News and Knowledge

College students Amber Surveski and Katherine Rios joined the OAR staff as interns at the end of February. Both are supporting OAR’s outreach efforts in the Washington metropolitan area as part of the #Active4Autism campaign, introducing school system leadership to “Autism in the Schoolhouse” resources:  the Kit for Kids and “Curriculum in a Box” teacher training package. Rios is focused on delivering this important information to schools in Northern Virginia, while Surveski is targeting schools in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Surveski comes to OAR from the George Washington University, where she is a junior studying speech and hearing sciences with a concentration in speech-language pathology. She chose OAR for her internship as a result of working in the public school system. “I have seen the tremendous need for education regarding autism spectrum disorders. I have been involved with the autism community for a few years now, but this is my first time in a non-clinical setting. I wanted to experience being a part of making a meaningful difference at the institutional level, and OAR’s ‘Autism in the Schoolhouse’ initiative does exactly that.”

Also a junior, Rios attends George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., where she is majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. Her interest in autism began in high school when she made friends with students on the autism spectrum through the Best Buddies program. “Because of that, I know how important a positive school experience is for them. When I found out that my project involves making school a better place for kids with autism, I knew this was the internship for me!”

She has enjoyed finding that “so many people in the area are committed to the goals that OAR is working toward. I am hopeful that we will continue to have a great response to these resources and that they can make an impact in April. I love seeing people get #Active4Autism.”

Surveski is also enjoying her internship, where she appreciates the “balance of getting guidance and being able to be in charge of my own work. The staff has been incredibly welcoming and supportive. I have felt like an important member of the team since my first day here.”

Both Surveski and Rios expect to continue their internships into the beginning of May.