Tag: students with autism

We’ve found “9” articles in tag archives for “students with autism”

Nearly housebound by a rare set of genetic disorders, Tristan has seen the world thanks to his ESA and virtual reality

Tristan Drummond was born 10 weeks premature with one kidney and enough genetic disorders that doctors gave him a 50/50 chance to turn 1. He had his first surgery when he was 2 days old and has far exceeded that dire prediction. He will turn 12 in June. But his lungs are filled with scar […]
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Sugar and spice and tackles: Payton wants to coach football just like her dad

BY ROGER MOONEY NAPLES – Payton Gibbs stood at midfield wearing black pants, a red pullover, and a red ballcap emblazoned with the University of Massachusetts logo. From a distance, she looked like a football coach watching her team during pregame warmups. From closeup, too, because on a brisk November afternoon in Amherst, Massachusetts, the […]
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How one question and four education choice scholarships changed the lives of Emmaline's children

BY ROGER MOONEY MIAMI GARDENS – The seismic shift in Quran Wright’s life occurred in a South Florida Walgreens while shopping with his mother. He was in the third grade at the time and not faring well in his district school. Emmaline Reddick and her son were talking about his classes. Emmaline told Quran that […]
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Unlocking the potential of neurodiverse children so they can 'light up a room like fireflies in the night'

BY ROGER MOONEY PALM HARBOR – Chase Benson is on the autism spectrum and has Down syndrome, a dual diagnosis that made it hard for his parents to find the educational setting that fit him best. Yet, Chase, 12, fits in at Fireflies Academy, a K-12 private school in Palm Harbor for children with neurodiversities, […]
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With nowhere else to turn, Juliet Sanomi started her own school for students on the spectrum

BY ROGER MOONEY PLANTATION, Florida ­­– Joshua Akabosu was nearly hit by a truck when he was 10. He had run from school that day, as he often did. Announced to the class he was going home, then bolted through a door and into the neighboring streets. An aide, whose job was to shadow Joshua […]
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Learning job skills, gaining confidence and making a very big friend with the help of an education choice scholarship

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Not every student at North Florida School of Special Education rides Chief within minutes of meeting the big horse, but that’s what James Guha did one day during the summer of 2021. Oh, it took some encouraging and a little cajoling from Andrew Sack, the barn manager. Chief is big and a […]
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JJ Humphrey sees nomination for acting award as 'big deal' for him and other neurodivergent actors

What intrigued JJ Humphrey about his starring role in the play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” was his ability to relate to the lead character. While never mentioned in Mark Haddon’s novel, Christopher Boone, the protagonist, is on the autism spectrum. So is JJ. A neurodivergent actor playing a neurodivergent character. […]
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LiFT Academy receives boost from Tampa Bay Lightning as it prepares to move to new campus

High above the ice at Amalie Arena during a recent Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game stood Keli Mondello and Kim Kuruzovich, the founders of Learning Independence for Tomorrow (LiFT), and Holly Andrade, a founding teacher. They were bathed in the spotlight while the fans cheered, and the players on the ice below paid tribute with […]
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Tips on picking the right school for your child

Because of the expanded eligibility requirements that went into effect July 1, more families in Florida are eligible for private school scholarships managed by Step Up For Students. The Family Empowerment Scholarship is now available to families with higher incomes, up to nearly $100,000 per year for a family of four. Also, dependents of active-duty members of the armed forces, […]
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