Across the Courtyard: Doings in D.C.

Cathy Pratt, Board Chair of the Autism Society, Director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at the Indiana Institute and CIP Advisory Board member recently attended a meeting hosted by the White House to discuss the Obama Administration’s efforts on autism research and to express support of families and individuals affected by autism.

The meeting took place April 2, in conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day and National Autism Awareness Month, and included representatives of other national advocacy organizations and service agencies.

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Berkeley Spring Break 2010, Hawaii!

By Yasin Johnson, CIP Berkeley Residential Coordinator

The CIP Berkeley Center had another amazing Spring Break in Hawaii this year. From sightseeing in beautiful downtown Waikiki to ATV riding in the luscious green mountain region of O’ahu.

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Where in the World is Dr. McManmon?

We check in with Dr. McManmon, founder of the College Internship Program, international speaker, artist, and aspie extraordinaire to get the latest scoop on his whereabouts.

Dr. McManmon was spotted in San Rafael, California presenting Understanding the Postsecondary Needs of Students with ASD at the Marin Autism Lecture Series.

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Wellness Student of the Month

By: Trung Tim Nguyen, Berkeley Center Health & Wellness Coordinator

Akira Abenes, a.k.a. Guido, has consistently been a shining light in health and wellness at the Berkeley center. Although he does not have a YMCA membership, it does not deter him from getting regular physical activity.

Weekly, he participates in yoga, walking club as well as strength training in the fitness room on his own. He would apply and practice the resistance exercises he had learned during individual wellness session to improve his overall strength and endurance.

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10 Tips to Help You Stay Focused

By Sharona Sommer, Student Advisor, The Brevard Center

By this time in the semester, it may be difficult to keep ourselves focused on our goals and what we need to do to achieve them. Here are some tips to help you in your path to success.

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Berkshire Student Receives Dandurand Award for Exceptional Achievement

Matthew Curtis, a third-year Berkshire Center student, has been chosen by the Asperger Association of New England (AANE) to receive the Dandurand Award for Exceptional Achievement. Matthew was presented with this prestigious award at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts on Saturday, April 10th, 2010.

Matthew was nominated by his academic coordinator, Jeff Wheeler, M.Ed., at the CIP Berkshire Center. Below is an excerpt from Jeff Wheeler’s nomination containing some of the accomplishments Matthew has made:

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Bloomington Students Set Sail

By Jim Walsh, Student Advisor, The Bloomington Center

This spring break, Bloomington Center students went on a four night Western Caribbean trip through the Carnival Cruise Lines.

They soaked up sun on the deck, went parasailing, saw live entertainment, bargained with shop owners on Cozumel, lounged by the pool, and each night they had elegant formal dining. In Key West they visited the cats at the Hemmingway house. Upon returning to the mainland, they made a trip to the Florida Everglades and took pictures of alligators. One student, Hannah, actually got to hold a baby alligator. “Its skin felt like a wallet!” she reported.

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Berkshire Spring Break 2010: It’s Not Easy Being Green

By Katie Scholz, The Berkshire Center

Ah, the Emerald Isle, what a trip it was! Although, I must admit, things didn’t start on such a rosy note. We arrived in Dublin at 5:30 a.m. cramped and exhausted only to learn that it would be an hour and a half before our coach arrived to transport us to our hotel.

That’s not so bad, right? Sure it’s not provided your rooms are ready when you arrive at your hotel, which ours weren’t. Thank goodness for Frank, tour guide extraordinaire, who rearranged our itinerary so that we would start our day by taking in the city of Dublin before returning to the waiting arms of our hotel.

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Special Viewing of “Autistic-Like” Movie in Florida

An intimate family portrait showing one dad’s determined quest to find the right therapies, the right doctors, and even the right words to describe his son.

When their son was just 17 months old, Erik and Jennie Linthorst suspected something was not quite right. Experts and therapists told them their son was autistic. Sort of. Maybe. Some called him autistic-like. Others said he was not autistic at all.

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Film Review: “Adam”

By Janet Hrezo, The Brevard Center

You may not have seen “Adam”, an independent film released in 2009, but you should and, thanks to DVD, now you can. A romantic comedy/drama, the film focuses on a young man, Adam, with Asperger’s.

What makes this an extraordinary film is its portrayal of Adam as a real person rather than a stereotype. Adam, in his twenties and living in New York City, finds his life turned upside down after the death of his father and the loss of his job.

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Wellness Student of the Month

By Talitha Eustice, Health & Wellness Coordinator, The Berkshire Center

Jane has been an active participant in her own wellness, showing up consistently with an eagerness to learn and a willingness to work hard. She comes in with her own ideas and is still open to try new challenges.

She has also taken on the responsibility of being the student captain of the Student Vs. Staff Walking competition that will begin in April and states that she “is looking forward to beating the staff” in the walking competition.

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Ben and Me

By Zach Lichterman, First-Year Student, The Brevard Center

I love animals. I’ve never had a dog but I have had two parakeets, two frogs and two hermit crabs as pets. My Aunt Betty and my Uncle Sid had a dog named Rachel and my Aunt Shelley also had a dog. I really loved them both but I never had a dog of my mine.

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