Our lives changed five years ago when Asten became a student at The Westview School. When we first toured the school, I felt in my soul that this would be the place that could support us through our autism journey. Asten has attended The Westview School from Upper Elementary through Middle School, and I cannot help but be proud and terrified that he is ready for his next step - high school. Without The Westview School, our lives would have truly been different.
I knew Asten was special from the time he was born and that he was always destined to do great things. Asten began walking at six months old and was a strong, curious baby. He'd spend hours staring at things to see how they worked. As a first-time parent, I realized Asten wasn't meeting typical milestones at age two, and I began trying to figure out how to support him best.
He was curious and smart, but not engaged with people and had little language. As we finished evaluations and realized our lives would change in that moment, Asten was quickly enrolled in school and speech therapy. He began talking at age six, and many of the usual milestones for a child his age were hard-earned. We struggled to find the right school to support a super active child with a receptive language disorder and to find someone who understood Asten's internal greatness. He struggled to sit in a classroom, follow directions, and answer the questions asked instead of what his chosen topic might be. He saw many days of suspension for noncompliance and struggled to show the teachers his true abilities in the classroom. I was told he could not be tested or taken out of the life skills classroom because he "just could not do those things." I was told he belonged at a behavioral school. As I searched for places to help our family, I found Westview. I searched many schools and types of therapies, but I kept thinking about how amazing Westview would be and that it truly felt like a place that could understand Asten.
Asten continued to struggle to find the proper support in other schools and to find his peer circle. I continued to struggle to find the support I needed as a parent of such a special human. As the pandemic began, I realized we could not wait any longer. His time in the classroom was getting less and less, and he could now verbalize his frustrations with how he was being treated. Asten belonged at The Westview School, and luckily for our family, Westview agreed!
The moment Asten stepped into The Westview School, he felt seen. He told me his first week of school, "Mom, I have a real friend." Months later, my child, who did not speak until he was six, was picked for the spelling bee. He attended his first children's party with friends. He felt heard, he felt accepted, and he felt like he was not "a bad kid," It was not that Asten's behaviors suddenly stopped (although the day he stepped foot in the Westview School was the last day he ever eloped), but that they were supported in a way that made him able to handle a classroom environment. His energy was supported, and his sensitivity and sense of humor were embraced. He knows he can trust the amazing community at Westview and is confident he is supported. He is confident in himself.
Asten could finally show in the classroom how smart and talented he truly is. He could take the MAP tests and blow them out of the water! He went from failing his classes to having straight A's. A child who spent his first six years non-verbal was now the class president. Last year, Asten participated in the school play as the creative director assistant, where he assisted with set design and had his ideas heard. Every year, he becomes more confident, more social, and more open to the possibilities of his future. The Westview School has taught him that anything is possible, and he looks forward to a future that includes college and starting his own business one day.
I am honored and proud to say that Asten is a part of the Westview community. It has changed our lives for the better, and we will never be able to show The Westview School our gratitude for the support, kindness, and love they have given to our family. There is no better place for our amazing minds than The Westview School, and I hope you can help me pay them back by supporting them directly.
