cento, master hair colorist and keratin specialist, at King Street Salon will personally donate 20% of Saturday earnings to Autism Speaks.
Hall of Scoops is giving 10% of cookie monster flavored ice cream that day.
Matero Fine Jewelry will decorate their window with blue lights and they have designed a sterling bracelet and necklace for Autism. They will be selling these pieces on April 2nd and for each piece sold we will donate 50% of the sale of these pieces to Autism.
For more information contact Rob Greenstein – Rgreenstein@MyNewCastle.org
Danielle Abrosh Gootzeit – dsabrosh@juno.com
Greeley Grads Implore Businesses: Commit to Employ People on the Autism Spectrum
By Tracy Powell-Rudy (née Wolff)
When I graduated from Horace Greeley High School in 1980, the national incidence rate for autism was 1 in 10,000. When my son started at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua in the 1990s, it had risen to 1 in 2,500. By the time my daughter was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS)+ early in the new millennium, the autism incidence rate was 1 in 150.
Today the incidence rate is 1 in 68. And today, I serve as Director of Corporate Engagement for the Asperger Syndrome Training & Employment Partnership (ASTEP).
On the surface, the statistics alone can be daunting. However, with early intervention, many children with an autism diagnosis are going on to graduate from high school, and over one-third of those high school graduates are going on to some form of post-secondary education including college*. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news: of the one-third who do attend college, 75-85% are unemployed or underemployed after graduation, compared with the 28% unemployment rate for all college graduates**.
In many ways, individuals with Asperger’s or similar autism spectrum profiles are ideal employees. They often have a solid work ethic, strongly adhere to rules and are direct and very honest. On the other hand, they can also be very literal, speak with a professorial tone and can have a hard time making eye contact. As a result, and despite the aforementioned strengths–and I speak from prior experience as principal of a retained executive search firm –AS individuals are often screened out during the initial interview process.
Greeley Grad (’80) Meets
Greeley Grad (’09)
Last fall, I met and began working with a local young man who was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age nine in 2000 and who, like me, also graduated from Greeley. His name is Luke Davis***.
After spending time with Luke, I was hard-pressed to understand why the unemployment rate for individuals with Asperger’s is so high. Luke, along with many other young adults who have worked closely with ASTEP, is able to navigate the complexities of a college campus and the rigors of a college curriculum at higher institutions of learning such as Rutgers, RIT, Oberlin, Brandeis, Skidmore, Columbia, and the CUNY and SUNY systems. Indeed, many colleges and universities now provide strong support programs and services for individuals with Asperger’s. Likewise, forward-thinking companies, especially those that see the benefits of creating diverse and inclusive work environments, are working towards doing the same.
“The Best Kind of Support System”
Though Luke spoke later than most children his age, today he speaks with thoughtful clarity and unique insight. Likewise, though he acknowledges that networking is not his strongest suit, Luke credits his elementary school with offering the “best kind of support system, the best kind of environment” in which to grow. He further credits his parents with making sure his education was centered on the fact that he just processed things differently than his peers did.
Luke graduated from SUNY Purchase in May of 2014 with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and has since worked in various video production internship positions. He currently works in the Document Management department at the United States Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, where he preps case files to be digitally archived. While the position appeals to Luke as an active visual worker, and requires an acute attention to detail that most do not possess, it nonetheless quickly becomes clear to anyone lucky enough to chat with Luke that the work is not commensurate with his experience and skill set. Almost hesitantly, Luke acknowledges this. The situation reveals a few remarkable takeaways: the first is Luke’s positive yet unyieldingly honest approach. The second is a clear illustration of the underemployment issue.
ASTEP Steps In
Founded by Marcia Scheiner in 2010, ASTEP is a 501(c)3 organization providing consulting services in the form of assessment, sensitivity awareness and accommodation training, on-boarding, mentoring and recruitment to Fortune 1000 employers interested in hiring and retaining this untapped workforce. ASTEP’s mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals with Asperger Syndrome and similar autism profiles by working with employers to create inclusive work environments that lead to suitable and sustainable employment opportunities.
Making the Connection Between Employers and Recent Graduates
During the fall of 2014, Luke attended ASTEP’s Corporate Lecture Series in New York City. “Our Corporate Lecture Series provides the opportunity for a two-way interaction between employers and individuals with Asperger’s,” said Marcia Scheiner, ASTEP’s President. To date, ASTEP has held successful events in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, including companies such as NBCUniversal, PwC, Oracle, Cisco, LinkedIn, EY, Quirky, Barclays, Turner Sports and Northwestern Mutual.
Each two-hour event is broken down into three sections: company presentations, interactive exercises and a networking session for attendees and company representatives. To prepare student-attendees for the job search process, the program focuses on improving networking skills, refining personal career goals, understanding corporate culture and developing a personal brand as a job candidate. Companies participating in the event learn about integrating individuals with Asperger Syndrome or similar autism profiles into the workplace and the special capabilities these potential employees possess. Since its inception in 2011, over 80 students have completed ASTEP’s corporate lecture series program, and several of our client-companies have or are starting to create internships, temporary/permanent positions and mentoring programs to support the hiring of these individuals and others as a result of their work with us.
“Dreaming Up What Else Is Out There”
To Luke, the best thing about working with ASTEP was being able to see how various corporations function, and to see how willing they are to work with people who have disabilities. It gave him a different perspective and allowed him to understand just what kinds of possibilities are available to him –as he put it, “dreaming what else is out there.”
If he had to communicate just one thing, what would it be? Surprisingly (or not surprisingly), his response was directed at the parents of young adults with Asperger Syndrome and similar autism profiles: “Tell your children that this so-called disability does not have to hinder or inhibit them. Tell them that there are resources out there, and they do not have to fear being judged.”
I’d like to echo Luke’s sentiment and, as a parent, add a final note: if I had to communicate just one thing, I’d tell the parents that they can help drive this change. Changed attitudes lead to changed behaviors. Many of ASTEP’s relationships with employers have been facilitated by parents who are executives in Fortune 1000 companies eager to champion inclusivity around Asperger’s and similar autism profiles.
As we complete our fifth series and the holiday season approaches, all of us at ASTEP would like to extend our warmest “thanksgivings” to the many companies, parents, young adults and our countless other champions, and invite you to reach out to us to explore how to engage this untapped pool of capable and talented young adults.
+ “Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s syndrome, Asperger disorder (AD) or simply Asperger’s, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.” Wikipedia
* Roux, AM, Shattuck, PT, Cooper, BP, Anderson, KA, et al. (2013). “Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder” – Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(9), 931.
** BLS Monthly Labor Review, 2013
*** We respect and support Luke’s request to use an alias for his last name so that he retains control over if, when and how he discloses his diagnosis to a prospective employer.
For more information about how your company can work with ASTEP, contact Tracy Powell-Rudy at tpowell-rudy@asperger-employment.org.
Tracy Powell-Rudy (HGHS ’80) currently serves as ASTEP’s Director of Corporate Engagement. Prior to joining ASTEP, Tracy spent six years in executive search as Principal with a premier retained global search firm. Earlier, Tracy worked in technology and telecommunications leading MCI’s Northeast Division IT organization. Tracy graduated Summa Cum Laude from Manhattanville College, and has an MS in Telecommunications Management with honors from NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. She has also served locally as both producer and board member for The Armonk Players community theater and on the CCSD’s Special Education Parent Committee.
Autism and Animation: A Natural Career Fit
Anonymous donor provides seed money for new animation addition at Exceptional Minds Studio.
Sherman Oaks, California–Autism and animation fit together like a hand in glove. For 21-year-old Michael Yochim, who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, growing up with cartoons taught him just about everything he needed to know about life. “I was very much fond of watching anime and cartoons,” says Michael, who enrolled in an art class in high school where he was known for his bandana-wearing cat sketches. “I enjoyed (animation) so much, that I wanted to somehow bring that work to life,” he says.
Soon after high school, Michael decided to become an animation artist and enrolled in Exceptional Minds vocational school for young adults with autism.
Now, thanks to seed money put up by an anonymous donor for a new animation addition to the Exceptional Minds Studio (EMS)–a flourishing visual effects studio–Michael is not only able to bring his characters to life, but he could very well get paid to do so.
“I’m very grateful to them for realizing the level of animation talent here at Exceptional Minds,” says Exceptional Minds Animation Director and Instructor Howie Hoffman, who has a wide variety of experience in creating animated content for Nickelodeon, Warner Bros, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, among others. The donor is an animation studio that chose to remain anonymous. “They understand the unique talents of artists with ‘cartoon souls.’ Their generous investment in EM animators echoes the philosophy of Exceptional Minds to place this population of young animators with autism into jobs that fit them, rather than put round pegs into square holes.”
Exceptional Minds Studio (EMS) is a nonprofit, working studio staffed by Exceptional Minds graduates, who have completed the vocational school’s three year program preparing young adults with autism for careers in visual effects, animation and other digital arts fields. EMS has a close working relationship with the visual effects industry and is well-known for its visual effects and title work on movies such as “Ant-Man,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” and “American Hustle.”
Now, with this generous donation, EMS artists will be able to take in paid contract work as well as develop content in the field of character animation. The money gift will help accommodate this new animation division that is part of Exceptional Minds Studio’s recent expansion into a new 1,100-square-foot facility located in the same building as Exceptional Minds. The nonprofit is accepting donations at this time to continue its expansion.
Currently, the majority of the nation’s 3.5 million people with autism are unemployed or underemployed, according to government statistics. More than 500,000 U.S. children impacted by autism will enter adulthood during this decade, with one in 68 children to follow.
Exceptional Minds is the only vocational school and working studio to prepare and successfully place young men and women with autism in careers in the fields of animation and visual effects. “I believe that there are no boundaries to what can be said or done in animation. Unlike other forms of entertainment, animation can also be a very personal experience,” says Michael.
Michael Yochim is expected to complete his final year at Exceptional Minds school next spring, at which time he will go on to pursue a career in animation either through direct employment or through EMS.
About Exceptional Minds (http://www.exceptionalmindsstudio.org): Exceptional Minds is a non-profit vocational center and working production studio for young adults on the autism spectrum. It was chartered in 2011 to provide the training necessary for creatively gifted individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) who may not otherwise be able to make the transition from high school to careers. Exceptional Minds offers technical proficiency and work readiness training that prepares students for careers in graphic arts, animation, web design, visual effects and rotoscoping. Located in Sherman Oaks, California, Exceptional Minds is both an instructional learning facility and a working studio with hands-on student involvement in production projects, many for the film industry.
Editor’s Note: This story was provided by Exceptional Minds as a courtesy to The Inside Press.