Junior Sara Sturtevant will not let autism define her. Photo by: Shelby Harrell
By Shelby Harrell
“The Path I travel is lit by those who came before me, and it will shine brighter for those who follow me,” states Temple Grandin, autistic speaker and author of several novels centered around autistic behaviors. As unique as Autism may be, it is still a mystery to some. In order to clear up some of the information, The Pilgrim Perspective asked some students to explain exactly what autism is.
Junior Sara Sturtevant said “Autism is a neurological disorder that disrupts brain processes.” Though Autism has proven to affect students’ learning, it does not always have the same effect on one student as it would another. “The effect on an autistic student’s learning depends on what type of autism the student has” said Freshman Ryan Gibbs.
Coping with autism does not just center around understanding facts, but a person must also understand that there is a certain amount of importance in understanding a person’s feelings toward autism. “I do not like having autism,” said Sturtevant, “Autism makes me feel sad, because I feel I do not have much independence.”
Autism can affect a student’s school experiences in countless ways. Most of them being in how it makes learning a challenge for them. Students with autism may feel as if it challenges them in different ways. “Yes,” said Gibbs. “I feel it affects my attention span.”
Autism, and a lot of its effects, can be a huge obstacle to overcome. However, overcoming autism can be easily achievable, through support groups with other kids who know exactly what one another is going through. Luckily, there is one going on right here, inside PHS. “The support group helps the kids learn about what is expected and unexpected behavior,” said Sturtevant, “especially in social situations.”
There are many different students coping with many different types of autism. This group happens to be very diverse when it comes to the different types of autism. “There are currently six people in the group other than me,” said Gibbs.
Although autism is considered to be a disorder, it definitely is not a weakness. Students who have autism might think a little differently, however most do not let a simple disorder stand in the way of doing the things that they love. “I participate in activities through the Logan Center,” said Sturtevant, “such as teen night, chef’s night, and putting on local plays.”
The thing about teens with autism, would be that they do not consider autism to be an obstacle, and they know how to use it in order to succeed in life. They do it by “learning everything you can about your type of autism, you can succeed in life,” said Sturtevant, “once you understand it, you can change the way it influences your life.”
Autism is like a long climb up a mountain. It is not the way a person overcomes autism that matters, but it is the journey that a person takes, and the perseverance they go through that really counts. Autism is a mountain, and the journey to overcoming it is the climb. Work hard at overcoming autism, because the other side of the mountain is incredible. This means that the the benefits of overcoming anything can really be worthwhile.