Summer: Actually Having Fun

Summer vacation is a time we look forward to.  The time when people can disengage from work and school.   A time to possibly travel and relax.  Autistics, like other folx, like to have that break too.  There is a slight problem with that: sensory overload. 

 

A lot of summer activities are high energy, loud, and crowded.  Let’s examine an amusement park.  Let’s say we’re going to Six Flags.  Of course you are not alone at Six Flags.  You most likely have friends and/or family with you. 

 

You have to enter the park.  That means you need to get in line with a ton of people.  There is no organization.  It’s pure chaos!  Then you must fit through a narrow confining space, which means you must coordinate your body.  And you must interact with staff to give them your ticket.   

 

You are now inside Six Flags.  All around you there are people.  People moving in groups, waiting in lines, playing games, eating, laughing, and crying.  You can smell food.  Maybe something you like.  Maybe something you dislike.  You can smell body odor EVERYWHERE!  You smell chlorine and dampness.  Amusement parks are loud.  There is no way around it.  The sounds of games, a roller coaster clattering, music playing over loudspeakers… You get it.  People bump into you.  You step in puddles.  You are either too hot or too cold.  You get food.  The popcorn has a lot of salt, maybe too much.  The hot dog is filling, but greasy.  After drinking a ton of soda, you can feel the corn syrup coating your tongue. 

 

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a nightmare to me! Yeah, you can have fun, but the amusement park drains you for at least three days.  Well, for me at least.  There are tons of other examples:  fairs, parks, tours, music halls, zoos… So, how can you have fun?  Well, there is some good news!  Columbus, OH does have some sensory friendly places and activities. 

 

COSI hands out free sensory bags to anyone who requests them.  They also have a quiet room for decompression.  They have periodic low sensory hours.  Those are usually announced in their newsletter or on their website.  Staff are responsive to customer needs and promptly provide information or resources.  

 For more information on COSI and accommodations go to:      https://cosi.org/visit/amenities-and-accessibility 

https://cosi.org/ 

 

Another place that provides excellent accommodations and sensory friendly environments is the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.  The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium have constant activities and programs, and of course amazing animals.  Quiet hours are offered periodically.  They will be announced on the website or in their newsletter. Like COSI, they also have free sensory bags that you can use.  The coolest accommodation they provide are sensory maps.  These maps allow for you to plan where to go based on your sensory needs.   

 

For more information go to:  https://www.columbuszoo.org/accessibility  or 

https://www.columbuszoo.org/ 

 

Summer blockbusters… I don’t know about you, but I love the movies!  However, it is not fully enjoyable for some people.  Theaters get crowded and loud.  Food and bathrooms smell.  The theater is either too hot or too cold.  So, what can you do?  My favorite movie theater is the Crosswoods Marcus Cinema.  It is always clean.  It has great staff.  It also tends to be quieter, even when there is a major premiere.  The Crosswoods Marcus Cinema is known for its accessibility among certain populations.  They will have sensory friendly screenings for the public. They are announced in their newsletter or on their website.  You can also get a private screening or reserve the entire theater during off hours.  I have been at Crosswoods Marcus Cinema at a reserved theater and screening.  It was one of the most relaxing movie experiences I have ever had. 

 

For more information go to:  https://www.marcustheatres.com/marcus-specials/sensory-specific-films 

https://www.marcustheatres.com/amenities/theatre-technology/reel-movies-for-real-needs 

https://www.marcustheatres.com/amenities/theatre-technology/accessibility-devices 

https://www.marcustheatres.com/ 

 

 

Rate & Review Books with NCBC

 

Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC! 

Our April book review comes from a Next Chapter Book Club in Columbus that has been gathering on Saturday mornings since 2011.

Book or series of books: Kira-Kira

Author: Cynthia Kadohata

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

“It’s awesome!” says Susan, member of this club since it began in 2011. For Susan, book club is a treasured activity that she and her sister Ann share each week. Ann began co-facilitating the Saturday morning group in 2013. After book club, Susan looks for the latest Royal Family news at the bookstore. Then the sisters often head out for lunch.

Nate joined the book club ten years ago. He says, “Book club is a chance to do different activities and talk to people. We talk about many subjects.” Nate knows quite a lot about animals and their habitats, and often shares interesting animal facts with the group.

Mother-daughter team Morag and Christina also joined book club in 2014. Christina says, “I like reading books. Coming here to read helps me read more books at home.”

“We learn new things,” adds Morag, and Christina nods her head. Christina’s outfit is always complete with one of her many plush characters. Sometimes, she can even match her plush doll with the book the club is reading!

As members and co-facilitators file into Barnes & Noble each week, member Ali keeps close track of who is there and who is not. Ali also joined NCBC in 2014. While she waits on others to arrive, Ali likes to stay busy with a word search.

Julian is also a member in this club. He began coming to book club in summer 2023, and the others are always glad to see him when he joins. Julian shares, “I like to socialize and meet new people. Book club is a good program for people to get out and enjoy themselves.”

Hannah has been volunteering as a co-facilitator last fall. On this day, she and co-facilitator Jillian laugh at the lively and clever illustrations in the club’s new book, The Wind in the Willows.

“It’s almost like a family,” Susan says about book club. Others in the club nod their heads and smile.

Six NCBC members at Barnes & Noble smile for the camera

Back row, left to right: Ann, Christina; Front row: Nate, Morag, Hannah, Susan; Not pictured: Ali, Julian, Jillian

What is Kira-Kira about?

“The magic in ordinary things,” Ann says.

In the book, Katie’s older sister Lynn makes the world seem glittering, or kira-kira. When their family moves from a Japanese community in Iowa to Georgia in the 1950’s, Katie’s parents begin working very long hours at a chicken hatchery with other Japanese American families.

“We learned about Japanese language and culture and how Japanese people in America have struggled with racism,” Nate says.

Ali says, “The book is about how Katie, Lynn, Sammy and their mom and dad struggled. There were sad parts.”

Nate agrees. “Yeah, this book was kind of sad.”

This bittersweet story follows Katie and her family as they face terrible loss and find a way to go on and see kira-kira in the world. Kira-Kira is the 2005 winner of the Newbery Medal.

How easy was this book to understand?

Everyone says that the book is easy to understand. Morag adds, “We help each other.”

What did you like about the book?

“I liked seeing how the kids interacted. It was interesting to see how Katie’s responsibilities grew as Lynn got sick,” says Hannah.

“It did offer a realistic view of the world back then,” says Morag. Others agree that the book did a good job describing life in rural Georgia in the 1950’s, where Katie’s family lived and worked.

“I like the name ‘Katie’,” says Susan.

“I liked Uncle Katsuhisa. What a funny character he is,” Jillian says. Uncle Katsuhisa is a talker and prides himself on being a chess champion, even though his niece Lynn beats him at chess regularly. While there are sad parts in this story, there are also very humorous parts, especially when Uncle Katsuhisa is involved.

Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?

Everyone quickly agrees that their least favorite part of the book is when Lynn gets sick.

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

Susan says, “Do it!”

Nate adds, “But warn them there are some sad parts.”

What book or series of books has been your favorite so far? (some of us couldn’t pick just one!)

Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave Kira-Kira 4.25 out of 5 stars.

 

Congratulations Colin!

Colin Batten is the recipient of the 2024 Clancy Isaac Award that Block O gives out at the end of each school year!

Here is what those who nominated him had to say,  “This award is given to the Block O member that shows the most leadership, dedication, and spirit…It is because of members like you that our organization is able to thrive, and we thank you deeply for the commitment you have given Block O.”

Great work Colin!

Thanks SHARE!

TOPS has had the privilege of creating a partnership with SHARE (Sexual Health and Reproductive Education) to teach students comprehensive sexual education.

For more information about SHARE, check out their website with the following link.

Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month! In celebration, we would like to highlight our community partner OCALI and the many resources offered on their website. Check out this page for current “Staff Picks” of resources developed and/or curated by OCALI staff. Included are podcast episodes, local event suggestions, featured articles, and a host of online training modules.

Additionally, this month OCALI reminds us that A + B = C, or

Access + Belonging = Community.

According to OCALI, “The concepts of access and belonging are central to everything we do.” So, what exactly do we mean by access and belonging?

When something is accessible, it means that it is easy to find and use and understand. For example, websites are accessible when they are easy to navigate and offer multiple ways for users to take in the information. Buildings are accessible when everyone can not only enter the front door but use all parts of the space. Conversations are accessible when we use clear language, avoid (or define) acronyms and jargon, and vary the style of our questions. When we think about the diversity of needs among humans and then design projects, products and spaces to embrace that diversity, we can create more welcoming and inclusive environments for all.

Belonging is a human need. In fact, some argue that belonging is a human right. In some way, shape, or form, each of us needs to feel like we belong. We need to feel that we are welcomed and accepted for who we are. This can happen in our families, friend groups, classrooms, places of worship, places of employment, or another social group. However, we don’t have a space where we feel like we belong – when there is nowhere we feel welcomed, supported, or included – it often has significant negative impacts on our quality of life.

One important distinction highlighted by popular researcher, author, and social worker Dr. Brene Brown is the difference between belonging and fitting in. When trying to fit in, we must often change parts of ourselves to be more like the group. On the other hand, Dr. Brown explains, “True belonging never asks us to change who we are. True belonging requires us to be who we are.” For autistic people who often strive to mask autistic traits, the opportunity to belong, “to be who [they] are” can provide tremendous relief.

It is well established that the quality of our relationships is strongly linked to our overall wellbeing. This is true for people of all abilities, temperaments, and preferences. We all need communities that are easy to reach and supportive of our true selves, whether or wherever we may find ourselves on the autism spectrum. For autistic people and their families, such communities can provide a lifeline of validation and social support. We invite you to join us and our colleagues at OCALI in ensuring access, nurturing belonging, and fostering inclusive communities for all.

Welcome New Staff Members!

Happy April everyone!

TOPS hired two new staff  within the past six months and we wanted to introduce you to them!

1st off, welcome our new Academic Success and Enrichment Specialist, Sydney Rondeau!

If you need to get ahold of her, your best bet is through email at: sydney.rondeau@osumc.edu. She has been working within the field of disability for seven years and has been with TOPS for about six months. Sydney strives to, “coordinate inclusive academic experiences for TOPS students”, and when asked what the best part about working with TOPS is, she said, “The students!” She likes to read in her free time, and her current favorite food is falafel.

Next, is our new Career Services Coordinator, Taylor Breehl-Yugovich!

If you need to reach her, please email her at: taylor.breehl@osumc.edu.  She has only been working in the field of disability for a little over a year and has been with TOPS for about three months. Taylor said that when she is not working with students, she does “a little bit of everything”, but is mainly at a job site assisting a student to meet the expectations of that work environment. She wants her students, “to feel independent and confident in themselves to accomplish the work before them.” She also agrees with Sydney that the best part about working with TOPS is getting to know the students. Taylor also likes to read in her free time, as well as hangout with friends, including her husband, explore different coffee shops, nap, and go hiking!

Finding Your Voice

As someone who’s gone through most of their life not having a voice, I cannot possibly say loud enough how essential it is for young people on the neurodivergent spectrum to learn as soon as possible to BE ASSERTIVE.

I have noticed in many situations, the neurodiverse/disabled one is more or less expected to be the “good/sweet/nice” one (VERY particularly when said individual is female.) I can indeed vouch for what it like to like to get scolded and reprimanded for raising your voice, having an opinion, and/or saying what you feel. Meanwhile, [neurotypical] NT/abled peers are always allowed to act worse and get a free pass. Not only that, in many cases, you’re actually praised for not standing up for yourself!

Why is that? Does it go along with the generalization that disabled/ND individuals are perpetual children, with no true grasp on the larger world, who need to be sheltered because they apparently will never be able to conceptualize society?

I believe in many cases the “grooming” to always be the “nice, good, docile” one in all situations starts the very instant that a child (very particularly if it’s a girl) begins to show the slightest signs of a disability…even before an official diagnosis is made.

Realizing that you have a voice and *must* be able to use it in this world we live in (and that’s not always a “physical” voice” – it can be a hypothetical voice such as a communication device, letterboards, sign language, cards, etc.) can be overwhelming at first. And I’ll say something: if you spent most of your life being the good, sweet, meek one, there are people, tons of them actually, that are very much going to attempt to discourage you once you find your voice. They’re going to try everything in their power to bring back the “you” they were comfortable with, and that’s because they benefited from your passivity and meekness. People are going to guilt trip you, and make you feel as though you’re flawed. You’ll hear it all the time. Don’t let them get to you. They benefitted from the sweet, weak-willed you. They used you for their own gain. But, there *will* be a few that will respect and encourage you once you *do* start speaking up.

I’ll give an example: at my old camp in North Carolina, we were in the camp van, and someone sitting next to me was doing something that was bothering me. Instead of going, “um…hee…hee…” like I would do in such a situation (and remembering the one or two times, back at my old school when I, trembling meekly, attempted to stand up for myself, the “teacher” (not a licensed teacher) would say, “oh Giggles (note: my name was ‘Giggles’ because you know what they say…if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry) you can’t be mean like those guys. You’re so sweet and nice. They’re mean, so it’s okay for them to do those things to you),” I took a deep breath, and said, in my tiny, trembling, timid voice, “ummm…please stop…I don’t like that.”

I instantly braced myself for the explosion to happen. And it happened. But not in the way that I was expected. Instead of the van launching into “You can’t be mean to people like that! You’re too nice! That’s not like you,” one counselor, Addie, exploded into cheers, spun around and high-fived me, and whooped, “Kerry! You GO, tough girl!” And I could see faces all around the van, with huge eyes, their jaws on the floor, shocked, and in a state of disbelief. I heard a voice coming from another camper, “wow…Kerry NEVER tells them!”

And you know who was in the biggest state of shock in the van, out of all those people? Myself. Did I actually just stand up for myself…and not get into trouble? Moreover, was I actually *praised* for standing up for myself?

So, suffice it to say: I’ve realized that contrary to what I have been told most of my life, anger and passion are indeed good emotions to have to a moderate extent. It’s good to have an outlet to channel your anger, your rage, your passion, and use it to change the world. And a good part of this is learning self-advocacy, and advocacy for the disabled/neurodiverse communities in general.

Edited from original work of Kerry Perdy

Rate & Review Books with NCBC

 

Welcome back to Rate & Review Books with NCBC! 

This month, we hear from a Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) that includes members who have been participating for almost 16 years!

Book or series of books: The BFG

Author: Roald Dahl

Please tell our readers a little about your book club.

“Well, Ashley and Suzanne have been here the longest,” says Carol, club co-facilitator and owner of The Alternative Center, a day program attended by most of the members in this club. Suzanne and Ashley have been participating in this Monday night NCBC since it began in 2008. While membership in the club changed slightly over the years, it changed significantly with COVID.

“We were determined to keep this going,” says Bonnie, co-facilitator and parent of club member Sara. “We really enjoy it,” she says. Bonnie and Sara first participated in a Next Chapter Book Club in the Chicago area. When they moved to Columbus in 2017, they were happy to find out that they could join a book club in the city where NCBC began.

Newer member Jaime shares that she was excited to join the book club. She and David started around the same time, in spring 2023. Until that point, all the members in this club had been women. “Then David fixed that!” says Suzanne, and the group laughs.

This NCBC meets in a bookstore, where Suzanne and her service dog Alfred join the club each week. Suzanne shares with the group what it used to be like to go to public places in her wheelchair. “There were jobs I couldn’t take after high school because I literally couldn’t get into the building,” she says. “Now buildings have to be accessible.” (Learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act here.)

Members and facilitators in this Next Chapter Book Club gather around a table and smile

Front row, left to right: Sara, Carol, Suzanne, Jaime, David, Bonnie, Caroline. Back row: Elizabeth, Ashley. Not pictured: Alfred the service dog.

What is this book about? What happens in this book?

“The BFG [Big Friendly Giant] would blow a trumpet into the boys’ and girls’ rooms at night, and they would have happy dreams,” Elizabeth shares.

One night, after a girl named Sophie sees the BFG, he kidnaps her. “But he would never hurt her,” says David. The BFG takes Sophie so she won’t tell anyone about him.

Unlike the other giants, the BFG is friendly and refuses to eat children. The group begins to laugh about some of the wild and gross names of the other giants. “The Bonecruncher, the Gizzardgulper, the Fleshlumpeater…” Bonnie recalls and shivers with disgust.

Ashley adds, “They creep me out. I can’t.” Ashley and a few others are clearly grossed out by the giants and their eating habits.

How easy was this book to understand?

“Some of the words in this book were hard to understand,” shares Carol. Made-up words like “snozzcumber” and “whizzpopping” made The BFG both a funny and sometimes challenging book for this group of readers.

“We liked how the giants said, ‘human beans’ instead of ‘human beings’,” Bonnie says with a smile. “We could still follow the plot of the story, even with the made-up words.”

What did you like about the book?

Members of the club enjoyed the unlikely friendship between Sophie and the BFG. “As we read, we could see the friendship forming,” says Carol.

“He protected her from the other giants and kept her safe,” Suzanne adds.

Toward the end of The BFG, the Queen of England makes an appearance, and Sara shares that this was her favorite part.

Were there any parts you didn’t like? If so, what were they?

Co-facilitator Caroline says, “We did not like the descriptions of what different people taste like.” To that, everyone strongly agreed.

If another Next Chapter Book Club was thinking about reading this book, what would you tell them?

Club members said that they would suggest other NCBCs read The BFG. Added Carol, “We did laugh a lot.”

Please rate this book on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

This club gave The BFG 4.1 out of 5 stars.

IPSE Day!

What is it? IPSE, Inclusive Postsecondary Education Day, is a day when we encourage anyone who has any connection to a higher education for students with intellectual disability to speak up about their experience. We want more people to understand the benefits of college for students with intellectual disability.

When is it? May 1st, 2024

What can I do? You can do a lot! Such as…

  • Tell a friend, neighbor, or family member about IPSE
  • Post pictures or videos on social media with the hashtag #IPSEday2024
  • Talk to educators and inform them that college is an option for students with intellectual disability
  • Reach out to your elected officials and share with them the value of IPSE

Want more information? Go to #IPSEDay Webpage