What if everything we thought we knew about autism was wrong?

Imagine for a moment the following scenario: you cannot speak and your body won't cooperate. In other words your body doesn't listen to your brain. People around you believe you are cognitively impaired and unable to understand anything – like ‘no one is home, lights out’.

Except for one thing…your brain, your intellect, is perfectly preserved.

What kind of life would you be living? Like a silent scream that no one hears “I’m in here! I understand everything!”

This my friends, is the experience of the majority of non-speaking, or minimally-speaking, autistic individuals.

Their intelligence is intact. Better than intact. They are brilliant.

How do we know this? They tell us and show us every day. How?

By SPELLING… on a letterboard, keyboard or tablet. A communication modality that gives them a voice. At the Autism Studio we are shaping a future filled with possibility...on their terms.

Since our students started their blog, interest in our program has skyrocketed and we are out of studio space. We have the opportunity to occupy an entire wing of a church - 6000 square feet! We are asking for your help to make our new property clean, bright and safe for our students. By contributing you will be helping us reach our goal of $15,000 to replace floors, paint walls and make it a beautiful environment.

Thank you to Our Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church of Riverhead for supporting our program with their generous lease. We are excited to help them in turn by funding the renovation. A win-win for all!

You can DONATE now or join us for the 5K Fun/Run/Walk on June 1, 2024.

Will you join us on this journey?

MEET OUR SPELLERS

We asked our spellers how their lives have changed since they have access to communication.

JOE

"My life makes me so happy now in ways I could never have imagined before. I am happy now because I have agency over my life. This agency is because I can now communicate. I loved learning how to spell. I mean building the neural motor pathways that let me untangle the messages that go between my brain and body. I have always had full thought and language. Before when I had no way to express it I felt so frustrated and alone."

MAUDE

"I am so glad we are talking about this. It is important. It is great we can all communicate now but it is important to state how traumatizing it is to be trapped in your body. We all lived like that for so long."

ROSE

"I may cry sharing this. I was so deeply sad before spelling. I loved my family but they did not know me. I was a stranger to all people. I am better now. I feel in control of my life now. It is like sunshine after all darkness. It is hope and love and connection. I am free now I can share my mind."

JACK

"Sunshine after darkness is exactly how it feels. I have always done enough talking to make my point. Like if Mom asks if I want pizza or pasta I can choose, but that is the limit of my accurate speech. Now there is no limit. It is like a wave of love to know you all understand what I have been through and to understand your journey too. Our community keeps getting bigger and it is all love."

CHRISTOPHER

"Wow you all have such powerful thoughts. I really felt what Rose said about sadness. I was so sad my family did not really know me before even though there was only love between us they did not know my mind until I learned to spell. One thing I love now is making my mom laugh with the things I spell. I love that they know I am funny. I am glad they know who I am because I can share my soul now."

ALEX D.

"Having no way to communicate my thoughts was so isolating. Imagine waking up with no voice. My voice does not cooperate with my mind. My body does not either. Thought is locked inside. By practice and hard work I learned to spell on a letterboard. My life has never been the same."

DYLAN

"Calling it spelling or typing is not enough. It is everything to me. It is freedom and connection and my whole world opening up."

ALEX V.

"My life got better because people know I am smart."

Here are some of our newer students who are emerging spellers with us:

MICHAEL

The Autism Spellers Fundraiser

Unlocking Their Brilliance