Fall 2021 Newsletter
Posted By Janet Lawson, MFT on August 25, 2021
What? College classes start this week. This summer just sped by! We were all so happy to be at least partially out of COVID confinement that we crammed as much fun and adventure as we could into this summer. We surfed, kayaked, went whitewater rafting, enjoyed playing in the parks and hiking through the hills.
Now we are settling into the fall semester. Autistry is launching a hybrid model – some remote activities and some in-studio activities. We are keeping the group sizes small (no more than 6 students), wearing masks when indoors, and following COVID check-in protocols. For the Autistry Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP) we are offering two new classes: the Tinker Workshop and the Drama Workshop.
The Tinker Workshop, led by Dan Swearingen and Emily Andersen, brings the maker spirit into the day program. Dan is excited to share his love of model building with the students. Emily grew up surrounded by makers and brings a passion for teaching and creating. They will be assisted by a returning mentor, James Dinkelspiel who this year graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Students will learn basic project skills, measuring, cutting, construction, and, along the way refresh their basic math abilities. Projects include building gliders, kites, bird houses and whatever else strikes our fancy.
Tim Flavin and Shelby Green lead the new Drama Workshop. Tim recently returned from England where he had a long career on stage and in film. He was also the Director of Musical Theatre at The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester for several years. Shelby is a long-time friend of Autistry with years of experience working with children and families. A great team to launch the new Autistry Drama Program!
We continue to support students taking courses at College of Marin or other institutions. This semester we have students taking Anthropology, Communication, Multimedia, Game Development, Early Childhood Education, Study Skills, and courses in the Medical Assisting Program. A very full schedule of academic endeavor at Autistry. And the Paid Internship Programs at Cadence Farm and the Western Railway Museum are going strong.
The Autistry Maker Incubator: we finally have the keys to 850 4th Street, San Rafael. The interior construction will begin soon as we convert this glorious open space into a large workshop, retail space and coffee bar. This is an ambitious undertaking and one that we are confident will be a huge success. The downtown location provides the opportunity for Autistry staff and students to become vibrant and productive members of the San Rafael community. We look forward to sharing our creative projects with the community while serving up a hot cup of coffee. Here is what we are starting with – we will post updates as the Maker Incubator takes shape:
This is a very exciting time at Autistry and a great time to join the Autistry team. We are hiring dynamic individuals for part-time and full-time mentor positions. You will work with a stellar staff and amazing students doing a job that doesn’t feel like work! To learn more, email info@autistry.com and we will schedule an interview.
I rarely ask for donations in a newsletter, but this is a time of great growth for Autistry. So many new programs that will allow us to serve many more people. If you would like to support us as we create these new ventures please go to our Donations Page. It has been the support of our community that has kept us going and growing for nearly 14 years.
Thank you!
Janet, Dan, Sara and the Autistry Team
Another PIP crew was able to return to work with the rangers at the Marin County Parks. The crews are scheduled to rotate working at each of the 12 Marin County parks, spending 6 weeks at each one. The first crew worked at McNears Park and then Paradise Beach Park before we paused the program to prepare for the new school semester. Once the school rhythm is established the crews will return – and they are eager to get back to work. 
The staff also organized weekly small group hikes in and around local neighborhoods. The students and staff practiced recommended COVID safety measures – wearing masks, staying at least 6 feet apart, and routinely washing their hands. The mentors met up with the students in their own neighborhoods, so transportation was kept to a minimum. When rides were needed, they were provided by family members or designated drivers. These outings were essential for everyone’s mental health! These neighborhood hikes were another lesson learned this summer and one that we will continue throughout the year. The anxiety brought about by the COVID uncertainty only grows stronger when one is socially isolated.
The 
New students – Fall semester 2019 we supported 20 students taking classes at College of Marin. And, as of this writing (a week before finals) all the students are passing their classes. The students are really challenging themselves with college level courses in Geology, Biology, English, Drama, and Art. Several students are also taking a Study Skills class to improve their academic abilities and prepare for next semester.
The Paid Internship Program (PIP) began quietly and then took off. Our partnerships with the Western Railway Museum and Square Peg Foundation proved to be so mutually beneficial that we added several more interns to each work site. At the museum, the students are learning basic maintenance skills as well as developing new workplace abilities – painting, climbing up scaffolding, working as a team, and even how to drive the electric work vehicles. This summer we will begin training on how to drive some of the trolley cars and engage with several of the restoration projects.
At Cadence Farm, in addition to keeping the horse stalls clean and dry, the interns learn how to wash and groom these magnificent retired thoroughbred racehorses. And, as the students gain more confidence and form relationships with the horses, they are taught how to train and exercise them. This begins with guiding the horse through a series of paces – walk, trot, and canter. An exercise in trust for all concerned.
In October, Steve Earle, famed singer/songwriter once again held a benefit concert for Autistry, this time at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley. It was a sold-out success. Steve’s performance was powerful and his shout out to Autistry was eloquent and passionate. The evening filled our hearts and went a long way toward filling our funding gap.
New adventures – And we had fun! This summer we went on two adventures with the Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC). In June we kayaked to Angel Island and spent the night in the old Quartermaster’s House. And in August, we shot the rapids of the south fork of the American River. These were both challenging, exhilarating, and amazing adventures. To start 2020 off right, we are planning a cross country skiing expedition with ETC in January.
Alan, Mike, and Ian G. are all on staff next door at 
And Corey – our media star! For years Corey has dreamed of working on Hollywood movies and this year he finally got his foot in the door as an extra on several productions filmed locally. You can see him in 13 Reasons Why, The OA, and A Taiwanese Tale of Two Cities. Years ago, I was an extra in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. This seems like an easy job but I can tell you it is very demanding. Long hours of boredom interspersed with high-energy activity. Focus, self-regulation, following complex directions, and trying to be social when you are exhausted are all important skills for this job. Corey continues to get call backs from production companies and that shows he has mastered these skills. And he just had a very good 3-month job review from P-Town Books. Bravo Corey!
Autistry Summer Programs: ACAP (Autistry Comprehensive Adult Program) and the Core Workshops are going full force this summer. With college classes on summer break the ACAP curriculum has expanded to include twice weekly workouts at the Conlan Center of Dominican University. With the help of four DU Occupational Therapy Level II interns, we are creating individualized fitness programs for each student. 
The Core Workshop is busy with new projects and lots of new materials. Dan has gone crazy purchasing Arduino micro-controllers and electronic components to make all sorts of cool gadgets. And the trains are back! We’re adding home-made DCC (digital command control) systems to remotely control the trains as they speed along the tracks and will be experimenting with dead-rail (battery powered) systems. We are working on the layout adding new buildings and rebuilding the tunnels. The Friday College Support group has been developing tabletop games and some students are working on writing and 3D design projects. Lots of fun! 
