Celebrating 50 years of making lives better |
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In 1973, historical movements and events were taking place in the U.S. and across the world. But in Williamsville, New York, a mother’s sole concern was teaching her son, who had severe hearing loss, to speak.
Nancy Harris’ son, Stefan, was born deaf. With few local resources available, she took matters into her own hands and founded the Language Development Program. What began with one person’s determination to help her son, grew into an organization that has served thousands of children and adults across Western New York.
Throughout 2023, The Summit Center will be celebrating its 50th anniversary by sharing stories from individuals, families, staff, and others who have been impacted by Summit. Follow along with us at www.TheSummitCenter.org/50years or on social media.
If you have a story you would like to share, please contact Erika Carlson at ecarlson@thesummitcenter.org. To kick things off, Dr. Stephen Anderson shared a few words about this meaningful milestone in the video below. |
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Recognizing Black History Month |
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This February, Summit Academy celebrated Black History Month in a special way. Sandy Looker, creative arts teacher, worked with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to create visuals of prominent Black figures as well as Summit employees of color that students can view throughout the school buildings. The goal is to teach students more about Black artists, activists, scientists, musicians, and other notable figures and the importance of recognizing Black History Month. |
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African drumming troupe visits
Summit Academy
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The steady beat of drums had students clapping along and dancing in the Summit Academy gym. Performers from the Bernard Woma Dagara Music Center visited the school as part of the Arts Partners for Learning grant. They played West African drum beats and performed cultural dances. Students were encouraged to try their hand at drumming, to dance, and to clap along to the music. “So many of our students enjoy music, so this performance was a great way for them to hear a different style of music, to see cultural garments and movements, and to have fun participating in those movements,” said Sandy Looker, creative arts teacher.
Visitors from the music center performed at Summit Academy's Creekside location last year. |
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Registration for The Summit Center 2023 Autism Walk opens March 1 |
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At The Summit Center, we believe in every individual’s potential. The 2023 Autism Walk will celebrate our belief in our children and adults, our families, our staff, and our community. This year, we are also celebrating two important milestones: 25 years of the Autism Walk and Summit’s 50th anniversary as an organization.
Join us on Saturday, May 13, at 150 Stahl Road, Getzville for a fun-filled day to raise funds for Summit and help others reach for the stars. Registration for this year’s Walk will open on March 1 at SummitAutismWalk.org. There is a $10 registration fee. Children under 18 are free and do not need to register. Be sure to join our Facebook group, The Summit Center 2023 Autism Walk, for updates, contest details, and more!
The Autism Walk drives donations to critical programs that help people reach their full potential. Last year’s event raised more than $290,000 to support the Early Autism Program, respite care, vocational training, and more. The fundraising goal for the 2023 Autism Walk is $285,000. |
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Flutie Foundation grant supports Summit Academy Enhanced |
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| The Summit Center recently received a $10,000 grant from the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, which will provide funding to Summit Academy Enhanced. Summit Academy Enhanced is Summit’s newest program and the first outpatient program in Western New York to provide highly specialized behavioral assessments and treatment for students ages 12 and up who display severe challenging behavior.
The grant will support future programming as well as staff development. The goal of the program is to improve target behaviors to the point that a student can return to a less restrictive environment, such as Summit Academy or another school. |
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“The Flutie Foundation Signature Grants help our partner agencies address a variety of significant needs in the autism community,” says Nick Savarese, executive director of The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. “Programs like these are helping people on the autism spectrum live life to the fullest and we are proud to support their efforts.” The signature grants that the Flutie Foundation distributed this year support traditionally
under-served, under-funded, culturally diverse communities reflected in the foundation's areas of interest: providing a path for educational and vocational skills, supporting recreational and active lifestyles, and ensuring people with autism are safe, supported, and informed.
Learn more about the Flutie Foundation at https://www.flutiefoundation.org/. |
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| Pro Tips: Reinforcing communication |
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Pro Tips provided by Claire Spangenthal, MA/SC, NCSP, BCBA, educational assistant director at Summit Academy Enhanced.
Communication is a critical skill every child needs to learn. For children with autism or other developmental disabilities, communication may come in the form of verbal words, a device, or PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Below are some tips on how families can help reinforce the communication skills their child is learning: |
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1. Break down language into small parts.
Communication may not happen verbally for every child. They may point to something they want or reach for objects. The goal is to teach a child a form of communication that will be understood by the largest audience. For example, verbal communication works for all listeners except for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Getting your child to repeat words either verbally or through a communication device is an important step early on in their development. Parents or caregivers can practice by getting their child to copy what they say. Start small and ask them to copy one word. Once they learn that, move on to teaching them how to use the word “want" so they can start making requests. 2. Learning communication terms.
If your child is working with a team on communication skills, you may hear them talk about mands and tacts. These are terms used to categorize communication. A mand is a request and a tact is a label. Requests are something a child wants whether it be information, a need, or attention. Labels are pointing to an object and naming it. Parents can practice labels by pointing at an object and saying, "Look, a cat," or "That's a ball." You can reinforce requests and labels by picking out a few items your child likes and practice by asking, “What is this?” Or you can say something like, “Here’s the ball. Can you say ball?” When they say the word, celebrate and give them the item. 3. Know the difference between honoring and acknowledging.
Honoring and acknowledging communication are critical in helping children develop communication skills. Honoring communication means giving a child what they are asking for or what they need. For example, a child may ask for something to drink. A parent can honor that request by giving the child a drink and reinforce it by saying, “Yes, you can have something to drink. Here you go.”
Acknowledging communication is telling a child that you hear them, but you may not be able to honor that request, so you pivot to another topic. For instance, a child might ask to go to Disney World. That’s probably not possible in that moment, so a parent can say, “I hear you. I want to go to Disney World too, but let's pick something else to play with right now.” Acknowledging communication can also come in the form of casual conversation. A child might share an observation, and parents can acknowledge by saying something like, “That’s interesting. Thank you for telling me that.”
4. Practice reinforcement in natural situations every day.
Parents and caregivers can practice building communication skills throughout the day in natural situations. If your child points to something, use verbal language to say the word of the object they’re pointing at. If it’s a request, make sure to honor that request. Work on connecting the request to getting what the child wants to reinforce the communication skill. Talk to your child's team about what words, phrases, and techniques they're working on so you can reinforce those skills at home. |
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Employee Spotlight - Presented by West Herr |
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Meet Markeita Bennett! What is your role at Summit? I’m a teacher assistant at Summit Academy. Describe what your day might look like. On a typical day at Summit Academy, I am very busy. I help students learn and teach them new skills.
What are you most proud of, personally and professionally? I’m proud of my growth as a person.
Where is your favorite place to eat in Western New York? My favorite place to eat is Texas Roadhouse. Name someplace on your bucket list. I'd love to visit the island of St. Croix very soon! |
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2023 S.T.A.R. spring trainings announced |
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The Summit Center’s S.T.A.R. Training, funded by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), offers parents and caregivers new strategies to manage various stages of your child’s life. Sessions are conducted by The Summit Center’s professional staff who have significant background, training, and experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Click here to view a list of all upcoming trainings.
Eligibility: All sessions are open at no cost to those who are OPWDD eligible. Those with self-direction must include this in their budget. To maintain eligibility for this program, you must attend a minimum of one session every six months.
To register: Please call Laurlen Coker, coordinator of Community Services, at 716-799-8163 or Ashlee Bronson, assistant director of Community Services, at 716-799-8156. For virtual sessions, a link to the training will be e-mailed to you after you are registered.
Please note that the registration/ approval process may take up to five days to complete. Timeframe for approval through self-direction may vary. Please allow sufficient time for this approval process prior to each session you wish to attend. Respite opportunities may be available at a future date for participants. Added bonus for those who attend ONE session: One-on-one parent training to help overcome specific challenges
Every family is different, and every child has different challenges. Parents/caregivers who participate in ONE S.T.A.R. training session will receive additional one-on-one training in your home or in the community. A trained Summit staff member will teach you the skills to gain the confidence you need to help your child become more independent. We can teach you how to implement an activity schedule, facilitate interaction among siblings, get your child to accept “no” or “not right now” for an answer, use the toilet, sleep in their own bed, or eat meals with the family. We’re here to support you every step of the way, to better understand the barriers to success and develop a plan that works. With the right tools, you’ll be successful in no time (and so will your child).
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WNYRCASD Virtual Conference: The Summit Center and the Western New York Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (WNYRCASD) are sponsoring the virtual conference “Strategies for Helping Children with ASD: Exploring Various Applications of Behavioral Interventions” from 7:50 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 23. Registration costs $25 and AHSA, BCBA, CTLE, OT/OTA, PT/PTA CEUs are available for a fee of $15. For more information, download the flyer here.
The Summit Center 2023 Autism Walk: Mark your calendars for The Summit Center 2023 Autism Walk taking place Saturday, May 13 at The Summit Center, 150 Stahl Road, Getzville NY 14068. Check in opens at 8 a.m. with the opening ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. Registration for walkers will open on March 1 at SummitAutismWalk.org.
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The Summit Center began as the Language Development Program in 1973. Nancy Harris started the program in her kitchen in an effort to teach her son, Stefan, to speak. Eventually, she began teaching other children and the program expanded to an office on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Today, The Summit Center serves more than 1,000 children and adults with autism and other developmental, social, and behavioral challenges. |
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Our Mission
Guided by evidence-based practice, we maximize life success for people facing developmental, social and behavioral challenges. |
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