POTSDAM – Three North Country leaders of the  Institute for Learning Centered Education Autism Initiative recently returned from a week taking its unique two hour autism awareness workshop to Westchester County and Long Island for school districts recognizing the importance of  educating its staff on appropriate ways to interact with the growing number of students being diagnosed with autism. 

The trio concluded travels in Hogansburg with its third session in two years for 32 members of the staff of the St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne Boys and Girls Club.

Institute Director Don Mesibov, and his wife Susan, were present at all of the sessions while Potsdam resident Connor Newcombe, a young man on the autism spectrum, participated through zoom at most of the sessions but was present for the session in Hogansburg. Jen Townsend and Jon Blaylock professionals in the field of autism provided expertise by zoom from Wisconsin and North Carolina respectively during some of the workshops.

“The number of diagnosed people with autism has increased from an estimated one in 2000 in 1980 to one in 31 currently and estimates are that within the next few decades the number may be as low as one in six,” according to Mesibov. “Schools, community organizations, and first responders are becoming aware of the need to learn of the unique characteristics of people on the autism spectrum. This is particularly important, but difficult,” he continued, “because no two people with autism exhibit the same characteristics which is why it is said that ‘To know one person with autism is to know one person with autism.’”

Of the 132 participants in the Institute’s five workshops this week, Mesibov says that 130 rated their session “worthwhile,” on confidential evaluation forms, with comments such as, “ Excellent information provided in a highly interactive way,” and “ I was most engaged when Connor was reading the poems about his experiences with autism.”Gilbert Jacobs, one of the acting CEOs of the Akwesasne Boys’ and Girls’ Club, has invited the institute back three times because, “We are an all-inclusive organization and we want every child to enjoy the Club experience, whether its children on the spectrum or no matter how severe it is. Don  gives us so much information, strategies, and tips so that we can include all these children here at the Akwesasne Boys’ and Girls’ club.”

Susan Mesibov attributes the success of these sessions to the unique format which avoids lengthy lectures and has participants seated in groups of four so that they can learn from and teach each other.

In addition to sessions in the North country, the Institute has a session scheduled in Rochester in mid-October, and, in November, the Institute will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina to conduct its two-hour workshop for the entire 650 officers on the Greensboro police force. “We’ll be conducting four sessions a day for three days in order to keep numbers below seventy participants a session, “Don Mesibov says. “We’re particularly pleased that first responders are taking advantage of our free workshops. In the past year, we’ve had three incidents in the North Country which could have been avoided if some of the people involved had just a little bit of information about the characteristics of people on the spectrum. When problems arise due to misunderstandings it creates serious problems for people on the spectrum as well as the people with whom they interact. Nobody wins!”

Local schools, community organizations and first responders wishing to inquire about sessions for their staff may inquire at Institutelce@gmail.com or can call 315-265-7530.