Eli Suggs

Autism Light #296 is Eli Suggs.

Eli Suggs is a 13 year old from Santa Clarita, California who has autism. On June 15, 2012, he gave an inspiring speech at his promotion from 6th Grade at Pine Tree Elementary School in Canyon Country, California. Eli Suggs is an Autism Light for his representation of the accomplishments one with autism can obtain through school.

Eli is your typical boy with many of the same interests and hobbies as others. Eli has two cats. He has a grey one named Burpie and a red one named Redmond.  He makes things with Legos and makes movies with his creations. He enjoys swimming, watching television, playing video games such as Little Big Planet 1 and 2, and doing outdoor activities with his family (note photo in this post of Eli rock climbing). Eli Suggs is also a member of the Boy Scouts, and completed the Arrow of Light in Webelos.

Eli Suggs Rock Climbing (July 24, 2013)

The speech that Eli Suggs gave for his 6th grade graduation is spreading autism awareness as it goes viral. The Huffington Post asked on their Facebook page, "Who inspires you to be a better person?" Eli's mother responded with the video and the statement, "My son." It stood out and The Huffington Post published an article about Eli's speech in their online news site.  You can read it at this link.

The following is a video of the 6th grade speech that Eli Suggs made that went viral. As of the date of publication of this post it has been viewed 18,633 times. Everyone in Eli's 6th grade was invited to prepare a speech and audition to speak at their graduation. Eli's speech on the subject of having autism was selected.



The closing part of Eli's inspirational speech communicated the following message:

As we leave here today I have a challenge for all of you. We are all different. Not less, just different. We all have things we're good at, things we need to work on, and things we need help with. Whenever you see someone else who is different, instead of just judging them or being a bully, I challenge you to offer help and treat that person with the kindness you have shown me over the last six years. Remember, all of you can make a difference in someone's life. You've already made a difference in mine (Source).

Autism Light asked Eli if he had any advice for other students with autism. He said, "I guess my advice is to try not to let something difficult get to you. Just do your best and keep trying." Eli Suggs has taken his own advice and won the following awards in elementary school.

• 1st Place for a Movie He Made (with Legos) on the topic of diversity.
• 2nd and 3rd place for Photographs he took.
• Most Improved Reading in 6th Grade.
• 1st Place in a 50 Yard Dash.
• 4th Place in a 100 Yard Dash.
• 5th Place for Distance in Throwing a Softball.

The most improved in reading award was an amazing accomplishment for Eli who needed to bring his reading level up to 6th grade. Eli said, "I don't really like to read but I know it's something I have to do, so I just do it.

Special thanks to Eli Suggs for being an Autism Light. Eli is an example that despite the challenges of growing up with autism, one can improve and make a difference as an elementary student. We look forward to hearing more amazing things about Eli as he journey's through high school and life.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo of Eli Suggs in this post is used with the permission of Eli's mother, Shannon Rosenberg.

Michael Collier

Autism Light #92 is Michael Collier.

Michael Collier is a junior at Fairfield Christian School in Lancaster, Ohio. Michael Collier has Aspergers and is part of Boy Scout Troop 241 in Lancaster, Ohio. He did his Eagle service project to raise money to purchase iPads for four children with autism. Michael Collier is an Autism Light because of his fundraising efforts on to purchase iPads for children with autism.

Michael Collier raised $2,900 through a July 22, 2011 charity golf scramble he put on for his Eagle Scout project. From that fundraising he was able to purchase four iPads to be given to children with autism. The recipients were Brooklyn Baker, 12, John Manley, 7, Nathan Moore, 9, and Dominick Staffey, 6. The iPad has been found to work wonders for some children with autism. On October 6, 2011 the iPad was named an Autism Light.

Michael Collier has an attitude common among true heroes. He is humble and wants to do more. Michael Collier said about his successful project: "The cynic in me wishes I could have helped more (Source)."

For more information on Michael Collier being a hero to autism read an article at the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. If you enjoyed this post you may also like the one where another Boy Scout named Nathan Christensen became an Autism Light on September 29, 2011. If you are interested in the work of the Boy Scouts of America visit their website at www.scouting.org.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Nathan Christensen

Autism Light #53 is Nathan Christensen.

Nathan Christensen is a 17 year old from South Jordan, Utah.  Nathan Christensen has autism and didn't speak until age 7, but autism didn't stop him from rising to great heights in the Boy Scouts of America's scouting program. Nathan Christensen is an Autism Light for his outstanding achievements in the Boy Scouts of America scouting program.

Nathan Christensen recently earned the Eagle Scout Award. According to the Boy Scouts of America Fact Sheet, only 5% of boy scouts earned the Eagle Scout Award in 2010. However, Nathan didn't stop at the requirements for an Eagle Scout. In addition to being an Eagle Scout which requires earning 21 merit badges, Nathan Christensen added 111 more and earned all of the 132 merit badges available by the Boy Scouts of America.

Here is the news story published at CNN about Nathan Christensen's accomplishment of earning all Boy Scouts of America merit badges.





Nathan says he would rather be defined for this outstanding and rare accomplishment in the Boy Scouts of America than for having autism. His remarkable efforts, in taking on every challenge available to him by the Boy Scouts of America, are more than thousands of neuro-typical boys could accomplish in their days in scouts (including the one writing this post). Any boy achieving this exceptional feat in the Boy Scouts of America would distinguish themselves above their peers and should receive public recognition for it.  In fact, in 2008, Fox News shared an AP report on Shawn Goldsmith, a neuro-typical young man from New York, achieving the same feat as Nathan Christensen (Source). For more information on Nathan's accomplishments read the article on him at AllHeadlineNews.com.
Nathan Christensen is a role model and hero to all boys, especially those with autism, who may doubt their ability to finish just the 21 merit badges necessary to achieve Eagle Scout. Something tells me that the adults and young men in the Boy Scouts of America won't soon forget this accomplishment from someone with autism. We expect to continue to hear outstanding things about Nathan Christensen in the future.
The Boy Scouts of America can be a good program for some boys with autism. It is possible for boys with autism to grow through their involvement in this program. For those considering this activity for boys on the autism spectrum there are two helpful resources I have discovered.

1. Autism and Boy Scouts is a content rich website on issues facing parents who are deciding about Boy Scouts for their sons with autism.
2. Elizabeth M. Johnson has written a helpful article for Scouting Magazine called Boys with Autism Can Thrive in Scouting-With Help.

Thank you Nathan Christensen for showing the world that autism does not have to limit a person from merit in either the Boy Scouts or in life.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

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This Autism Light post went into syndication at Autisable.