Meet Max – The Hero Assisting With Our Recycling Efforts
In the classroom, Max is diligently working on his schoolwork. His teacher walks over to his desk and asks, “Are you ready to help out?” Max stands in a hurry to begin assisting with Anderson Center for Autism’s recycling efforts at our main campus in Staatsburg.
Recycling at Anderson is completed with the help of individuals like Max, who are enrolled in our graduate work study program. Here, students volunteer and learn valuable life skills which help them as they enter adulthood.
Max walks out of the classroom and to the Grad Instruction Room where he grabs a recycling bin. He then wheels the bin down the school hallway and begins knocking on the classroom doors.
When the classroom door is answered, Max pulls out his iPad and taps on a few icons to greet them:
He taps a few more to ask if they have anything that they’d like to recycle:
Max carries an iPad with him that has a special application to help assist in verbal communications as his verbal responses are limited. This tool is essential for him to communicate with others to express his personal thoughts and opinions.
Individuals with autism can sometimes have difficulty with speaking and communication. This can be due to a variety of reasons, but the main are because of differences in neurological, genetic and/or environmental factors.
Max continues his designated route. “No recyclables today, Max!” a teacher tells him. Tapping away, he selects a series of icons, and the iPad is prompted to play a voice which states “Goodbye”.
Individuals who begin using this special software have a period where it is a little challenging to choose the right icons to convey their needs. However, with the help from speech pathologists, individuals who are nonverbal can begin to gain their voice and learn crucial communication skills.
I asked Max how helping in his school makes him feel. Using his iPad to respond he taps the following icons in succession:
which prompts the device to read aloud “Happy”.
At the Anderson Education Center, Max is known to be an Anderson Community Hero. He assists with the important task of collecting our recyclables and making the world a better, cleaner place.
You too can be an Anderson Community Hero!
Consider a donation with us today to help us fund our programs, which include teaching life skills and helping individuals gain the ability to communicate. Together, we can make the world a better place!