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Tyler Aldrich, 22, is a trailblazer – both literally and figuratively.
He had a dream a few years ago while he was on vacation with his family. He wanted to run across the country to the West Coast, kind of like Tom Hanks’ character did in the film Forrest Gump. When the Fremont, Ohio native and Milestones 2017 honoree of the Trailblazer Award told his mentor and former high school cross country coach about this goal, his coach tried talking him out of it. You’re too young, he told Tyler, usually “ultra-runners” don’t do something like that until they are in their 30s. Maybe instead he should start out small, his coach suggested. Tyler’s response: “OK coach, then I’m going to run across the state of Ohio!”
That’s how Tyler’s version of “Run Ohio” was born. What started as a pipe dream became a dream come true. It took him two years to prepare for his June 11, 2016 run. Tyler started in Fremont and ran 225 miles across the state to Cincinnati, along the Ohio River. His “finish line” was at The Great American Ballpark (where the Cincinnati Reds play) during a game against the Chicago Cubs. Wanting to recognize Tyler’s achievement, the Reds organization reached out and invited him to run through the stadium, ending in the ball field and made him the Grand Marshall of their parade.
“I run to prove to myself – and others – that anything is possible,” says Tyler, who was diagnosed with autism at age four. “It’s my passion to bring awareness to autism as well as to set an example for others living on the spectrum and for those that may be living with challenges.”
When Tyler is not attending classes at Tiffin University, or working, he is running. Always running. He runs competitively in 5Ks and ran his first half-marathon in June 2015, placing 67th overall out of 1200 runners and placing 6th in his age group.
How do you feel your efforts have impacted the autism and special needs community?
I feel I have impacted the autism and special needs community by setting an example to those living with challenges, by persevering, by making positive changes, and by living my life with purpose and with the mindset that anything is possible.
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Molly Dann says the world would benefit from a changed perspective and acceptance of autism.
“We should look at it as a positive, not a negative,” says the 24-year-old Beachwood native, who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 11. “There are so many positive things individuals with autism have contributed. Take all the technology we have, for example. We wouldn’t have innovation without people with autism.”
An autism activist who is passionate about helping others find their voice, Molly, who earned the nickname the Autism Whisperer, has recently started to meet with legislators in the state’s capital to speak about important issues and advocate for people with disabilities. She is grateful for the support of her family, friends and the Milestones community.
“Milestones helped me get through high school and eventually with transitioning to adulthood,” she says. In addition to her advocacy work, Molly works part-time at the Strongsville Library and is attending Tri-C. Her full-time job goal is to be a paraprofessional in a special needs classroom.
“I’m in such a good place,” she says. “I have career goals. I’m getting married. I have my own apartment. I’m paying my bills. This is what success looks like.”
How has Milestones helped you?
I was a senior at Beachwood High School when I first learned about Milestones. I always wanted to work with special needs kids and I volunteered with Milestones to create a program that pairs a person with autism or disabilities with a neuro-typical person. The program included activities like helping them with social events like prom.
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Dr. Thomas Frazier, Milestones 2017 honoree of the Research & Medicine Award, has spent his career making a difference in the lives of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. “Helping people with autism provides meaning to my life,” he says. “It’s what gets me up in the morning.”
A licensed clinical psychologist who received his PhD from Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Frazier’s clinical contributions include adoption of electronic data collection systems and publication of outcomes for the Lerner School Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program; development of outpatient ABA programs to serve young, underserved children; overseeing growth of the social SPIES outpatient program providing social skills training and peer integration for children with high functioning autism.
His research contributions include the publication of more than 100 research articles in peer-reviewed journals and more than 150 scientific abstracts and invited talks at national and international research conferences. In addition, Dr. Frazier is renowned for his studies validating the DSM-5 criteria for autism and investigations describing structural brain abnormalities in children and adolescents with autism.
Dr. Frazier has served in many roles at Cleveland Clinic, including as staff psychologist and director of the Center for Autism, as well as assistant professor of pediatrics in the Lerner College of Medicine. In April 2017, Dr. Frazier joined Autism Speaks as Chief Science Officer where he continues to advance research that will increase understanding of autism’s causes, improve screening and diagnosis, and develop effective interventions.
How do you feel your efforts have impacted the autism and special needs community?
In clinical practice, I believe my biggest impacts have been in developing services that provide outpatient Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment to young children with autism who are not able to access intensive intervention services, parent groups to provide support and initial training in behavioral methods, and in increasing the availability of diagnostic and care coordinator services.
In research, the most impactful projects I have participated in have been studies that clarified the organization of autism symptoms and clarified differences in symptom patterns across males and females, investigations that identified specific patterns of brain abnormalities in autism, and the characterization of a unique genetic-subgroup of autism associated with mutations in the PTEN gene.
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As a mother of two children on the autism spectrum, Dr. Katie Krammer is passionate about bringing people together and creating a support network for parents and families like hers. It’s why the Milestones 2017 honoree of the Parent Tribute Award helped found a grassroots community group here in Northeast Ohio. Founded just three years ago with a handful of members, the group has grown to over 200 families and caregivers.
In addition to her work with the community, Dr. Krammer is active in the field of education. As Associate Professor of Special Education and the Coordinator of the Special Education Licensure Program at Lake Erie College, her research interests include Universal Design for Learning, Differentiation, Cognitive Learning Strategies and supporting families who have children with autism.
Dr. Krammer holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in Deaf Education, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education with an emphasis in Teacher Education and a minor in Statistics from the University of Kansas. Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Krammer worked as a sign language interpreter as well as an intervention specialist for deaf and hard of hearing students for many years in public schools.
How have your efforts have impacted the autism and special needs community?
Three years ago I helped start the Lake/Geauga Autism Support Group in conjunction with the State Support Team Region 4. Since its inception the group has grown to over 50 families who attend, as well as over 200 families and caregivers who get support from the Autism of Lake County, OH Facebook support group page. This group has brought so many people together not just for those meetings, but it has truly created a network of support for the parents/caregivers and also for our kids. We have become a family who all looks out and supports one another and it is amazing!
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Grace Blatt, Milestones 2017 honoree of the Trailblazer Award, knows from personal experience that music can be both therapeutic and stimulating for persons on the autism spectrum. Her mission is to touch the lives of others who experience challenges due to anxiety or misunderstanding, and through music therapy help them find expression for their thoughts and feelings.
Grace is currently a student at Lakeland Community College with the goal of earning a degree in Music Therapy from Cleveland State University. For the past year Grace has been employed by the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities as a Good Life Ambassador. In this position she enjoys paving the way – advocating for persons with autism and other special needs.
How do you feel your efforts have impacted the autism and special needs community?
One of the most exciting ways I believe my efforts have impacted the autism and special needs community is through my work as a Good Life Ambassador for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. In this role I get to advocate for all of us in this special community by making presentations to county boards, local community collaboratives, schools, legislators, families, provider agencies, etc. I educate them about the tremendous value persons with all types of special needs bring to the greater community environments, and I provide ideas for them to embrace us with inclusion.
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