Autism Awareness Month

April is National Autism Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge and support individuals on the Autism spectrum. National Autism Awareness Month has been observed for 20 years and has undergone revamping every year. Here at Woodhaven High School, there is a class called Peer to Peer, where students are assigned a peer who is on the autism spectrum. In order to view this application better, we interviewed one of the high school’s social workers, Ms. Megan Witz. In the interview, we asked how peer-to-peer can help those on the spectrum, what the program’s goal is, and how students are paired. Ms.Witz has stated, “It helps our students build social skills and build their confidence through positive peer modeling.  It also supports inclusion and helps our students feel connected and build friendships. Our students are paired with a general education peer who helps to support these initiatives.” “We try to pair students based on their common interests, what works best in their schedule, and where our students need the most support.” Going along with what Ms.Witz has said, peer-to-peer can truly be a life-changing experience and could make your high school experience even better as a person. I have been in the peer-to-peer program for three years, and I wouldn’t be able to see my life in anything else besides it. It genuinely made my high school career so much better, and me as a person so happy to make the kids smile and know that they have that friend that they can look up to, and they don’t have to be afraid to be themselves with.