Club helps autistic students make social connections

LONDON GROVE >> Off in a sheltered corner of the high school parking lot, away from the noise and chaos of the impending football game on Friday evening, a bunch of kids sat around enjoying the evening at an autumn tailgate party.

The thing that was unusual was that its participants were mainstream students on the one hand, and those with autism and other challenges socializing together.

They are members of a group called REACT, an acronym for Recreation Experience Activity Club for Teens formed nine years ago by the special education department and a parent to offer social opportunities for those kids who struggle with social interactions.

“The club allows students to become an integral part of their school community,” said autistic support teacher Megan Ahern. “Our activities and events are designed to encourage students to develop and maintain meaningful relationships with typically developing peers.” Ahern and fellow teacher William T. Shahler III are advisors for the club.

They meet roughly twice a month and participate in activities like game nights, bowling, restaurant outings, holiday shopping, barbecues and swimming.

Shahler said the members, both those with individual educational programs and the mainstream students, enjoy the get-togethers. “They learn about what they have in common rather than their differences,” he said.

He added that the club is based around a simple concept: The kids get together and have fun. There is no curriculum, no testing and no budget. People bring food, or, at most, just pitch in to pay for expenses.

There are between 10 to 15 students with learning disabilities and about 10 mainstream students in the group. But those numbers change, depending on what’s going on and whose sched-

ule the activity fits.

On Friday, the group shared fried chicken and cupcakes. They paid only a few dollars to support the order-out of the chicken. Everything else was brought by the participants.

Ahern said she believes the REACT club is the only one like it in Chester County schools, although teachers and administrators from other schools have called to inquire about it.

“Without a group like this, some of our students would rarely get the chance to interact outside of the school day with their peers,” said Stahler.

CHRIS BARBER — 21ST CENTURY MEDIA Standing behind members of the REACT group at Avon Grove High School are special education teachers Christa Schoen, Bill Stahler and Meghan Ahern.