✨ Autism Acceptance Month

April 2025

Dear Sherwood,

April is Autism Acceptance Month — a powerful time to link arms with advocates worldwide and grow inclusion for Sherwood's students, clients, and families.

Sherwood Autism Center was founded 50 years ago. We've come a long way as a society to recognize autism and support families on the journey. But unfortunately, stigma persists and systemic barriers can still prevent autistic individuals from living out their full potential.

The good news? Acceptance makes all the difference. Awareness is the starting point, but we must move beyond awareness into action to create acceptance in our community.

What does autism acceptance look like, practically? Read on to discover actionable ways to collaborate with Sherwood Autism center and incorporate acceptance into your life.

Autism Acceptance is …

Catalyzing Accessibility

Create sensory-friendly spaces and times for your businesses and organizations. These are designated times when the environment is adjusted for individuals with sensory sensitivities.
Communicate in plain language and offer multiple in-person and online communication options to make your environment inclusive.

Sherwood students recently visited Wonderscope which hosts sensory-friendly Mondays.

Increasing Education

Learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder — there are a lot of myths out there! Follow blogs, podcasts, and social media accounts (our FB / LI / IG) for authentic insights and resources.

Advocacy in-person and online is a powerful way to create change in your circles of influence.

Creating Employment & Job Training Opportunities

Partner with Sherwood to equip our students and clients with hands-on job skills training at your company or organization.
Employ or offer volunteer opportunities to autistic Kansas Citians, providing meaningful ways to embrace the strengths and perspectives autistic individuals bring.

Our friends at Cable Dahmer visit Sherwood Autism Center to conduct mock interviews and give our students practice essential job skills.

Cultivating Relationships

Visit Sherwood Autism Center to meet our students, clients, and staff. As you build relationships, you will see firsthand the diversity of ways autistic individuals communicate, experience the world, and share their joy.

Sherwood welcomes visitors to experience our mission in action firsthand!

Autistic acceptance starts with YOU and ME. Together, we can create a more inclusive Kansas City that breaks down barriers and fully embraces the strengths of Sherwood’s students, clients, and families.

Thank you for joining us on the journey.

With collaboration,

Kia Walsh

Chief Executive Officer

ceo@sherwoodcenter.org

✨ PS: Why gold? You'll notice the color gold highlighted in this special Growth Notes edition. Autistic advocates prefer the color gold which reflects the value autistic individuals bring to society. And fun fact: Gold's chemical symbol is Au, the first two letters in Autism.

Adult Day Services: Spring Time Fun

Spring is here! Our Adult Day Services clients are thrilled to enjoy the spring season around Kansas City. We've visited Meadowbrook Park, Sunnyside Park, Loose Park, Crown Center, and more. Every outing is an opportunity to experience nature, practice community interactions, and build friendships with each other.

Special Education: Treat Tuesdays

Our vocational students create sweet treats from scratch on Treat Tuesdays. While baking, students grow in their abilities to gather ingredients, manage their time, follow directions, and see their work through to completion ... and, the end result is always absolutely delicious!

This #AutismAcceptanceMonth, support Sherwood's mission! We transform your dollars into critical supplies, community outings, and more when you join us as a monthly giver! Your $5/month creates growth. Thank you!

Meet Rachel!

Rachel Kronewitter is Board Certified Behavior Analyst with Sherwood! Rachel began her career in a clinic serving children while earning her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. After gaining experience as a clinical manager at a company providing diverse services, she joined Sherwood, where she found a fulfilling role that supports her professional growth and work-life balance as a new mom. “My primary role at Sherwood is rooted in support and collaboration.” Meet Rachel.

Day in the life: “No day is ever the same!” she says. Rachel consults with teachers to drive student success and decrease behaviors. She conducts behavioral skills assessments that assist with developing behavior implementation plans and IEP (individualized education plan) goals. Rachel also helps determine if a student referral is a mutual fit for the Sherwood environment.
Joy outside of work: Rachel enjoys staying active with her toddler and energetic dog, often visiting three parks a week. She and her husband have season tickets to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and love trying new local restaurants. You might also find Rachel making flower arrangements for her home and loved ones. “It’s something that brings me a lot of joy.”
Sherwood in a word: “Safe,” she says. “Whether it’s emotionally safe, or physically safe, Sherwood has an air of support and creates a safety net for staff and students. We have high-level teams here. We ensure people aren’t getting hurt, students feel safe. They’re safe to talk to us or safe to be themselves if they are having a hard time.”

Rachel, thank you for bringing your expertise to the Sherwood community! We are beyond grateful for your dedication to our students and collaboration with staff.

Check out all the Sherwood latest on Facebook >>

Podcast: Working Toward a More Inclusive KC

Kansas City Mom Collective sat down with Ivory Duncan, Embracing Neuro-Diversity, and Antoinette Redmond, Sherwood's new Parent Liason and founder of Neuru, to discuss creating a more inclusive Kansas City. Watch the podcast >>

Photo credit: KC Mom Collective

Viral: Mom proudly watches autistic son karaoke on cruise

"POV: you started off the cruise as a shy karaoke novice but by the end became a karaoke legend thanks to the best backup strangers ever." Check it out on Upworthy >>

Photo credit: @raisingkevin_

Low Sensory Morning at Nelson Atkins

Register now for the next Low Sensory Morning at Nelson Atkins on Saturday, May 17. Enjoy a quiet environment and hands-on art activities in the galleries.

Photo credit: nelson-atkins.org

CHASE Fest 2025

This free event for families features LeDerick Horne, poet, speaker, and disability advocate. Join Families Together on Saturday, April 26 at PlexPod Lenexa.

Photo credit: familiestogetherinc.org