Stepping Stones' program builds confidence, hope for autistic youth

In 2004, the first student of a new program at Stepping Stones Center in Indian Hill arrived. In an ambulance.

Chloe had been kicked out of school, taken to court and physically restrained because of her inability to control herself. Her autism led to outbursts of profanity and physical violence. She had nowhere to turn but the 23-acre center, a pastoral setting where Step-Up, a new program targeting youth with autism, was looking for its first student.

With one-on-one support, a personal aide, a warm water pool and a serene wooded setting, Chloe settled into new routines. She learned to work with others. She made her own meals. She learned to read and communicate with others in compete sentences.

Eventually, she joined her classmates on field trips to restaurants and shopping malls. By the time she completed 12th grade, she could walk through a crowded room to applause, music and a television camera.

For young adults like Chloe, Step-Up, one of a range of programs for people with disabilities offered at Stepping Stones Center, success can be measured in hours without meltdowns and accomplishments like cooking a meal or applauding for a friend. Another success? A gym class in which 14 autistic youth run an obstacle course, play musical chairs and toss balls back and forth to each other.

"Just being with somebody else in a room is an accomplishment," says Pam Schimweg, manager of education services for Stepping Stones Center. The 19 students currently in the program come from 12 school districts. The youngest is in sixth grade; the oldest is 22. None could function in the school setting; some had been hospitalized. "They are all at different levels."

Schimweg credits the one-on-one attention and the constant patience and appreciation offered by staff for Step-Up's success. Two students in the program have returned to traditional schools, two have graduated and live at Safe Haven Farm, two are living in group homes and one has lost 100 pounds through a combination of healthier eating habits and workouts at the YMCA.

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By Elissa Yancey

Photo courtesy Stepping Stones Center