Tonight: Autism Awareness Night at Lakewood Stadium

Join APS this Friday night as South Atlanta High School hosts “Autism Awareness Night” during their home game against Frederick Douglass High School at Lakewood Stadium at 5:30 p.m.  Both the South Atlanta and Douglass teams will wear light blue wristbands, and game attendees are being asked to wear light blue to show their support.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism, is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. and is characterized in varying degrees by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.  Studies show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. Autism Speaks, an international advocacy organization, reports that an estimated 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 180 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.  

Our district’s Department of Special Education, led by Assistant Superintendent Tammie Workman and Executive Director Vickie Cleveland provides programming and services for students with autism that encompass social skills instruction, functional communication training, community-based instruction, as well as academic and behavioral skills instruction.

Two Parent Mentors are available to support families of children with disabilities by providing information and open communication.  Please call Rose Calloway at 404-802-2633 or Edith Abakare at 404-802-3607  to speak with mentors who are trained to advise, educate and support parents of children with disabilities and their needs in APS schools.

Fans are looking forward to supporting South Atlanta High School Head Football Coach Kevin Hill and Mike Perrelli, former head football coach of Therrell High School and current teacher at South Atlanta High School, who both have children with autism, while also cheering on the Hornets and the Astros!  

General admission tickets for the game is $7 and children ages five and under will be admitted free.