There are many different kinds of people. Maybe someone doesn’t talk the same as you or walk the same. That may be because they have a disability. A disability is something that makes think or see a different way than someone without a disability.

One of the most common types of disabilities is autism. Autism is a condition that makes you have a harder time making relationships, or it makes you not be able to understand things at a normal pace of someone who doesn’t have the condition.

A certain few of students at North have this condition and there are also teachers with children who have this condition. Take Mrs. Lori Bonnstetter, for example she has a little boy named Griffin and he has autism. They started him in school at two and a half years old, and of course any mother would have worries.

“Sending your child who has always been by your side since day one at such a young age to school can be frightening, but my husband and I knew it was something we had to do so Griffin can learn and be the person we know he can be,” Bonsetter said. Griffin has been learning so much at school and making a big differences in his education.

“It’s the little things that mean the most, Griffin is now starting to learn his ABCs, he can’t talk yet but he can point to the letters, and now with us knowing that he is capable of learning. We know he is going to go to college and have a job and possibly even live on his own and six months ago we never would have thought that he could be capable of doing these things, but now we know if he tries hard he can do anything he puts his mind to.”

Mr. Jordal also has a son with autism, and his name is Graham. He is in kindergarten, he has a lot of people who help him along the way such as the AEA (Area Education Agencies), and therapy there have helped him be to be able to communicate with the people around him and able to tell his feelings if something is wrong. He is also very literal with his words and feelings and getting to the point with whatever he says, but has a way of putting a smile on your face when he says it. There are also things that make it difficult to get the help he needs because there are a lot of doctors visits and the help he receives isn’t covered by insurance.

“Iowa is one out of six of the 50 states the doesn’t receive insurance from the government to help support autism, but this year it is looking like the legislature is about to pass a law to cover it, which it’s about damn time!”, Mr. Jordal says.

There are also more diverse cases such as Mrs. Sara Steilers son Caleb. Caleb is eight years old, but he is non-verbal and can’t write. Caleb goes to a regular public school, but is in a special program that helps him learn at his own pace, but a struggle is he doesn’t have any friends.

“ Its not that he doesn’t like to play with other kids but it’s the other kids who never really notice he is there, so the other kids just kind of overlook him and not realize he is there. Caleb is making progress in communicating and is even starting to get excited when we go pick up his brother and sister from daycare. He used to have no reaction at all but now he gets excited when he knows we are going to pick them up.” Steiler said.

With all of these kids and all of their stories each one is different, but they have the same condition. They have all had different experiences and all have different wants and needs, but still have the emotion and feelings that everyone has. Even though a person may not be able to talk or make relationships the same way as someone else or even understand things as quickly, they all deserve to be treated the same way. So the next time you see someone in the hall who may be a little different than, you don’t judge them, just say hi and talk to them and get to know them and maybe you’ll see that even though they may be a little different they each have an amazing personality.