Inspiration

Today at Jordan Lake School of the Arts, D. J. Svoboda talked to our students. D. J., age 27, is an adult artist living with autism. As a child he was picked on and bullied by classmates, so he created a happier place to be called Imagiville. Imagiville is filled with wondrous creatures, colorful and friendly, always encouraging and never mean. The weather is always great and the fruit is always sweet. D. J. began drawing the inhabitants of Imagiville, practicing until he could draw them just as he imagined them. Imagifriends are intricate and totally engaging. As D. J. says, "They come in many sizes, colors, and designs. None of them are ever mean or cruel. They each have their own special job and purpose in Imagiville. Every Imagifriend knows that as long as they have a kind heart, it does not matter what they look like."

D. J. wasn't content to just doodle away for his own entertainment. He had a larger purpose and a dream. He wanted to market his creations and to spread the word that it's okay to be different and that we all have things to do. And so he set out to do just that. He now sells reproductions of his creatures, along with a story book, a coloring book, mouse pads, tote bags, mugs and cards. He has an Iphone app and contracts with PBS's Arthur, Sesame Street, and Southwest Airlines.

As the kids listened today, I could tell they were absolutely enthralled. I don't blame them; I was as well. Many of the kids at JLSA have had the hope educated out of them, and here was a young man who had been through similar ordeals and had turned his pain into an asset. I don't think we've seen the last of this guy. I'm glad I can say I knew him before he hit the big time!

Give a child the gift of reading for Christmas

Do you have someone on your gift list who already has everything they need? How about a gift in their name to help a low-income, non reading child learn to read? The Augustine Project is based in Chapel Hill, NC, but has replications in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Hickory, Greenville, SC, and Controe, TX. Volunteers give up two weeks of time to receive 70 hours of top quality training in teaching children to read. They then work with a low-income child for a minimum of 60 lessons. Schools in these areas eagerly seek AP tutors out and invite them to tutor during the school day at school. While our tutors are not Wilson trained, they are conversant with Wilson materials and use those with their students.

The Augustine Project in Chapel Hill, sponsored by The Church of the Holy Family, has just celebrated its 15th anniversary. Check out the website and see what good work is being done. This program and its replications depends on grants and donations to keep the good work going. So check it out. And perhaps you can use this wonderful project as an opportunity to cross several names off your holiday list.

The two sides of helicopter moms

I want to pass on an excellent article about helicopter moms from my friend Alison, mother of three autistic sons. She does a great job of pointing out the positives that are often overlooked when talking about parents with this negative term. While she refers to parents of kids with autism, it is true for any parent of a special needs child. Thanks Alison!

http://autismsocietyofnc.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/warning-helicopter-moms/