Turning Pointe Autism Foundation wasn’t able to hold their annual prom or ice cream social to celebrate this year’s graduating class, so instead they thought up a “super” replacement.
On May 20, staff, volunteers, and former graduates lined up in the Turning Pointe parking lot to greet 2020 graduates with a superhero themed send-off as they drove by. The cars and greeters kept a safe social distance, and all had personal protective equipment on as well. Many were also sporting costumes, capes and superhero attire as they cheered on the graduates.
Buses and cars were decked out in the theme, and congratulation signs were held by graduates and Turning Pointe staff. It was a safe and fun way to have a one -of-a-kind celebration to showcase the super achievements of Turning Pointe students.
Still Serving During Stay at Home
While Turning Pointe hasn’t been able to carry out normal operations during the stay-at-home order, they have been able to get creative to continue to provide services, as well as resources.
“We are also serving out families right now, through some e-learning platforms and just Zoom meetings so they can see their teacher, we are also sending care packages to our families,” said Carrie Provenzale, executive director of Turning Pointe. “So this week was a sensory kit, a lot of our students have some great sensory needs, and we put together a number of items just to keep home interesting and fresh, as we all know we get a bit bored.”
They also held a virtual seminar over Zoom, which was open to the public, with a panel of experts sharing advice and information on how to help those with autism better cope with staying at home.
The entire seminar is available for viewing on Turning Pointe’s website. The non-profit is working on having more Zoom seminars in the future.
Naperville News 17’s Ryan Skryd reports.
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