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As part of Autism Awareness Month, we’re honored to share a moving story from ASERT’s This is Autism video series that features one of our own students at The Vista School: Skylar.
🎥 Watch the full video here
Skylar is outgoing, fun-loving, and full of personality. Whether he’s talking about his favorite rides at Hersheypark, sharing sports stats, or playing a prank on his grandfather, Skylar lights up every room he enters. But for a long time, Skylar struggled to express himself. That all changed when his family and support team helped him begin using an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device—an iPad that allows him to build and share messages.
As his grandparents Keith and Maria shared, “Once he got to talking and he could tell us what he wanted, what he was feeling, what he was thinking, it was just like light bulbs going off.” With language came connection—and Skylar’s true personality began to shine through.
In the video, we also hear from Shannon Welch, Skylar’s speech-language pathologist, who has worked with him for the past three years. She describes how he learned to use the device one word at a time and gradually began building longer phrases and more expressive messages. “He’s thinking, and he wants to talk to you,” she says. “Once it connects that they can communicate their thoughts, it just continues and grows.”
Beyond communication, Skylar is also building vocational skills through Vista’s employment readiness programming. Chris Pearson, a Pre-Employment Specialist at The Vista School, accompanies Skylar to FNB Field, home of the Harrisburg Senators, where he helps “de-web” seats and learn what it means to be part of a team. For Skylar, who has always loved sports and being at the stadium, it’s the perfect fit. “It gives him something to talk about. He loves schedules, and having a regular routine like this helps him feel confident and connected,” Chris explains.
Skylar’s journey reminds us that every child, regardless of how they communicate, can learn, grow, and thrive with the right support.
📺 Explore the full This is Autism video series here
We’re grateful to the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training (ASERT) Collaborative for producing this meaningful video series in partnership with the Office of Developmental Programs. As we mark Autism Awareness Month, it’s more important than ever to elevate the voices of autistic individuals and recognize the diversity of their experiences.
Like so many others, Skylar’s story reminds us why communication matters and how tools like AAC devices and employment readiness programs help individuals with autism reach their full potential.
Vista Autism Services is committed to providing individualized, strengths-based support throughout life. Whether building communication skills in childhood or preparing for competitive employment in adulthood, our mission remains the same: to advance, improve, and inspire.
#AutismAwarenessMonth #ThisIsAutism #VistaAutism #AACAwareness #AutismAndCommunication #Neurodiversity #InclusionMatters #AutismEmploymentReadiness #UniquePotentialIsWithinReach
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