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www.BurlesonCrowley.com
Burleson girl leads autism awareness efforts
By By Danielle Novy/bcnews@trcle.com
May 20, 2008, 10:41
Kayla Geier may still be in middle school, but the 13-year-old Burleson student has already spearheaded efforts to raise awareness and funds for autism education, a cause close to her heart.
Geier’s younger brother, Chandler Johnson, 7, was diagnosed at age 3 with autism, a developmental condition that affects one’s ability to interact with others.
The disability is becoming increasingly common in the U.S., according to the Autism Society of America, and in 2007 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported one in every 150 American children to be autistic.
Having an autistic family member shapes the way a household functions, Geier and her mom, Darlla Johnson, agreed.
“We’ve got to keep everything normal and very routine. Kayla’s very good at that,” Darlla said. “[Chandler] is high-functioning, but it wasn’t always like that. He wouldn’t talk until he was 5, and new places are never good. There are a hundred little things we have to watch.”
Even meals must be prepared the same way.
“If we change the noodles for spaghetti, he won’t eat it,” Geier said.
Despite the challenges that accompany raising an autistic child, Geier and her mother agree Chandler has helped the family grow closer.
“The autism kind of brought us together,” Geier said.
Because many of her classmates were unfamiliar with autism and the impact it can have on a family, Geier was eager to share her knowledge with her school, and she wanted to raise money for an autism research organization.
Last year Geier sold ribbons to her peers and talked to classes about the disorder, raising about $50, a figure trounced by this year’s earnings. Last month, when she decided to host a schoolwide Crazy Hat Day, faculty staff and students came together to donate $1,000.
For Geier’s Crazy Hat Day, participants donned funny head gear, and each donated at least $1.
Geier gave the money to Kerr Middle School’s principal, who sent the funds to Defeat Autism Now.
“Everyone got involved, including the lunch ladies,” Geier said. “That was really cool.”
She prepared for the event by teaming with a group of friends to decorate her school’s hallways and doors with posters informing students about the fundraiser.
Talking candidly with her classmates about autism helped bring the school together, Geier said.
“I learned there were five students in the eighth-grade class at Kerr with autism,” she said. “If it can open me up, it can open anyone up.”
Geier said she is thankful for the support of her teachers and friends in helping make Crazy Hat Day a success, but she is not finished working to educate her peers about autism.
“The one thing I want everyone to get out of this is that children with autism are no different than you or me,” she said.
Talking to a high school teacher about raising funds is next on Geier’s to-do list, and she said she would eventually like to launch an organization in honor of Chandler.
“She’s very unique and very much a leader,” Geier’s mom said proudly of her daughter. “Hopefully every year, [the fundraiser] will grow.”
Darlla said autism awareness walks are another good tool for raising money and promoting education. Her family member, Rhae Trevino, who also has an autistic son, participates in annual walks hosted by Autism Speaks.
This year’s Metroplex walk will be June 14 at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Autism Speaks is an organization dedicated to researching the condition.
Trevino said her son, Aaron, 6, was diagnosed when he was 3, but his family knew he was autistic by the time he was about 2.
“I think more people are familiar with [autism] because more kids are being diagnosed with it, but I still think a lot of people don’t know what it really is,” she said. If you don’t understand autism, it can be very frustrating. Education is very important, and still more education needs to be done.”
For information, visit the Web site www.autismspeaks.org.
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