Wantage School hosts Autism Awareness Day

WANTAGE — Julia Wheeler-Dean and third grade teacher Rebecca Schnetzer at the Wantage school celebrated Autism Awareness on Wednesday, April 30 at the school.

Each student placed a paper butterfly onto a bulletin board in various colors showing that they are all special and unique having their own superpower of what they are especially good at. Students worked on drawing and coloring a cape with their superpower showcased on it. This activity is to show that everyone is differently-abled. What is it that makes us different or the same?

Andrew Meichsner is known as the problem solver. Meichsner can do times tables in his head, square roots and more.

Thomas Wollery does not speak, but can communicate with an iPad to answer questions and participate. His superpower is to communicate without speech.

Mark Culver is a peer mentor. He chooses to leave his lunch early every day and give up free time to mentor students in the class.

Each student has their own power. Teachers Schnetzer and Wheeler-Deen added that there is a better response with interaction between students helping students and how they relate to each other. The peer students choose to volunteer on their own time because they enjoy working together.

On Friday, the school will have the New Jersey ASK Test. All students will wear their superpower shirts and Schnetzers class will wear their superpower capes, created on Wednesday in support of conquering their testing together.

— Photos by Gale Miko
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