SEYMOUR – Seymour Middle School students have created their own shirt designs as part of their teacher’s annual “Autism Acceptance” fundraiser.
Emily Griscom is a special education teacher with the middle school’s AIM and Life Skills program. AIM stands for “achievement, independence and mastery.”
The program is designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Griscom and her students are selling T-shirts and hoodies to raise money for activities and to spread a message encouraging inclusion and acceptance.
The shirts are emblazoned with the words “Celebrating Minds of all Kinds,” and cost between $20 to $35. Click here to buy a shirt. The deadline is Friday, March 13.
This is the fifth year Griscom has held the Autism Acceptance fundraiser.
The annual fundraiser allows Griscom to provide things for the students that the everyday budget doesn’t always allow for.
“The proceeds of this fundraiser are used for a lot of different things,” Griscom told the Valley Indy via an email. “We have used it for transportation costs for our community trips to diners, the movies, bowling and a trampoline park, and also for ingredients for cooking projects, sensory items and equipment for our sensory room.”
Last year’s fundraiser raised more than $780.
Griscom said this year’s fundraising goal is to sell 150 shirts.
In addition to raising money, the annual event is educational for the students in the program.
Griscom said students actively participate in reviewing order data, sorting and packaging the shirts by types and sizes, deliver the goods to anyone who ordered a shirt at the middle school and run a pick-up table for orders from outside the school.
“We also create something to add to orders, like coloring sheets and thank you cards made by students, and each year we also put in a special little something for our customers,” Griscom said.
The annual event is supported by Seymour Middle School Principal Keith O’Rourke.
“In a time when school budgets are always tight, the funds raised through this effort truly make a difference for our students while also helping foster greater understanding and acceptance within our school community,” the principal said in an email.