I met the ATOU group when they came to present to my sixth grade class in 1993.  By that time, my son, Mike, was recovering from a severe head trauma and he, also, came to my class to "talk", even though he's mute.

I began teaching a Challenges unit and all of these programs greatly enhanced the curriculum.  ATOU came to our school in Folsom, California from then on.  When I got ready to retire, I told Leslie I'd like to volunteer for her.  A year or so later, she asked if Mike would like to join the speakers and he agreed and loves it!  Mike has a caregiver during the day to help with therapy and his daily schedule, so the caregiver has become a part of ATOU as well.

I've seen ATOU grow so much in 13 years and I'm proud that I can help out with such an important part of the community.  Education is so vital to the understanding of a part of society that sometimes gets overlooked or ignored.  As a parent of a disabled son, I know this program should be seen by every school.