April 2, 2009 – There were a couple of firsts Thursday at Kingshill School in La Reine. One was the first World Autism Day Awareness program held in the Virgin Islands.
It was also the first time Stephanie Barnes, founder of the Virgin Islands Autism Network(VIAN), had her autistic son Harry Mials on stage with her spreading awareness of autism.
“This is the very first time I've allowed Harry to stand on stage with me for the public to see a classic case of autism,” said Barnes. “My son is a happy child. He can progress, learn, develop and move on.”
She added she proudly takes her son everywhere.
Barnes wanted her son to read a poem on autism to the more than 50 people gathered for the program. Mials, a 15 year-old student at Kingshill School, began to read the poem perfectly – loud and clear. He said he wasn't doing very well, quit reading and started to walk off stage. Barnes coaxed him to stay and she continued to read the untitled poem by an unknown, non-talking, autistic author.
The last verse she read said, “Blessed are those who think of me as a person who loves, and hurts, and feels joy and pain just like you do, for in that respect I am normal.”
She said Harry was a normal baby, but at the age of three he lost speech and language. She wondered what happened.
“This is what God has given me and this is what I'll work with,” Barnes said. She started VIAN on her own, knowing she had to help parents with autistic children.
“My motto is connecting the pieces of the puzzle for children and families dealing with autism,” she added.
Sometimes parents are dealing with a child and don't know the child has autism, Barnes said.
The V.I. Department of Education doesn't have autism on its list of diagnoses yet, which is mandated by the federal government. But she is working closely with Gail Harris-Perez, director of special education at the department, to get resources and information to parents of autistic school age children.
Harris-Perez said 11 cases of autism have been identified on St. Croix but there are probably more. The children are put in regular classes and not isolated. There are 24 teachers and para-professionals trained in the Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support (SCERTS) model. Prior to age three children are under the Department of Human Services, which uses the Child Find program to inform parents of suspected disabilities.
Janie Koopmans, founder of Kingshill School, said the school's goal is to get most students back and mainstreamed into normal schools. At Kingshill School they evolve, change and stay open to success with all types of students. Sue Cissel, a teacher at Kingshill, gave an overview of a typical day on “the hill.”
Hovensa has made monetary donations to the school to help with scholarships for needy children.
Gov. John P. deJongh Jr. was on hand to officially kick off World Autism Awareness Month. He said it was a day to reflect on the learning challenges people in the community go through that we don't know about.
“It is important for this administration to understand what different people go through every day,” said deJongh. “It is important for us to give special attention in areas like this. Autism is something we want to learn more about, to sensitize government and do what we can. In this administration we want to be able to make a difference in lives and how they go about their lives and everything they do, from the disabled to the mentally challenged – and say we made a difference in everything.”
The Kingshill students came up with some impressive questions about current St. Croix issues to ask the governor.
VIAN board members were also introduced. They are; Larry Kupfer, president of Hovensa; Jill Singer, assistant director of State Office of Special Education; Julie Dukes, parent advocate; Gail Harris-Perez, director of special education at the Department of Education; Gerri Hanna, V.I. University Center for Excellence Developmental Disabilities; Archie Jennings Esq., Disability Rights Center; Shammi Carr, V.I. University Center for Excellence Developmental Disabilities, and Barnes.
Further information can be obtained sending an e-mail to Barnesx.
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