We are students from Irvington High School currently embarked on a yearlong project known as QUEST. QUEST is a mandatory project for all seniors that is unique to Irvington High School. QUEST provides seniors with an opportunity to explore all aspects of an area of interest.

We have chosen autism as our area of interest; more specifically, the education of children with autism during the elementary stages of their school career as our area of interest. This period of learning is imperative to an autistic child's future; its a time when their deficits can be remediated, developing basic social skills and other life skills required to learn successfully and succeed in the future.

The final component of our project before our concluding presentation is a service of some sort that ties in with our chosen topic...

What is Autism?

Autism is a complex developmental disorder that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person�s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.

Is there a cure?

There is currently no known cure for autism; however, with appropriate treatment and education, many children with the disorder can learn and develop. Early intervention often can reduce challenges associated with the disorder, lessen disruptive behavior, and provide increased independence.

One of the most important steps in treating autism is early identification and diagnosis. Here are some signs to look for:

- Lack of or delay in spoken language

- Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)

- Little or no eye contact

- Lack of interest in peer relationships

- Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play

- Persistent fixation on parts of object

If you suspect your child or a child you know has Autism, discuss it with your pediatrician or healthcare provider.

What we can do...

As previously stated, children with autism often have difficulties in communicating and interacting with others. This affects their ability to learn from what others do and say.

Many activities used in Autism classrooms and programs include arts and crafts activities or simply playing with toys. These activities help the children learn to communicate with others, stay on task, follow instructions. They also contribute to the development of their motor skills and begin to learn some of the material that they would experience in a typical classroom. The education of autistic children during the early stages of life is primarily a time where fundamental skills are further developed. But to accomplish this, proper tools are needed...

We have organized an Autism Education Toys and Supplies drive with donation boxes in numerous locations. These donations will be given to the New Haven Unified School District autism classrooms and programs where the donations will be distributed among the autism teachers throughout the district and will greatly benefit the cause for bettering the education of autistic children.

Donation Details:

A wide range of supplies are needed in the classrooms for teaching autistic children. The donations we ask for include books, toys, and arts supplies. These donations do not have to be in new condition. They can be used things that you may no longer have any use for. Possible donations include:

-Children's Books

-Building blocks, puzzles, Legos, and other toys that help develop motor skills

-Simulation toys (i.e., kitchen cooking set)

-Educational toys and games (i.e., Leap Frog)

-Toy cars, toy car sets/tracks

-Sports equipment for children

-Washable markers, crayons, pencils, colored pencils

-Play-doh, Moon Sand, etc.

-Printer paper, construction paper

-Glue sticks, liquid glue, tape

-Scissors, safety/children's scissors

-Any other arts and crafts supplies

-Any other children's toys, new or gently used

No stuffed animals, please.

Donations are to be dropped off in any of the donation boxes we have set out. The drive will end on April 18, 2008 unless otherwise noted. A list of all locations of donations boxes is listed below.

List of locations:

TBA

For any questions or concerns you may have, e-mail us at [email protected]