By : David Pavlecic , Elroy Elementary Physical Education Teacher
Every year on the evening of April 1 , some 10,000 buildings across the world are lit with a bright blue light in an effort to raise awareness of autism . Autism Speaks , the country ’ s largest autism advocacy group , celebrated the start of its annual Light It Up Blue campaign , in recognition of April as World Autism Month . Light It Up Blue is a global campaign to increase understanding and acceptance of autism . This year ’ s Light It Up Blue participants included the Empire State Building , Niagara Falls , Aspen Mountain , Brazil ' s Christ the Redeemer statue , Rockefeller Center , Sydney Opera House , the New York Stock Exchange , the Paris Stock Exchange , and the Great Buddha at Hyogo , Kobe , Japan . Each of these locations was cast in blue light throughout the month of April to raise awareness and funds for autism . Thousands of iconic landmarks and buildings joined the hundreds of thousands of homes and communities around the world to “ light it blue ” in support of people living with autism .
Autism is a general term that describes a group of developmental brain disorders that involve communication difficulties , social and behavioral challenges , and repetitive behaviors . We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes ,
ELROY
A HUGE Thank You goes out to everyone that helped make the first “ Fun Day ” at Elroy Elementary School a success ! We would like to thank the volunteers , local businesses , faculty and staff for donating and adjusting their schedules to make the day successful . We want to take this opportunity to thank the local businesses for their generous donations . The donations from the organizations helped provide refreshments for the volunteers and prizes for our students . The Elroy Elementary School would like to thank Pizza Hut , Wendy ’ s , Definitely You , Giant Eagle and Dairy Queen ( Whitehall ) for their generous contributions and their support to our school .
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Did April Have You Seeing Blue ? By : Dr . Chris Winiarski
and each person with autism can have unique strengths and challenges
A ribbon made of multicolored puzzle pieces has become one of the most recognizable symbols of autism in the world . The various colors reflect the many “ faces ” of autism , also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders ( ASD ) because no two people with autism are alike . The ribbon symbolizes solidarity and hope for a happy and fulfilling life for people with autism . The puzzle pieces remind us that the condition and the people living with it are still very much a mystery .
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U . S ., affecting an estimated 1 in 68 school-age children , according to a recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). According to the CDC , more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS , diabetes and cancer combined . Autism costs our nation more than $ 238 billion per year , and is expected to increase significantly over the next decade . These statistics are sobering and so is the need to secure quality support services for children and adults with autism . And though awareness of the disorder is increasing , autism still has no cure — and millions of autistic children and adults are unable to access the early diagnosis , behavioral interventions , and other resources they need
Autism Awareness Month first came to be some 25 years ago , when the Autism Society of America undertook an effort to promote autism awareness . The primary objective was to “ promote … inclusion and self-determination for all , and assure that each person with autism is provided the opportunity to achieve the highest quality of life . Awareness calls for seeing , understanding , and supporting the needs of parents and families living and caring for a child on the Autism Spectrum .
Following a recent report released by the CDC , autism awareness is more important than ever . The report cites that autism rates have increased by 30 percent since the CDC ’ s last estimation in 2012 . At that time , one in every 88 children in the United States suffered from the condition . Now , the CDC estimates that one in every 68 children in the United States are suffering from autism , which equals approximately 1.2 million Americans under the age of 21 . Those numbers are nothing short of staggering and they help show why it is so important to heighten autism awareness .
rentwood Borough
SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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