“You Can Have a Bad Day and Still Be Doing Well” By Becca Lory, CAS, BCCS Recently, I had a major personal breakthrough. I have struggled for a long time with the major upswings and downturns of my life. The cyclical nature in which over time a “good” period gets abruptly stopped by a ne…

By Trisha Katkin Being a special education teacher is a privilege. I am happy to say that I get to be part of an amazing group of professionals that are dedicated to learning and growing as teachers. I am part of a unique group of people that tackle challenges with grace and style, and know how to h…

Emmett’s mom is so proud of how far he has come in three years. He’s now speaking some words and starting to engage play with his baby brother. After his first year of homeschooling, he is reading. Now that’s something to cheer about! Emmett? We are proud of you too! Welcome to the…

By Megan Amodeo If you are reading this, you, a friend, or loved one most likely has received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Even if you have not been diagnosed with ASD, you might be interested to know how challenging it can be to get the right diagnosis. I am a prime example of mis…

Gabriel is 8 years old and happens to be non-verbal with autism. His family thinks he’s super!  Some of his favorite things include Batman, the color orange, reading, animals & letters! Super G? We think you’re super too! Welcome to the Mighty League: Would you like us to feature yo…

By Trisha Katkin Autism training, professional development, workshops, no matter what you call it, all of us need it, but few receive it. Some of us dread the idea of training of any kind because it means sitting in a stuffy conference room all day, listening to someone talk endlessly about “fluff” …

Read this essay in Zoom Autism Magazine! “Your son is amazing!” That’s what a woman said to me at a reception the other day. Jonathan was doing some volunteer work for an organization that helps autistic teens and adults develop social skills and friendships through filmmaking. They were having a fi…

Brady is the funniest, sweetest boy who works so hard everyday to overcome his challenges. He is smart, caring, inventive curious and wants to please his parents, teachers, and friends. His mind never stops thinking, creating, and imagining how things in the world work and how he can make them bette…

Business: JT FireStarters Mission: JT FireStarters is a business that is owned and operated by an adult with autism. Our mission is to provide job training for autistic adults who experience challenges in finding work in the community. We bring them rewarding and fulfilling employment opportunities.…

Johnathan, aka “Ninjago John,” is always smiling and friendly to those around him. He is great at memorizing books, taking photos, building with Legos, singing songs, and Tae Kwon Do. His family admires him for always having a smile, trying his best, and never giving up on his personal g…

By Megan Amodeo In life, there are many rites of passage. For most teenagers, the biggest and most sought after rite is driving a car. Of course if you want to drive, you need a driver’s license. If you want a license, you need to take driver’s education. In our school district, driver’s education i…

By Becca Lory, CAS Birthdays are a funny thing. For one day every year, you stop to celebrate the day you first came into this world. The day you took your first breath on your own. The day you began to accumulate knowledge and experience that made you the person you are today. That is what we celeb…

Max is the super sweetest! His mom admires his loving spirit. Max is a huge fan of Dr. Seuss and reading about the United States Presidents. He loves playing outdoors….running, jumping, dancing and singing. His favorite super hero is Iron Man. Sweet Max? You are a superhero! Welcome to the Mig…

It’s been a whirlwind of excitement for author, Jem Lester, whose novel Shtum has just been released by The Overlook Press. His journey started when he won the City University/PFD Prize for Fiction in 2013 for Shtum which he wrote for an MA in Creative Writing at City University. He was immediately …