News and Knowledge

Welcome Ellery Spahr, OAR’s fall programs and outreach intern. Spahr started September 4 and will work at OAR through the semester until December 3. Her primary responsibilities are managing social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) and drafting articles for The OARacle. She spent some time at the beginning of the school year reaching out to teachers to let them know about the “Autism in the Schoolhouse” initiative. During October, which is Bullying Prevention Month, she promoted the “Kit for Kids” to Scout troops and Boys and Girls Clubs.

Because her younger brother was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at four years old, she learned “the value of early intervention and social support. He received high-quality speech and occupational therapy, and benefited from teachers who provided daily support in the classroom. The resources OAR provides help parents navigate the special educations system, ensuring students with autism receive the necessary accommodations. I believe every child should receive the quality of care my brother received.” In 2014, she worked as a counselor at Camp Ramapo, a camp for children with special social, emotional, and behavioral needs.

A senior at American University in Washington, D.C., Spahr is double majoring in public health and public communication. She hopes to build a foundation in the medical field as a nurse and then lead public health outreach. “I learned children in low-income neighborhoods receive a diagnosis for ASD significantly later than affluent peers. I would like to expand access to care for these vulnerable populations.”

She is putting her public communication education to work for OAR and looks forward to using it in her career after graduation as well. “I need to effectively communicate diseases and disorders to those directly affected. Medical literature may be intimidating, and patients may not understand how to follow the physicians’ advice. Educated on the diagnosis, patients become empowered to seek treatment or therapy, advocate for accommodations, or start a lifestyle change.”

Her favorite part of the internship has been communicating the value of OAR resources to parents, teachers and other nonprofits. “Providing these tangible resources empowers parents and self-advocates to move forward with the diagnosis of autism.”

Applications for Winter Internships Are Now Open

Interested in an OAR internship yourself? Then we have good news: the application period for winter internships is now open. The deadline to apply is November 30. OAR is looking for individuals who share OAR’s passion for helping people with autism and their families.

Interns work closely with staff on interesting and meaningful projects, gaining valuable work experience in a non-profit organization with a national focus. While interns will likely interact with members of the autism community as part of their work, they will not be delivering interventions or conducting original research.