Aspergian Pride
Mar 28
At Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 12-year-old student Jacob Barnett has been impressing his professors with his knowledge of physics and mathematics. He was diagnosed as autistic when he was two years old because he did not speak or make eye contact. As reported by Indystar.com, after his parents noticed his love of astronomy and mathematics, [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
At Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 12-year-old student Jacob Barnett has been impressing his professors with his knowledge of physics and mathematics. He was diagnosed as autistic when he was two years old because he did not speak or make eye contact. As reported by Indystar.com, after his parents noticed his love of astronomy and mathematics, they “began to feed Jake’s hunger for knowledge, through more books and more visits to the planetarium. By the time he was 8, he got permission to sit in on an advanced astronomy class at IUPUI.”
Because he had advanced so far beyond his fifth-grade class, his parents decided to put him in an early college entrance program for gifted and talented kids. He now attends college classes regularly, tutors other college students, and has been recommended by his professors for research work.
Jun 21
Eric Duquette gave the commencement address as the salutatorian of Smithfield High School in Rhode Island, graduating with the second highest average in a class of almost 200. Diagnosed with autism as a young child, he did not speak until age five but now speaks both English and Spanish fluently. He plans to attend Rhode Island College as [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Eric Duquette gave the commencement address as the salutatorian of Smithfield High School in Rhode Island, graduating with the second highest average in a class of almost 200. Diagnosed with autism as a young child, he did not speak until age five but now speaks both English and Spanish fluently. He plans to attend Rhode Island College as a biology major and to become a pharmacist.
In his commencement speech, as reported by ABC News, he spoke of his scholarship offers and college acceptances. Giving advice to his fellow graduates, he told them ”do not allow yourself or others to be defined by your limitations but rather abilities. Never underestimate yourself.”
Jul 06
Christopher Beaulieu, valedictorian at Littleton High School in New Hampshire, spoke of the importance of following one’s own path and of being careful not to stereotype others. “Being labeled as having Asperger’s, I was told I couldn’t do things such as telling jokes or giving speeches,” he told the audience. He mentioned this to make [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Christopher Beaulieu, valedictorian at Littleton High School in New Hampshire, spoke of the importance of following one’s own path and of being careful not to stereotype others. “Being labeled as having Asperger’s, I was told I couldn’t do things such as telling jokes or giving speeches,” he told the audience. He mentioned this to make a point about labeling, he said.
He received a standing ovation from the families and friends in the packed gymnasium.
Apr 25
After being refused a place at his local high school because of prejudice related to his Asperger diagnosis, British teenager Alex Goodenough studied at home for two years and achieved top scores on several exams. He has received a conditional offer to study engineering at prestigious Cambridge University, provided that he earns a satisfactory score [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
After being refused a place at his local high school because of prejudice related to his Asperger diagnosis, British teenager Alex Goodenough studied at home for two years and achieved top scores on several exams. He has received a conditional offer to study engineering at prestigious Cambridge University, provided that he earns a satisfactory score on a practical physics exam.
Alex became motivated to work harder and to excel, according to a story in The Guardian, after his high school application was rejected. The high school wrote him a letter of apology after his case went to a disability tribunal.
Mar 21
Two Michigan high school students, Jacob Gritter-Dorr and Robert Brindley, recently became National Merit semifinalists. This distinction goes to students in the United States who receive a preliminary SAT score in the top one percent. Both students received Asperger’s diagnoses when they were in elementary school. A local newspaper published an article about their academic [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Two Michigan high school students, Jacob Gritter-Dorr and Robert Brindley, recently became National Merit semifinalists. This distinction goes to students in the United States who receive a preliminary SAT score in the top one percent. Both students received Asperger’s diagnoses when they were in elementary school.
A local newspaper published an article about their academic successes, their interests, their college plans, and characteristics of autism such as heightened senses and a strong focus on particular topics. Kathy Dorr, who is the mother of Jacob Gritter-Dorr, spoke of her concern about society’s perceptions of autistic people. Her son is very ethical and concerned about people around him, she says, even though he may not show it as others do.
Jul 08
The New Straits Times reports that 12-year-old autistic student Muhammad Danial Zainuddin “felt like he was on top of the world” on July 5th when, along with over 5,000 other Malaysian students at an indoor stadium, he participated in a recital ceremony known as Khatam al-Quran, in which students receive public recognition for completion of [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success, Growing in Faith.
The New Straits Times reports that 12-year-old autistic student Muhammad Danial Zainuddin “felt like he was on top of the world” on July 5th when, along with over 5,000 other Malaysian students at an indoor stadium, he participated in a recital ceremony known as Khatam al-Quran, in which students receive public recognition for completion of the Quran.
Although he could speak only a few words when he started public school six years ago, his speech and academic performance improved considerably over the years. He became a straight A student, and his headmaster “marvelled at his pupil’s progress.”
May 22
Craig Pierson, who received an autism diagnosis in early childhood and did not speak until age 5, will graduate tomorrow from Barron Collier High School in Naples, Florida, with a 4.0 grade point average. A member of the mathematics honor society Mu Alpha Theta, he has been taking five advanced placement courses while also participating [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Craig Pierson, who received an autism diagnosis in early childhood and did not speak until age 5, will graduate tomorrow from Barron Collier High School in Naples, Florida, with a 4.0 grade point average. A member of the mathematics honor society Mu Alpha Theta, he has been taking five advanced placement courses while also participating in school clubs and playing the violin as a member of his school’s string orchestra.
He will be attending Florida Gulf Coast University on a full scholarship. Based on his excellent academic accomplishments, he was awarded the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.He enjoys reading and studying, and he intends to become a disability lawyer.
As reported in the Naples Daily News, “he views his life as a battle to overcome society’s views of autistic behaviors.”
Sep 05
Sixteen-year-old Aaron Barden, a senior at Harrisburg High School in Oregon, has ambitions of law school and perhaps a political career. He is off to a good start after being elected student body president, serving as a youth representative on the Harrisburg Planning Commission, and becoming editor of his school newspaper. He plays three sports [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success, Government and Politics.
Sixteen-year-old Aaron Barden, a senior at Harrisburg High School in Oregon, has ambitions of law school and perhaps a political career. He is off to a good start after being elected student body president, serving as a youth representative on the Harrisburg Planning Commission, and becoming editor of his school newspaper. He plays three sports while also taking a rigorous schedule of honors classes.
Although Aaron did not talk until he was 4 years old, he began speaking in complete sentences and advanced so rapidly that he enrolled in kindergarten a year early, after scoring in the 90th percentile for first-graders on a language skills test. He received an Asperger diagnosis at age 10.
Aaron’s mother, who is a member of the Harrisburg City Council, has encouraged her son’s interest in politics. Aaron also gives his school credit for being aware of autistic students’ potential for success and encouraging him to pursue his interests.
Aug 21
Jos Gibbons, an 18-year-old student who has earned 10 A grades on university placement exams, is believed to be the UK’s highest A-level achiever. The Aspergian teen, who modestly described his achievement as “all right,” taught himself many of the A-level subjects at home. He took his first GCSE in maths when he was 11 [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Jos Gibbons, an 18-year-old student who has earned 10 A grades on university placement exams, is believed to be the UK’s highest A-level achiever.
The Aspergian teen, who modestly described his achievement as “all right,” taught himself many of the A-level subjects at home. He took his first GCSE in maths when he was 11 years old, and he achieved his first A-level in that subject at the age of 13.
He plans to study physics at Oxford University.
Aug 06
Larry Arnold, who has been a strong advocate for disability rights as the only autistic person elected to the governing council of the UK’s National Autistic Society, recently was accepted into a doctoral research program at the University of Birmingham. His accomplishment is particularly impressive because he completed his undergraduate work less than a year [...] [...more]
Posted: under Academic Success.
Larry Arnold, who has been a strong advocate for disability rights as the only autistic person elected to the governing council of the UK’s National Autistic Society, recently was accepted into a doctoral research program at the University of Birmingham. His accomplishment is particularly impressive because he completed his undergraduate work less than a year ago and progressed very rapidly through his postgraduate studies. He plans to study media representation of autism and to determine, through objective research, what kinds of videos are helpful to the autistic population.
Congrats Larry!