Here is a brief summary of Collin’s educational experience so far, and our experiences with the people from Kris' Camp and the ACT school. It will help you understand why we’re so excited about him attending this new school starting in August.
 

Collin, 22 months old. (pictured getting ready for preschool)

Cheryl & I meet Suzanne Oliver and Michelle Hardy at a seminar, where Suzanne & Michelle are presenting the idea of autism as a regulatory-movement disorder. We are extremely impressed with their knowledge, patience, and energy. They seem different compared with the other therapists we've met so far.
 

Collin 3-5 years old. (pictured hanging out with Michelle)

Collin struggles in the public school system, getting moved from classroom to classroom in an attempt to find a good match. His overabundant energy (ADHD), inability to focus (ADHD), disregard for social norms (Autism), difficulty controlling his body (Apraxia / Sensory Integration / Regulatory Movement Disorder), and inability to talk (Apraxia) are just too much for the special education teachers to handle.
During this time, Collin continues to see Suzanne and Michelle for one hour per week, and has excelled. He is even learning to type as an means to communicate. This has become the single most important hour of the week for Collin and our family.
 

Collin 5-6 years old. (pictured waiting for the school bus)

Collin continues to flounder in kindergarten. The school's special education "team" presents us with Collin's projected goals for first grade next year, and much to our horror, they are almost the same as his initial goals from three years earlier. We begin to plan a move to a private school.

Suzanne and Michelle express interest in further helping Collin. They advise us of an opportunity to attend Kris' Camp that summer. Kris' Camp is a non-profit, intensive, out-of-town, week-long summer camp for children & families with autism. The staff is hand-picked from around the country, with some of the leaders in the field acting as directors or sitting on the board. Suzanne and Michelle are both involved at the camp. The children are taught how to regulate their bodies, as well as alternative means of communication. The families are taught how to continue these methods at home once camp is over.

Unfortunately, Collin is probably too young for the older kids group, and too old for the younger kids group, so we decide to wait a year. Cheryl & I begin getting involved in volunteer and fundraising efforts for Kris' Camp at this time.

We successfully transfer Collin into a private school for children with autism. Suzanne attends meetings and provides valuable information to the school district on our behalf, all for Collin's benefit.
 
 

Collin 6-7 years old. (pictured during winter break at a holiday festival)

Collin makes quantum leaps at his new school. His education experience is night and day compared with what he endured before.

Collin continues to see Suzanne every week, and once per month he also attends a social group with his peers, hosted by Suzanne at her clinic (at no charge!)

Collin attends his first week at Kris' Camp, and has what is probably the best week of his life. He made so much progress and did so well at controlling his body and communicating during that week, that when a sudden cancellation left an opening for the following week, Kathy Berger, the camp director, invited Collin to attend again.

**Here's the kicker - when Collin returned to school following two weeks at Kris' Camp, his teachers (at the private school where he was doing so well) were AMAZED at how far he had come in such a short time.
 

Collin 7-8 years old. (Pictures from Kris' Camp)

Collin & Kathy Berger

Collin with Suzanne, Mom, and Jason

Collin with friends Sammy & Joshua

The whole gang from Arizona Camp
Cheryl & I had seen everything we needed to see. We are convinced that Kris' Camp, including the teachers, therapists, and protocol, has the ability to drastically improve lives.

Even better, Suzanne Oliver has recently opened a small school, called Assuming Competence Today (ACT), and is implementing the Kris' Camp program in a full school-year environment. Some of the Kris' Camp teachers have joined her staff.
 

Collin 8 years old. (no photos yet!)
Collin will turn 8 years old this August. He is looking forward to attending Kris' Camp again this summer, and he is ecstatic (like a young boy looking forward to Christmas) about attending Suzanne's ACT school in the fall.

This is why we're asking for your help. Read about the ACT School, and about Kris' Camp. These are some of the best people on the planet, trying to help as many families as they can, and all while trying to keep the costs as affordable as possible. The donation is fully tax deductible, and almost all of the administrative work is done on a volunteer basis, which means almost every penny goes directly to helping the families who need it.

 
* On a side note, this summary discusses what we believe to be the most important part of Collin’s program. Not addressed here are the countless hours of various other therapies (in clinics and in our home), social activities, travel, and medical treatments, all of which combine to make Collin one of the hardest working kids you’ll ever meet!
 
 
Click here to learn more about ACT.
 
Click here to learn more about Kris' Camp.
 
Click here to get a copy of the Friends of Kris' Camp Donation Form.