Happy new year! As families return to their routines after the winter break, many of us are already glancing longingly at our calendars and beginning the long countdown to Spring Break. Cold wet weather, shorter daylight, and post-holiday letdown can all contribute to that sluggish feeling of “winter blues.” It’s common for children and parents alike to feel less energetic, unmotivated, and to hunker at home. Research shows that twice-exceptional learners, such as those with ADHD and/or anxiety, might be especially vulnerable to this winter slump.        Health care professionals recommend self-care techniques for this sluggish time such as getting outside, exercising, trying new activities, and engaging with family.  We have incorporated these ideas into several practical ideas that our own families have enjoyed to beat these blues while waiting for longer, warmer days to rejuvenate us once again. Making space for more family engagement also provides that emotional comfort and support that all children crave, particularly if school or friendships are challenging.    Go take a hike. The most common tips to combat the winter blues are to take in some natural sunlight and to exercise. Family hikes do both and are also a wonderful way to explore new areas and learn more about the natural environment where we live.  Alltrails.com  is a helpful resource, describing popular area hikes in great detail including distance, elevation, trail condition (a must for strollers and bikes), views and historical sites, parking, and even whether we can bring the family pet along. There are 92 trails  listed in the San Francisco area alone, sure to provide new exploration for even seasoned hikers. (Editor's note: read about the benefits of hiking from the perspective of a 2e student here! ) Do your hikers have a passion for rocks, minerals and fossils? Rockhounding is a popular interest amongst our curious learners. The American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (“AFMS”) hosts chapters of “Future Rockhounds of America” across the country, supporting youth in their rockhounding endeavors with field trips, badges, a “rock exchange,” and even a youth-led newsletter . Information for finding or starting your own youth program can be found at https://www.juniors.amfed.org . Happy hunting! Geocaching is a popular problem-solving treasure hunt, using a compass and smartphone app that can be found at www.geocaching.com .  Geocachers hide small trinket boxes, called caches, in trees and other hidden spots around communities, then upload the coordinates and clues into the app. Your family can then use the app to find cache locations near you.  When you find the cache, fill out the enclosed log, then swap a trinket with your own dollar-store supply to leave for the next treasure hunter. Check out the app to see how close you are to hidden treasures. There are currently more than 2,000 caches hidden in and around Palo Alto right now!  One more great way to get outside is with a family field trip! For those in the Bay Area, winter months are a great time to view California’s northern elephant seals as they come ashore during their breeding season. Docent-led guided tours are offered daily through March 31 at the Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve . Online reservations are recommended, especially for weekends and holidays, through ReserveCalifornia  or call 1-800-444-4445. Cooperative games, where everyone has to work together, are especially beneficial for children who have competitive or perfectionistic anxiety or who have intense feelings about winning and losing. One of our family favorites is Pandemic , where four diseases threaten to eradicate the world, and your team of specialists must strategize together to save humanity. Another favorite for families with teens is Finders Seekers , a monthly subscription of challenging escape rooms.  Each game’s puzzles take players on a journey through a different country, and the corresponding food suggestions and playlists set the mood for a family party on even the dreariest days!    The new year is a great time to settle into some new fiction! Our youngest readers will enjoy reading the adventures in Ty’s Travels , an “I Can Read” series written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Niña Mata. Mid-grade fantasy fans will love reading about 13 year old Sikander Aziz who goes on adventures steeped in Mesopatamian mythology in Sarwat Chadda’s City of the Plague God  and its newly released companion novel, Fury of the Dragon Goddess . Teens may get swept up by Tilly in Technicolor by Mazzy Eddings, when they meet Tilly and Oliver, the two neurodivergent protagonists in this joyful YA romance. These latter three novels are all available on Audible as well, enabling the entire family to enjoy together.   About the authors Lisa Jobe and Cassandra Whetstone are family consultants, advocates, and educators. As co-founders of Sequoia Gifted and Creative, LLC , they support gifted and 2e families on their personalized learning journeys. Lisa and Cassandra are also both parents with profoundly gifted and twice exceptional learners. They can be reached at sequoiagifted@gmail.com .

Twice-exceptional students have few forums to express their lived educational experiences. REEL is pleased to launch “Living and Learning 2e,” a new blog series dedicated to giving twice exceptional children, teens, and young adults a place to share their voices. Serena C. is our fifth guest blogger. In her own words: “contrary to the meaning of my name, I am actually anything but serene.” During her elementary and middle school years, she attended her local public schools in Cupertino, and now is a senior at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, California. She was diagnosed with ADHD while in high school, after self-advocating for her need to be assessed. Serena founded NeurodiverCity with a vision to eliminate misconceptions, reduce stigma, establish a supportive community of neurodiverse individuals, and embrace neurodiversity—learn more about NeurodiverCity in Serena’s own words below! Aside from advocacy, Serena is “an avid fan of the bassoon countermelody in I See The Light from Tangled, creating atrocious emoji combinations, and obsessing over the size of both uncooked and cooked manicotti pasta.” She plays trumpet in the Golden State Youth Orchestra and enjoys running, Photoshopping pictures of her cat onto Snoopy comics, coming up with bad puns, and shuffling her Spotify playlist. She finds this to be an apt representation of her mind and shares that “I wish I could run as fast as my thoughts do, but for now, I’ll just have to settle for pushing the 6 skips/hour limit on Spotify to compensate.” Hummingbirds and Whales: What It’s Like to Be 2e Waking up and thinking, wow, I have so many things I could contribute , then actually trying to contribute but not knowing how. The best way for me to describe it is probably with an analogy of hummingbirds and whales. If hummingbirds are supposed to hum and blue whales are supposed to wail, then I am neither a hummingbird nor a blue whale, but I can be the hummingbird that wails and the blue whale that hums. Essentially, my hyperfocuses and passions are what tie my two “disparities” together as the mediator between the conflicting aspects of myself. Yet, these intense passions and interests were also what shadowed the struggling side of myself from the outside world. In elementary and middle school, I was recommended for psychoeducational assessments multiple times based on my eccentric behavior—which my parents also denied, multiple times, because of my extensive interests and their hesitancy to label me. No, I did not fit into the “normal” success or behavioral archetype, but in their eyes, an evaluation would only further detract from what I had already lacked. Part of growing up 2e has also been that I don’t always understand how to communicate myself adequately. For example, when I was younger, I realized that learning in general didn’t really work for me. Instead of telling anyone, though, I made up my own strategies to achieve the desired results so that I wouldn’t get in trouble (spoiler alert: I still did). Many of these fabricated methods were completely unconventional, but they worked for me. Do I regret that? Occasionally—looking back, some of these strategies probably weren’t very efficient, but they’re the only ones I’ve ever known (for example, I learned tonguing on trumpet without ever actually using my tongue). Parents and teachers were all under the impression that I could do so well by myself, and they saw this as “If you can make up and learn your own method yourself, you definitely won’t have any problems. You’re just seeking attention.” Whereas most of my earlier unconventional methods still persist, I’ve since adopted new memorization techniques for enhancing my retention of established concepts. For example, I memorize chemistry by coming up with cat puns and terrible jokes. I can’t tell you what molality is, but I can tell you what the chemist said in light of the babies born on New Years’ Day of 1990: “HALLO, Gen Z ” (Halogens). A New Perception: Has Being 2e Changed Over Time for You? With a diagnosis, my perception of myself has changed. Rather than the ever-persistent internal monologue of “hopeless” or “stupid,” I know why it’s more difficult for me to grasp multi-step concepts. I understand—even if I don’t really understand—why I learn the way I do, or why I get flustered over a different study environment or schedule. It’s easier for me to explain as well as for others to listen with a reason other than “Hmm…she’s just not applying herself.” Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace this aspect of myself. The once-inexplicable accusations, self-hatred, and punishment inflicted upon me have now morphed into my motivators for resilience, persistence, and creativity. It’s sometimes still difficult for me to express my appreciation for my ADHD in my traditionally stigma-oriented community, but I’m working to eliminate these harmful byproducts of ignorance and stigma. The Sigh: What Goes on in Your “Interior World”? I. Hate. Certain. Noises. When someone’s loud sigh pierces through my thoughts as my fingers are doing the light tap-tap against the wibbly wobbly of my keyboard, I only wish I could project myself into the interior of my computer to seek refuge from this astronomically atrocious sound. Unfortunately, as this is quite the dangerous route, my only real flight-or-fight response is to involuntarily sigh right back, which—as it turns out—is also quite the dangerous route, given its high probability of misinterpretation as an incendiary expression of ingratitude. Despite this, the “sigh” is not the most frustrating thing that bars me from completing my tasks. This sigh mostly presents itself when I bring up how my neurodiversity affects me at home, and I somehow end up half-conveying this with my Foot In My Mouth—although my intent remains to reduce conflict and misinterpretation, this “culturally uncomfortable” topic usually has the effect of upsetting my parents instead. It’s difficult to interject that I am not neurotypical. Sometimes it’s felt as if the very essence of my identity is put to shame. People are embarrassed when I mention it to others. They say, shhhh , when I talk about it at home. They sigh . But if I’m not ashamed of it myself, no one else should be for me—I only wish I could tell them about the psychological trauma and internalized inferiority that comes from being undiagnosed for so long. Although I still can’t fully explain it, I know this for sure: it’s not an excuse; it’s a reason. Previously, I reluctantly accepted the excuses and labels assigned to me by unfounded tirades of misconceptions, stigma, and ignorance. What I’m still learning to do is to stand up against others’ misconceptions and redefine 2e for myself. I’ll set my own pace, establish my own boundaries instead of having others impose their erroneous standards upon me. And once I feel ready, I’ll work to transcend them. Patience, Listening, Support, Exploration: Advice for Parents and Teachers After so many years of being forced into a mold, I can confidently say that my top advice is to not force us into a mold. Instead, give us the chance to express ourselves. The support we desire lies in increased patience and acceptance, not a laundry list of what works for neurotypicals. While your encouragement and motivation is greatly appreciated, forcing unfounded assumptions upon us is not. At the end of the day, it’s easiest to take things one step a time. Listen to us. Let us explore our interests. Hold us to the same standards of achievement that we hold ourselves to. Don’t tell us that you’re going to solve our difficulties—instead, ask us how you can help. When my parents were still in denial of my neurodiversity, they used to say something along the lines of “No, you don’t have ADHD, because when you were 5, you could sit there and learn.” I laugh, because for one, that was 11 years ago, and two, I can sit for hours and not comprehend a single thing. You could take away every single distraction and I’d still get sidetracked by the fact that I can make the letter “Y” by curling up my pointer finger. As such, it’s incredibly important to both discuss our “disabilities” and how it actually affects us, not just how you think it does. ADHD goes so much beyond “can’t sit, can’t do work, must go zoom zoom.” I hate to break it to you, but that’s not ADHD… that’s my cat . So, for 2e parents: never try to pretend that your child is neurotypical! The diagnosis itself is not what “changes” your child; your support, or lack thereof, is what does. It is harrowing to be denied an identity that is built upon the essence of neurodiversity. ADHD or autism will not usurp your child’s personality overnight—a persistent invalidation of our struggles, perceptions, and experiences is what will. As for teachers, I promise we’re not trying to intentionally act out or underperform—please never jump to conclusions or purposely invalidate our struggles. Just because a student may appear outwardly high-achieving, doesn't necessarily mean that they don’t need any extra support (we’ve learned to mask this and often compensate in terrible ways!). As for acting out, sometimes this is part of coping with academic difficulties; other times we truly don’t understand what’s appropriate and what’s not. There’s absolutely nothing more frustrating than a deliberate “Yeah, you can!”, “Everyone struggles with that!” or, my personal favorite, “But it works for ...HER!” when we finally seek assistance or reveal that we are struggling. What is helpful, though, is expressing support for our different learning styles. For in-class accommodations, anything as simple as an “Okay! Thanks for letting me know. Don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything you ever need!” can make a world of a difference. In terms of teaching, experimentation with different learning/assessment methods not only facilitates our knowledge retention but also allows us to express our creativity. Of course, this varies from student to student, but oftentimes we don’t know how we learn best yet—so incorporating a variety of ways for us to discover that really helps. Personally, I’ve found that I love projects that allow me to highlight the more imaginative aspects of my thinking. Learning to Scream: The Best Teacher You Ever Had The best teacher I’ve ever had was a trumpet professor, Mr. Larson, who I studied with this past summer as part of an online music institute. The entire camp was incredible—he managed to keep every session informative and engaging even over Zoom—but my greatest takeaway from the entire camp was during one of our private lessons in which I Learned How To Scream. I had been struggling with some high note octave jumps and I was trying to hide my frustration. Previous teachers always described the approach to high notes with something along the lines of, “Okay, high notes, you need to attack it and open up your throat”—which, as I eventually came to know, I had to do—but I never exactly knew how to do. Sometimes I’d actually fulfill this open-throat method, albeit by chance because I ultimately didn’t understand how to open my throat (like, with a doorknob?). But jokes aside, I truly didn’t know how to do it and it was incredibly frustrating for both myself and other teachers. What Mr. Larson did differently, however, was that he actually showed me how instead of simply explaining . Ironically, he also has ADHD and didn’t even mention the concept of throat-opening at all. Instead—and in the calmest manner possible—he told me first to scream, then play the high note. I wasn’t sure if he was being serious at first because it was the weirdest advice I’d ever been given before, but it worked; having to scream forced me to open up my throat, and playing that octave jump became so much easier after that. Although I realize that screaming before playing is not a viable option every time (especially not during performances), I can now imitate the same “throat-opening” effect because I know what it feels like. Ultimately, Mr. Larson truly understood my different learning style—and he’s also given me a 2-in-1 outlet that allows me to both expend my frustrations and improve my playing! Time to Make It All Click: What Does the Future Hold? For other 2e students, I hope to see better support and recognition. Learning disabilities don’t mean that we can’t learn (I’ve really heard this as a means of objection before), and giftedness doesn’t mean that we don't struggle at all; in fact, we sometimes struggle to display this giftedness because our other “side” isn’t adequately addressed or supported. Ultimately, there’s a fine line between perceiving what we can’t do for ourselves and others perceiving that for us. Every twice exceptional student is different. I hope others understand that neurodiversity isn’t an excuse and that it’s something that can manifest regardless of intelligence levels. We aren’t struggling on purpose when it looks like we aren’t performing to our full potential; if or when we act out, it is more a culmination of frustration with ourselves than an intentional “attack” of hatred. Yes, we are perfectly capable—but we still need resources, accommodations, and time to make it all click. I know I do. In the future, I’m looking forward to more neurodiversity advocacy, expanding NeurodiverCity, stepping out of my comfort zone to share a bit more about my experiences, and continuing my trumpet endeavors. Although I harbor more of an “I can’t wait to be done with this” sentiment towards college apps and prescreening recordings, I am excited for what comes next. To my future self, I hope everything worked out. To other 2e students reading this in the future: I hope you can look back and realize just how much you’ve proved your most unsupportive teachers wrong. Creating Community: What is NeurodiverCity? NeurodiverCity is an online community for neurodiverse students from all over the world to connect, share creativity, bond over interests, and consult mutual support. Its namesake is a two-part pun: Neurodiver, one who delves deep into their brain; City, a diverse community of supportive supportive individuals—neurodiversity. I’m passionate about creating advocacy and education posts as the founder of NeurodiverCity, as well as supporting and talking with other neurodiverse students in our Neurodiverse Student Chatrooms. Connecting in a community that is comfortable with discussing every aspect of neurodiversity has been revolutionary for me; it’s amazing to be able to bond over shared experiences, laugh at neurodiversity memes, consult support, and embrace our unique traits together without feeling the pressure of forced assimilation.

I spent the last two days at the inaugural Twice-Exceptional Teacher Education ( 2eTE ) conference organized by and held at Cleveland State University (CSU) in Ohio. The conference would not have happened without the drive and determination of Dr. Claire Hughes, a parent of two 2e kids and the new head of the 2eTE program at CSU, and her doctoral student Tatiana Nikitina, the twice-exceptional mastermind behind the conference’s conception. It was two rainy days of learning, networking, connecting with new people and those I have previously met only online, and exchanging ideas of how to move forward. As I am sitting in my aisle seat on the plane back to the Bay Area and reflecting on the experience of the last two days, I cannot help but feel both sad and hopeful. Sad because in most school districts, including my own, teachers still have never even heard of the term twice-exceptional . Hopeful because in the last several years four higher education programs with focus on twice-exceptionality have emerged: at CSU , University of Iowa ( UIOWA ), Johns Hopkins University ( JHU ), and Bridges Graduate School ( BGS ). From Jessica Altuch’s insights into project-based learning and Dr. Cynthia Hansen’s introduction to using gameplay for embracing positive self-identities of 2e learners, to Dr. Brian Harper’s tips on transitioning between high school and college and Dr. Randy Lange’s overview of the program for supporting twice-exceptionality on the UIOWA campus – the conference showcased a variety of talks. 11 roundtable discussions took place and explored the topics of co-teaching, the needs of LGBTQ 2e learners, cultural diversity, interdisciplinary interventions, acceleration, homeschooling, talent development, tools for exploring complex identities of 2e, aligning education with the job market, and equity in gifted programming. Several panels and three keynotes provided additional inspiration. Dr. Wendy Muraswki demonstrated how we cannot use the same interventions for individual 2e kids just as we cannot give the same prescription glasses to all members of the audience who need them, and how those with invisible disabilities get missed just like the audience members who wear contact lenses. Christopher Milo’s message about the lost and left out kids whose faith in themselves is crushed by being misunderstood and bullied was touching. But the highlight for me was the moving and intimately personal story by Dr. Brian Harper – the deviser of the 2eTE program at CSU – of his autistic and musically prodigious son who has perfect pitch: their struggles, despair, and anger, but also victories, acceptance, and wisdom. As we are starting our descent into the San Francisco airport, I continue to feel both sad and hopeful. Sad because it feels like the twice-exceptional movement needs to be pushed forward by parents of 2e kids whose families are suffering, no matter who they are in their professional lives – teachers, professors, administrators, or lawyers. Hopeful because the change is coming. It must come. And we are the messengers. About the Author: Guest blogger Yekaterina (Katrina) O’Neil is a homeschooling mom by day, a doctoral student by night, and a software security researcher by trade. The mom to two 2e kids in middle and high school, she began homeschooling them after public school turned out not to be a fit. To understand and support her kids better, Katrina is pursuing a Doctoral Degree at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education, while attempting to juggle a career in cybersecurity at the same time. She is passionate about neurodiversity and hopes to spread awareness and acceptance of neurodivergent individuals at home, at school, and in the workplace.She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science & Engineering from UC San Diego.

On Oct 17, 2020, the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit and REEL hosted neurodivergent panelists—including high school and college students as well as an alumna and educator at a school for twice-exceptional learners—who shared their experiences as K-12 students, including what neurodiversity means to them, what neurodiversity-related advocacy or education looks like from their perspectives, and which educational support structures have been most helpful. We hope these voices of the neurodivergent will drive action items for how we can improve K-12 education for neurodiverse learners. For those who missed this inspirational panel, we have summarized the key takeaways from our “loud and proud” speakers. You can watch the complete recording here: https://tinyurl.com/K12NeurodiversityPanel . -------------------------------------------------------------- Understanding Teachers Although our panelists had a wide variety of educational experiences, the most commonly mentioned support in their K-12 years were educators who were accepting of differences, were patient and understanding, and created an environment where everyone could be themselves. These educators became a trusted place for students to go when they were feeling pressured, bullied, and misunderstood. Zachary talks to teachers during his passing period when he feels stressed. “There is one teacher open to questions not only about math; he understands me the most, and makes me feel safe.” Serena finds it most helpful when teachers are very accepting of her accommodations and understand her needs and strengths so that she feels comfortable talking about her differences. She cautioned teachers not to assume behavior is “attention seeking” when it’s really the student struggling. Amy pointed out “Being guilted or pressured or cajoled doesn’t work when a student is struggling or has a barrier; it heightens frustration and makes learning and school anxiety-inducing. What works is understanding, communication, respect for differences, being willing to negotiate and scaffold, and finding what the accommodations can be that make the learning experiences more naturalistic and enjoyable.” As a teacher, Amy provides her students with three choices for how they can complete any assignment and lets students lead. Allison’s 3rd grade teacher was the first person who took what she was saying seriously, told her it was ok that she thought about things differently, and ok to be herself. Lucy’s second grade teacher celebrated and embraced children’s intense interest areas by creating “classroom expert contracts” so a child could teach the class about their passion. Her high school teacher gently helped her focus her writing and overcome rigid thinking. “When teachers are attentive to student needs and they can adapt teaching methods, this benefits neurodivergent, neurotypical students, and undercover autistics.” Earlier Diagnosis Speaking of undercover diagnoses, many of the panelists were not diagnosed until high school or college. Being diagnosed often provided relief, as they finally had an explanation for their struggles and stopped feeling broken. Some also experienced roadblocks to diagnosis because they were outwardly achieving or due to cultural stigma. Lucy says “if I had been diagnosed earlier, I may have seen myself as different and not defective from an earlier age.” Lucy hopes that more girls will receive their diagnosis at an earlier age—she advises educators and parents to read about signs of autism in girls. Amy discussed that criteria for diagnosis are gendered and created without asking autistic people about their experiences. Her diagnosis helped her connect to her community for support and answers, and to hear about positive autistic traits for the first time. Ila shares that before she was diagnosed, she felt she didn’t belong, and that there was something wrong with her. “Putting a name to what I was feeling really made things so much clearer.” It helped her figure out her own learning style, what worked best for her, and how she could help herself. For Allison, getting a diagnosis answered a lot of questions, gave her answers to questions she hadn’t thought to ask, and provided known ways for her to access helpful support systems—such as her beloved service dog. Serena shared that not only did adults not believe she was struggling because she was outwardly achieving, but also in her Asian American culture, ADHD is stigmatized so she had to fight to be diagnosed. Her parents didn’t want her to have a label, “But without the label for ADHD, I was also given many other labels, like being a problem child or being disruptive on purpose, or just not being what I was supposed to be or other negative labels, which neurodiversity is really not if you really understand it.” Believe Me! Accommodations and Self Advocacy Receiving their diagnosis helped many of the panelists figure out how they learn and what accommodations they need to level the playing field. They also learned they have to advocate for themselves in the classroom to get what they need. Because the panelists have gifts in some areas and appear to be getting by or even high-achieving, many struggled to get the support they needed. Serena learned which behaviors were not socially acceptable in class and found ways around them, so she didn’t clearly fit the profile for ADHD. Adults didn’t believe she was struggling until she pushed for a diagnosis. Her accommodations have helped her show what she can truly do. “Accommodations leveled my playing field...extra time compensates for the time I spend untying my thoughts before I can even start to think about the materials.” Allison had teachers who did not believe the accommodations she requested were needed because a different autistic student didn’t need them. “Teachers, it’s not: you’re not autistic or ADHD because you’re not like [this other student]. If you meet one neurodiverse person, you meet one neurodiverse person.” She also adds, “Not listening or believing can be just as hurtful as teasing or saying mean things.” Ila says she was quiet, did her work and got decent grades, so her teachers didn’t think she needed testing or a diagnosis. She had to fight her school for the supports she needed. Ila wishes students were taught how to self advocate at a really young age. Passions, Community, and Socializing Several panelists credit their passions for getting them through difficult times and saving their self-esteem. Their passions also connect them to a community of people with similar interests. Some cautioned parents not to put neurotypical social expectations on their neurodiverse kids. Ila mentioned that music, singing, and performing help her with everything. Serena said music gets her through negative educational experiences. Despite working so hard at school, she sometimes wouldn’t do well or would get into trouble, but music was a place she could do well and channel her difficulties. Amy shared “Find a network of people that have something in common with you—your autstic special interest group is the key to lifelong friendships.” Building a community of people who understand you and where you can be your authentic self and be loved is critical. “Struggling in school is hard, but not feeling like you’re part of a community is harder.” Allison says that with the ability to find people online you can “get people who you feel like you can talk to and other people who are neurodiverse as well in your life. Once you get to that point, it does get a lot better. Get a squad that you can really have to help you through whatever comes your way.” However, Lucy and Amy both caution parents not to place their own social expectations on their children. Lucy says her well-meaning parents perceived her as lonely and pushed her to spend time with friends, but she was ok alone. Amy echoed “Don’t assume because I’m alone I’m lonely”. Using Their Experiences to Help Others In addition to speaking out about neurodiversity, this inspiring panel has turned their struggles into advocacy for other neurodiverse students. Serena created NeurodiverCity to support student advocacy and creativity after feeling it was hard for her to connect with other neurodiverse students due to stigma in her community. Lucy writes a blog where she shares her experiences with mental health, autism college hacks, and advice. She also tutors kids for their college applications and the on-boarding process. Ila started an advocacy group for her school district after attending the Stanford Neurodiversity Project’s high school advocacy camp. Zachary was chairman of a Neurodiversity club at Palo Alto High School. After surviving severe bullying at her previous schools, Allison wanted to give students at her current school, Fusion Academy (Palo Alto), a place to feel safe, so she founded a student leadership team. Amy is a teacher at Bridges Academy, a school for neurodiverse/2e students, where she creates a positive and nurturing environment for her students. She says it feels like being at home and that her students are her family. Bringing Neurodiverse Voices to the Forefront and Reducing Stigma All of the panelists agree that more neurodiverse voices need to be brought to the forefront of this discussion. As Amy stated so eloquently, “We see neurodiversity as being so different from other forms of marginalization. I would never run a group of LGBTQ people and have only straight people making policy. Our motto is ‘Nothing about us without us.’ You can’t make meaningful policy without including the voices of the people who are most impacted.” The panelists would like to remove the stigma associated with neurodiversity and help parents, educators, and fellow students “be more accepting of the prevalence and different presentations of neurodiversity” (Serena). As Zachary says, “Neurodiversity is about inclusiveness. It’s not about who is different, rather about accepting differences. We’re all different in a good way.” Ila says “It’s hard to be accepted as yourself with so much stigma.” Allison would like to see educators strictly enforce zero tolerance bullying policies. Amy sums it up, “The issues stem from failure to embrace that people's brains will be different, not deficient. We need to change society’s narrative about what it means to be human, build accommodations into our normal schools and experiences, and not make being neurodiverse an ‘othering’ element. This will alleviate bullying difficulties with education and employment. Everyone has to get on board.”

Salutations and greetings to my fellow 8th grade graduates: my name is Finn and - just like you - I will never stop learning. Even from my first moment of Planck time, I was learning. (In case you don’t know, Planck time is, according to Wikipedia, “ the length of time at which no smaller meaningful length can be validly measured due to the indeterminacy expressed in Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle . Theoretically, this is the shortest time measurement that is possible. Planck time is roughly 10 to the negative 43 seconds.” Or 0.000000000000 - ok you get the idea - 43 zeros and then a '1' seconds.)  The point is, right from birth, we all started learning, whether it was what things felt like, smelled like, or looked like.  You might think that now that we're graduating middle school, we're done learning. But we'll keep going. Throughout high school, college, our entire adult lives and even when we  retire, we will still be learning. Learning is lifelong and happens all the time.  For me, a great example was an experience I had in early elementary school. In first grade, I was learning, but I wasn’t learning the right things. I was working hard on reading during extra sessions with my teacher after school, but Instead of learning how to read, I was learning to memorize small books and pages and repeat them to my teacher the next day. This did nothing for me but exercise and improve my memory. So as I got  farther through the year and was given more difficult books to read, of course, I could not. That all changed when I went to Touchstone Learning for second grade. At Touchstone Learning, I met an incredible teacher who was experienced in tutoring kids with dyslexia and other learning differences and teaching them how to read. There were new rules for writing and spelling, new ways of saying letters, and so much more. She and other teachers who joined later taught me how to read, write, multiply, and divide. They taught me history, science, and other essential life lessons. So when I started at Charles Armstrong for middle school, I thought I had learned all there was about reading, writing, and school in general. But from my first class, I realized I was wrong. In the past three years I have improved my writing and reading fluency, have learned how to manage my time on large projects, how to work successfully in groups, and what it's like to be at a bigger school, with lots of teachers, expectations, and responsibilities.  In conclusion, I hope you always remember that everyone is constantly learning. Even great minds like Isaac Newton, Galileo, and Albert Einstein were always learning. I hope that every one of you now has new knowledge in your brains (like the meaning of Planck time) and that you all use it wisely. I hope you continue to flourish and grow in high school and beyond as you move forward in your education and life.

REEL is excited to announce the publication of of A Parent's Guide to IEPs for Twice-Exceptional Students: California - Bay Area Edition The guide was written by Amber Willburn and provides invaluable insights into navigating the IEP process with your 2e student. Click here to get your copy! Disponible en Español: Guía para padres sobre los IEP de Alumnos Doblemente Excepcionales California - Edición del Área de la Bahía Haga clic aquí para obtener su copia!

I have a secret to share. I often have anxious thoughts and feelings. I’m the mother of three awesome teenagers, all of whom are very bright and some of whom have been diagnosed with a mix of general anxiety, social anxiety, autism, and sensory processing challenges. They’re a fun bunch and I thank the universe that I get to be their mom. But, truthfully, some days, weeks, and months are really tough. While it's natural to feel anxiety as a parent, I suspect and research indicates that parents with neurodivergent and twice-exceptional children (like mine) experience anxiety more frequently (Enav et al., 2019; Llinares-Insa et al., 2020). (In case you’re not familiar, twice-exceptional children are both extremely bright, creative, and/or “gifted” as well as have a learning challenge such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and/or anxiety.) This was all brought home to me as a student in Dr. Matt Zakreski’s “Social and Emotional Diversity” class this summer as part of my doctoral studies at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education . He assigned the task to outline a research-based “intervention strategy” to address a social/emotional learning challenge for the twice-exceptional. As I grappled with this task, I reflected on what had made the biggest difference in my parenting. I want to show up as the best mom I can, but I’ve needed to learn a lot of new skills and forgive myself for many mistakes along the way. What I realized is that managing my own emotional responses and reactions to life’s difficulties, parenting challenges, and my children’s emotional experiences is essential. Why is it important to regulate my own emotions? Because my children struggle with anxiety, I learned pretty early on in my parenting journey from a wide variety of experts and therapists that attending to my own emotional regulation would benefit my own and my children’s well-being, for several reasons. First, doing so creates a stable space for my kids to move through their own emotional experiences safely. Second, proactively tending to my anxiety serves as a role model to them for healthy living. Lastly, co-regulating emotions is a human experience, perhaps even more so between parent and child, and contributes to children’s long-term development; co-regulation helps us signal to one another a range of emotions that impact our body’s fight, flight, or freeze response as well as our ability for social engagement (Porges, 2018). Managing my own emotional response to my child’s feelings of anxiety is complicated. When I respond to my child’s anxiety with a similar or even higher level of anxiety, I may be unconsciously indicating to them that their “distress is unmanageable, terrifying, and potentially dangerous” (Borelli et al., 2015, p. 3132). Children may “look to parents for signs about how to interpret their feelings….when a parent experiences intense negative emotion in response to the child’s fear, the child may perceive the parent’s negative emotions and become more fearful….[though] if a parent is completely non-reactive emotionally to the child’s fear, this could convey apathy….” (Borelli et al., 2015, p. 3131-3132). Research signals that establishing a mindfulness-based practice, such as meditation, can heighten parents’ self-awareness about their and their children’s emotions (Aarzoo et al., 2021; Cowling & Van Gordon, 2022) and that mothers who are emotionally well regulated experience positive emotions, reduced stress, satisfaction, and happiness (Cowling & Van Gordon, 2022; Llinares-Insa et al., 2020, p. 5; Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2022). How mindfulness helped me tend to my own anxiety My personal experience learning about and practicing mindful strategies stands as testament to the research. Tending to my own anxiety has been critical the last few years. As our family has navigated increasingly complex challenges, our collective anxiety has often amped up. I have needed to explore new ways (“intervention strategies”) to be a mindful parent. A friend of mine recommended the app Insight Timer as a resource. It’s a phone-based app that offers many mindfulness-based activities. While I’d taken meditation classes before, the thought of sitting still and clearing all thoughts from my head had just never resonated with me. My brain is abuzz with ideas all the time and, for the most part, I really enjoy having such an active mind. I was skeptical of Insight Timer, so I started with the free version and explored meditation tracks that my friend suggested. However, the more I discovered about Insight Timer, the more essential it became to me as I realized that meditation doesn’t always mean extinguishing my thoughts, but rather provides healthier ways to interact with my thoughts. This past year, my anxiety morphed into sleep deprivation and rumination. I knew I needed to tackle it head on. In addition to individual meditations and talks, teachers on the platform offer what I call “mini-courses”, which are designed as short, multi-day sessions focused more in-depth on a specific topic. I searched for “anxiety courses” and discovered Andrea Wachter ’s “Practical Tools for Anxiety Relief” and “Your Anxiety Relief Toolkit.” These courses are chock full of insights and Andrea is particularly compassionate. I learned explicit strategies for approaching my anxious thoughts and feelings, with the opportunity to practice using them, and encouragement to adopt the ones that were most helpful to me. Here are some of my favorites: Separating anxious thoughts from anxious physical sensations : Noticing physical sensations of anxiety without judgment by assigning them shapes, colors, temperatures, and more. For instance, sometimes I think of my anxiety as an orange bubble that I can pop or a black cloud becoming a vortex. This helps me separate the anxious thoughts from the rest of my thinking patterns and decreases my rumination. Experimenting with responses : I can respond to my anxious thoughts by being strong, soft, silly, or silent. For a “soft” response, I might sing my anxiety a lullaby. When I decide to be “silly”, I sometimes tell my anxiety a joke! Practicing each of these techniques gives me options when anxious thoughts enter my mind. Engaging in heart-to-heart dialogue with anxiety : Picturing what my anxiety looks like, observing it with deep compassion and curiosity, asking it what it needs, and offering it comfort and wisdom helps to soften my experience of anxiety. Practicing soothing statements : Imagining my anxiety as a young child and repeating calming phrases (“In this moment, you are safe. This feeling will pass. If that happens, we’ll deal with it then, but it’s not happening right now. I’m right here with you.”) changes my relationship with the anxious thought and resets my thinking in the present moment. Completing what is called “The Work” (drawn from Byron Katie’s work): Pick a thought and ask “Is it true with absolute certainty? How do I feel when I believe the thought? Who would I be without it? If I turn it around and see it from a different angle, is it possible that the opposite version of the thought could be true?” Seeing the anxious thought from a different perspective helps reframe its importance and weight. Bonus! None of these strategies asks me to suppress, ignore, or extinguish my thoughts, which, honestly, would likely be an impossible task. Would this work for you? Explore and see! I can’t begin to give enough detail about the strategies in this short blog post. I encourage you to check them out yourself to see if they can help you regulate your own emotional responses to life’s inevitable ebbs and flows. Andrea’s two mini-courses* each include ten, 15-minute sessions, which made them easy to fit into even my most hectic day. Because they didn’t require me to sit in a set place with my eyes closed, I listened to them and tried the practices in various locations and convenient times for my schedule. I’ve returned to them again and again as needed. If you’re concerned that a mini-course is too much of a commitment, Andrea also offers standalone tracks such as “Decrease Anxiety & Increase Peace,” “Soothing Anxiety,” “Panic and Anxiety Relief,” or “Letting Go & Living in the Flow.”. Not sure that a meditation app is for you? Or that the courses I’ve suggested here fit the bill for your situation? The good news about Insight Timer and other mindfulness apps such as Headspace and Calm is that they offer a wide selection of teachers and practices. Want to become more mindful while you walk or jog? Need more daily affirmations? Or maybe you really do want to learn to clear your mind of thoughts? These apps have options for all of those things and more. Does this really work? Participating in these courses helped me with my own anxiety. They also gave me new strategies to suggest to my own children. I’ll admit my kids sometimes roll their eyes at my advice, but what teen doesn’t? I know they see me making Insight Timer a priority in my life. And every now and then I hear their self-talk or see them try a new strategy when they think I’m not looking. Let’s face it. Some of parenting is actually accomplished by osmosis. Kids, especially teens, don’t want to admit they’re trying the things we suggest. But, we have to trust that our role modeling is making a difference, even if our kids don’t want to admit the usefulness in the short-term. Even better, research backs up that working on our own anxiety and emotional regulation will benefit our children. (Warning: Putting my doctoral student hat back on now.) While researchers don’t yet understand all the mechanisms of how this works, they do know that parents are a central influence in their children’s emotional development (Cowling & Van Gordon, 2022; Llinares-Insa et al., 2020; Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2022). Parents play a critical role in helping their gifted and twice-exceptional children thrive, whether in school, at home, or in their social-emotional wellbeing (Barber & Mueller, 2011; Pfeiffer, 2020). It’s widely thought that parents’ ability to regulate their own emotions contributes to their children’s ability to do so as well, even for neurodivergent children such as those who are autistic and/or gifted (Ahçi et al., 2022; Chan et al., 2018; Enav et al., 2019; Llinares-Insa et al., 2020; Moffitt et al., 2021; Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2022). On the flip side, some studies indicate that parents’ anxiety can increase the risk for their children developing anxiety or depression (Borelli et al., 2015; Choi, 2022; Shenaar-Golan et al., 2021). Because parents serve as important role models in their children’s lives, it’s important for parents to understand their own emotional regulation and its impacts on their children’s emotional wellbeing (Llinares-Insa et al., 2020). I’ll let you in on another secret. My anxiety still takes control sometimes. I can’t always regulate my responses to my kids or to new challenges as they arise. That’s okay. It gives me the chance to talk to my kids about the realities of life, self-compassion, and why we build a toolkit to help address anxiety in the first place. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety entirely. Actually, anxiety can serve a functional role in our lives and having a small bit of it may be helpful in some situations. (But, that’s a story for another blog post.) Having strategies to manage my anxiety, to increase my own emotional regulation when I’m supporting my children, helps me be more present and grounded as a person and as a parent. Interested in the research cited in this blog post? Check out this reference list . * While most of the Insight Timer resources are free, the mini-courses that I’ve recommended require membership, which is $59.99 per year as of July 2022. Note that the app offers a 30-day free trial so you can check out the 10-session courses I recommended and decide if you want to pay for an ongoing subscription.

We are amid a recultivation in the ever-evolving ecology of education, particularly for twice-exceptional (2e) students. An ecosystem thrives when each part is free to do what it does best. Similarly, a 2e child flourishes when we embrace strength-based educational and parenting approaches. We don’t force a wild rose to become a cactus by planting it in a desert; instead, it is nurtured in conditions where it can blossom into vibrance. The same goes for our neurodivergent children’s talents and capabilities to flourish. Imagine a world where each 2e child's talents and strengths are cultivated, creating an environment where they can thrive. This is the vision behind the movement toward strength-based approaches, particularly for twice-exceptional learners. We shift from solely focusing on the weeds—what students struggle with—to discovering and fostering the buds of their abilities. Seeds Ready to Sprout Strength-based assessments, like those offered at the Strength-Based Assessment Lab  at the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity, serve as a greenhouse for this innovative approach. The Lab's mission is simple yet profound: to discover and nurture the strengths of students who may not thrive in conventional educational settings. One mother shared how the Lab helped her view her 8-year-old daughter as a unique seed requiring specific conditions to sprout. Empowered to focus on her child's strengths, she provided the sunlight and nutrients necessary for growth. The Lab's service transformed their educational journey, opening doors to new opportunities and long-term benefits, much like watching a garden burst into full bloom. Sprouts Ready to Root These stories of transformation are not isolated. A father expressed relief and gratitude when his 10-year-old son was finally seen for his strengths. The Lab's strength-identification process provided practical strategies for enriching his son's school experience, allowing him to thrive in ways he hadn't imagined. These real-life experiences highlight the profound impact of shifting our perspective from deficits to strengths, from weeds to blossoms. Blossoming into Vibrance Emerging research supports what many parents and educators are discovering firsthand: focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses empowers students and their families. Strength-based assessments as the basis for parenting programs enhance parents' sense of competence, enabling them to better support their twice-exceptional children. This shift in focus boosts children's self-esteem and motivation, much like proper nutrients help plants grow stronger, leading to positive outcomes in cognitive, emotional, and social domains. An Ecosystem of Possibility Implementing strength-based strategies involves collaboration between educators, parents, and students, much like a thriving ecosystem requires each element to work harmoniously. It begins with conversations to identify each child's personal best moments and the environmental hazards they face. From there, experts craft personalized recommendations to guide talent development and educational practices that resonate with each child's profile, ensuring the right conditions for growth. Navigating the Changing Weather While the benefits of this approach are clear, the journey has its challenges. Shifting from traditional models requires commitment and training for educators and parents, similar to learning how to cultivate a diverse garden. It’s about complementing existing evaluations like neuropsychological assessments, rather than replacing them, and ensuring everyone is equipped to support strength-based strategies effectively. A New Pathway Strength-based assessments chart a promising new path in education, one rich with potential and growth. By focusing on what students enjoy and where they excel, we inspire a new generation of learners who are deeply rooted, ready to sprout, and prepared to bloom. This approach aligns seamlessly with the mission of organizations like Reel2E , which advocate for educational equity and innovation. Together, we can cultivate a more positive and effective educational landscape where every child is seen and celebrated for their unique strengths and talents, much like each part of an ecosystem is cherished for its contribution to the whole. Strengths Resources From REEL 8 Strength Based Strategies to Kick Off the New Year Ask for Strengths to Shine this School Year Strength-Based Strategies at Home & in the Classroom Strength-based Learning Discussion with Dr. Melanie Hayes Maximizing Student Success: A Strength-Based Pyramid Written by Dr. Jade Ann Rivera for REEL2e  Bio: Jade Rivera, Ed.D. is Lab Director of the Strength-Based Assessment Lab and Faculty at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. She researches strength-based assessment and strength-based, talent-focused approaches for twice-exceptional children. She is also a published author with Routledge, has written numerous influential articles and blog posts, and is a sought-after speaker at national conferences. Jade leads impactful workshops for educators and parents, providing innovative strategies for supporting neurodivergent children.

When Bridges Graduate School Doctoral Student Marni Kammersell approached us to publish her review of the TV show A Kind of Spark , centered on an autistic teenager and her sisters, we jumped at the chance to work together. Marni not only provides deep insights about the show and how it spotlights the autistic experience; she also offers discussion questions to start a dialogue with autistic children as well as strength-based tips for working with autistic kids and suggested resources. We hope you enjoy Marni's perspective as well as the show, which is streaming on BYUtv . As someone who frequently talks with parents of bright and quirky children, many of whom are gifted, I often find myself recommending books and podcasts to help them better understand both common Autistic traits and the Autistic experience. However, resources that provide insight into Autistic culture and ways of being can be harder to come by, especially ones that will resonate with 2e families (2e, or “twice-exceptional,” refers to individuals who have both exceptional intellectual or creative abilities and disabilities or challenges). In this post, I explore the groundbreaking television show A Kind of Spark and its potential impact on twice-exceptional Autistic (2eA) children and teens. The show provides much-needed representation and has the potential to empower 2eA individuals through seeing their experiences portrayed positively on film. I also provide guiding questions for parents to facilitate conversations around neurodiversity with their Autistic children. A Kind of Spark is a BBC television miniseries based on the book of the same name by Autistic author Elle McNicoll (McCleery et al., 2023). The show features an Autistic thirteen-year-old girl named Addie Darrow, who is delightfully quirky and unapologetically herself. Addie is determined to get a memorial plaque erected in honor of the women who were persecuted as witches in her town centuries ago, simply for being different. The show includes a mystery element as Addie attempts to uncover what happened to a young noblewoman named Margaret (Maggie) Fraser who vanished from Juniper, her small town, after being accused of witchcraft. Throughout the series, Addie finds support from her friends and family, including her two older sisters, Keedie and Nina. The character of Keedie, who is also Autistic, adds depth to the story and showcases the diverse interests, behaviors, and relationships of Autistic teenagers. As the story unfolds, we learn about Keedie's own strengths and challenges, and observe how she protects and advocates for Addie. Nina, who is not Autistic, has a close relationship with her sisters and is fiercely protective of them. In addition to the main story featuring the Darrow family, A Kind of Spark includes a historical storyline set in the town of Juniper during the 1500s, exploring the experiences of Maggie and Elinor Fraser during a time of witch-hunting. Elinor, who is Autistic and living in a time without any conception of autism, is concerned that her unique sensory experiences - which she describes as feeling like 'magic' - may mean that she is a witch. Maggie, who is both practical and fiery, denies the existence of witches and fights against the injustice of persecuting women for failing to conform to social norms. This historical storyline serves to normalize the idea that Autistic people have always existed, even if historical societies had no frame of reference to understand or accept them. All three Autistic characters (Addie, Keedie, and Elinor) are portrayed by Autistic actors, and Nina is also played by an Autistic actor. In addition, the show had significant representation of neurodivergent individuals in its production crew. The casting of neurodivergent actors in neurodivergent roles on the show is crucial, as it offers much-needed representation and promotes authenticity in the portrayal of Autistic experiences. Autistic actors can fully embody their experiences when playing Autistic characters, without the need to pretend or conceal their natural movements, facial expressions, and ways of being. A Kind of Spark delivers an authentic portrayal of Autistic experiences in a heartwarming and delightful way, with an intriguing storyline. As a late-identified Autistic adult, I can personally attest to the importance of seeing these experiences portrayed on film, especially for teenagers who may be struggling to form their neurodivergent identities. Throughout A Kind of Spark , Addie is portrayed as a complex character with a range of admirable strengths. One of her most notable qualities is her insatiable curiosity and sharp intelligence, which allow her to learn and retain a wealth of information about a variety of subjects that interest her. Addie's kindness and empathy also shine through in her interactions with others, even those who have hurt her. She consistently sees the best in people and is willing to extend compassion even when others might not reciprocate. While this does leave her open to being taken advantage of, her enduring kindness is truly admirable. In addition to her interpersonal strengths, Addie is also brave and persistent in her efforts to raise awareness and advocate for the acceptance of neurodivergent people and anyone who is considered "different." She refuses to be silenced or dismissed and her steadfast determination to create positive change is both inspiring and powerful. Overall, Addie is a truly compelling protagonist whose multifaceted strengths make her a role model for viewers of all ages. In addition to positive Autistic representation, A Kind of Spark does an excellent job of portraying neurodiversity-affirming parenting and relational approaches for neurodivergent youth. Addie’s parents are both kind and supportive, without being overbearing. While they clearly worry about their teenage daughters, they also give them the space to grow and tackle challenges on their own, such as traveling to the city on public transportation without an adult. In one particularly familiar scene for those of us living in neurodivergent families, each Darrow sister is provided with a different kind of special-order pasta: no sauce, smooth sauce, and regular. In another scene Addie's dad quickly steps in to stop another adult from popping a balloon, stating awkwardly, "Ah, I just love balloons." When Audrey remarks on the strangeness of his action, Addie explains that the noise of a balloon popping is an overwhelming experience for her and Keedie. These authentic touches are what make A Kind of Spark so magical. Parenting neurodivergent children can be challenging, but it is not a tragedy. Seeing these little daily struggles normalized with humor and love is incredibly valuable. A Kind of Spark offers a heartwarming portrayal of the intimate bond between Addie and Keedie, who in addition to being close because they are sisters, also share a special bond because they are both Autistic. The television adaptation beautifully showcases their mutual understanding and validation of each other's sensory experiences. One noteworthy scene occurs when a smoke alarm goes off in the Darrow home and Keedie instinctively rushes to place noise-dampening headphones on Addie's ears before grabbing a pair for herself. In this moment, their shared laughter and concern for each other's well-being highlights the power of finding common ground in neurodivergent experiences and demonstrates the unique support that neurodivergent peers can offer each other. The show features beautiful support from a range of characters, including Nina, who serves as a confidant and advocate for Addie; the Darrow parents, who advocate for their daughter and seek to understand her needs; Addie's best friend Audrey, who demonstrates empathy and a willingness to learn about Addie's experiences; Nina's boyfriend Frank, who supports Addie in her research; and Mr. Allison, a teacher who shows a commitment to strengths-based education. Through these characters, the show highlights the importance of allyship and the potential for neuronormative individuals to create safe and supportive spaces for those who are neurodivergent. A Kind of Spark effectively portrays the challenges that neurodivergent students face in the classroom, particularly when teachers fail to embrace their differences. However, the show also emphasizes the many ways in which educators can positively impact the lives of neurodivergent students. For example, Addie finds refuge in the quiet space of the library, where the librarian, Mr. Allison, provides her with unwavering support. He invites Addie to spend her lunch period in the library, shares her sense of humor, and saves new books for her related to her current interests. When Addie struggles to remember her lines in a school play, Mr. Allison creatively hides her cue sheet among the props so that Addie can succeed in her acting role. These examples show that qualities like unconditional positive regard, curiosity about a student's interests, and understanding of sensory needs are crucial for educators working with neurodivergent students. Although Elle McNicoll did not explicitly portray Addie and Keedie as twice-exceptional, their experiences will resonate with many 2eA teenagers. McNicoll has shared in interviews that Addie is hyperlexic and favors non-fiction over storybooks. In the television adaptation, Addie is seen creating a detailed diagram to organize the information she gathers about the witches of Juniper, revealing her exceptional ability to understand complex relationships among various elements. Additionally, Addie's struggles with handwriting suggest motor planning challenges or other possible learning disabilities, which can commonly co-occur in 2e individuals. Keedie, on the other hand, exhibits an immense passion for history and an encyclopedic knowledge of the Battle of Killiecrankie, alongside her artistic talent. Dr. Susan Baum, a renowned expert in twice-exceptional education, highlights five crucial elements that underpin successful programs for 2e students (Baum, 2017, p. 142): creating a psychologically safe environment; providing more time – both for long-term growth and also time to process, transition, and produce; accommodating asynchronous development; fostering positive social relationships; and adopting a strength-based and talent-focused philosophy. Unfortunately, as with many 2e children, Addie's educational environment fails to consistently provide all of these elements. As a result, it falls upon Addie and her family to raise awareness about how teachers can better understand and accommodate the needs of neurodivergent students. Parents of 2eA students who want to enhance their educational experience can create awareness about the benefits of a strengths-based, talent-focused educational approach, like the one utilized at Bridges Academy, a school specifically designed for twice-exceptional children (Baum, 2017). A strengths-based approach emphasizes the development of each student's strengths and talents rather than focusing on their weaknesses. This method helps neurodivergent students to develop a sense of pride and confidence, leading to higher levels of engagement and achievement. By helping students identify and explore their passions from a young age, we empower them to build their lives on the things they enjoy and excel at. In the final scene of A Kind of Spark , Addie delivers a poignant speech, highlighting the unique perspective that Autistic individuals bring to the world. She conveys that while being Autistic in a neurotypical world can be challenging, it also enables her to notice details that others may overlook and to find sparks of brilliance in everyday things. Addie's words effectively capture the central theme of the show - the importance of embracing and celebrating neurodiversity. A Kind of Spark offers valuable insights into the experiences of neurodivergent individuals, including strategies for supporting twice-exceptional Autistic children. By creating strengths-based environments, promoting self-advocacy, reducing stressors, and celebrating neurodivergent strengths and perspectives, we can create a more inclusive society that values and embraces neurodiversity. The show's positive portrayal of Autistic role models and Autistic culture will empower 2eAutistic people to form a healthy neurodivergent identity and will challenge misconceptions about autism. Discussion Questions to Spark Dialogue with Children In A Kind of Spark, Addie and Keedie are both Autistic but have different personalities, friends, and interests. Do you relate to either of these characters, and if so, how? Addie and Audrey become close friends in the show quickly after meeting. Do you think this is realistic? What do you think makes for a good friendship? Keedie advises Addie to always be open about being Autistic but decides not to share this with her new friends. Do you think it is always a good idea to be open about being Autistic, and why or why not? The show portrays and discusses masking, where neurodivergent individuals hide their true selves to fit in with others. What are some examples of masking that are portrayed, and do they match up with your own experiences of masking? Have you ever experienced being treated unfairly by a teacher or classmate because of your neurodivergent traits? How did it make you feel? What would have been a more supportive response from others? Who in your life are your strongest confidants and advocates? How can schools and teachers better support and include neurodivergent students in the classroom? What changes would you like to see in your own school or community? How can we as a family better support your neurodivergent traits and needs? Are there any changes we can make to better accommodate you? Strengths-Based Approaches for Parenting and Working with Autistic Kids Normalize strengths and challenges: Watch movies, read books, and discuss real-life experiences to help normalize the fact that everyone has both strengths and challenges. It can be especially powerful to seek out positive stories and portrayals of neurodivergent individuals. Encourage their passions: Autistic people often have deep interests. Find out what they are and try to connect with them around their interests authentically, without trying to use their interests to get them to do other things. Create a sensory-friendly environment: Make sure that neurodivergent children and teens have a safe place to retreat to when experiencing sensory overwhelm. Encourage them to identify their own sensory profile and triggers, and help them develop “scripts” or pre-planned requests to advocate for their needs. Validate their experiences: Autistic children and teens may face challenges that neurotypical peers do not. Acknowledge and validate their experiences without trying to "fix" or "cure" them. For example, if your child expresses frustration about a social situation, try saying something like, "That sounds really tough. I'm here to listen and support you." Encourage self-advocacy: In A Kind of Spark, Addie learns to advocate for herself and her community. Encourage your child to develop self-advocacy skills, such as asking for accommodations or expressing their needs in social situations. You can model this behavior by advocating for your child in school or other settings when needed. Twice-exceptional education: Seek out educational opportunities for your child that are strengths-based and talent-focused. This means that your child’s education should focus heavily on the things they love and that they are good at, while at the same time gently scaffolding areas of challenge. Suggested Resources The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide by Sienna Castellon Being Twice Exceptional by Melanie Hayes To be gifted and learning disabled: Strength-based strategies for helping twice-exceptional students with LD, ADHD, ASD, and more by Susan Baum, Robin Schader, and Steven Owen About the Author. Marni Kammersell is a neurodiversity educator, specializing in supporting parents and families in creating liberatory, neuro-affirming family and educational cultures. Marni is a neurodivergent parent to three neurodivergent children who are also twice-exceptional. She is passionate about the neurodiversity paradigm, self-directed education, non-coercive relationships, and understanding experience through the lens of the nervous system. Marni is also a doctoral student at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education. She has over 15 years experience working in alternative education in a variety of settings, including homeschooling, unschooling, community education, democratic schools, and forest schools.

We at REEL are excited to collaborate with Barbara Pape, Senior Director of the Digital Promise® Learner Variability Project, as a guest blogger for this two-part series on supporting the twice-exceptional. Through our DEAR REEL model , we focus on the the importance of connection, flexibility, strengths, and supporting behaviors of the 2e, all of which are also core to the Learner Variability Project , a resource we often recommend to educators and families as they seek practical strategies to support differently wired learners. As the parent of a twice-exceptional learner herself as well as a researcher and practitioner, Barbara brings many insights to better understanding the twice-exceptional learner profile. This first part of her series focuses on her son’s experiences in the K12 journey, as well as the history and barriers that twice-exceptional learners and their educators face. The second part of the series, Bridges to Opportunity, outlines the key strategies to support the twice-exceptional, in particular as educators think about ways to address the range of learner variability present in any modern-day classroom. To craft this series, Barbara also interviewed several 2e adults and their parents about their educational experiences. During his preschool and kindergarten years, our son, Anthony, relished telling us stories that we would write down and then he would illustrate with spot-on detail. In first grade, he was thrilled to hear that his class would participate in Writer’s Workshop despite his unconventional pencil grip and stunningly inaccurate spelling. His teacher helped by having him record his story or taking his dictation. Masterfully, she made sure each student in her room had a strength that she publicly recognized. One student was awarded the “Spelling Champ” and would assist classmates if they had trouble spelling a word. Anthony enjoyed generating story ideas, so he was awarded the “Idea Kid” and if a classmate had difficulty coming up with something to write about, Anthony was the person to engage in a brainstorming session. We knew by then that Anthony had dyslexia and began to grasp his remarkable abilities–ranging from a vast vocabulary to an uncanny grasp of storytelling and advanced understanding of science. We were fortunate to have a brilliant teacher guide him through his first grade year. A Very Brief History of 2e While initial awareness of people who manifest both high strengths along with learning disabilities began in the early 20th century, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s-1990s that the term “twice exceptional (2e)” began to gain traction. Major research that was released addressed 2e students, including landmark studies from researchers such as Whitmore, Tobin, Gallagher, and Baum. These cumulative research efforts elevated the needs of students who required customized services to address strengths and scaffolding to allow them access to knowledge and opportunity.  Policy action followed, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 1988 . Among other statutes, the Act funded program development for underserved students that included gifted students with disabilities. Grants and the creation of several district-level programs (primarily on the East coast) were designed to provide those opportunities for students who were 2e. At the time, our son was in the Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools district, which had a strong gifted and talented and learning disabilities (GT/LD) program and team, and he benefited from the county’s Wings Mentor Program . While students with learning disabilities are covered under federal law 94-192, IDEA, that includes the Individual Education Program (IEP), there is no equivalent federal law for students identified as gifted. However, since 2007, denial of services could be considered discriminatory and deemed “inconsistent with Federal law (Section 504 and Title II) that require qualified 2e students be given the same opportunities to compete for and benefit from accelerated programs and classes as given to students without disabilities” and State law, which varies across the country, covers gifted students and their education (Reis et al., 2014, p. 218). For a concise history of twice exceptionality see Baldwin et al. (2015) Twice-Exceptional Learners: The Journey Toward a Shared Vision  and, Reis et al. (2014)  An Operational Definition of Twice-Exceptional Learners: Implications and Applications .  Who are Twice Exceptional (2E) students? Definitions of 2e have been modified over the years, but this one from The 2010 Commission on Twice Exceptional Students is the most comprehensive (Reis et al., 2014): Twice-exceptional learners are students who demonstrate the potential for high achievement or creative productivity in one or more domains such as math, science, technology, the social arts, the visual, spatial, or performing arts or other areas of human productivity AND who manifest one or more disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria. These disabilities include specific learning disabilities; speech and language disorders; emotional/behavioral disorders; physical disabilities; Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); or other health impairments, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These disabilities and high abilities combine to produce a unique population of students who may fail to demonstrate either high academic performance or specific disabilities. Their gifts may mask their disabilities and their disabilities may mask their gifts. According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), about two to five percent of school-age children are 2e, although some reports put the percentage higher. Yet, many 2e students are misdiagnosed, ignored, or receive inadequate intervention in either their gift or their disability. This especially holds true for students who are from historically and systemically excluded (HSE) populations. To illustrate, state and national exams find a growing gap at the top of the achievement scale between advanced students from low-income backgrounds and those with more financial advantages and, also, between white students and students of color ( National Association for Gifted Children ). Barriers to Opportunity “Teachers teach what they are taught.” That’s what a superintendent on a panel I moderated said when asked why many teachers are not engaged in the science of reading. Her comment applies to 2e teaching and learning, too. Teachers who are not exposed to courses and research  that can help them identify and address students who exhibit clear strengths and challenging weaknesses present a barrier to opportunity. Far too many teachers are introduced only to the deficit thinking associated with learning disabilities, which can lead to labeling, stigma, and stereotype threat. Some adults view having these “deficits” and being “gifted” as a conundrum, leading to comments from a teacher at Anthony’s middle school for gifted youth, who told us, “I’ve never seen a smart kid who can’t read.” Reis and colleagues discuss the “uneasiness” about recognizing the contradiction of giftedness and learning disabilities as based on “faulty ideas and stereotypical images associated with giftedness and disabilities, such as the belief that if you struggle with reading, you cannot be identified as gifted” (Reis et al., 2014, p. 223). Misunderstanding of young 2e people and their asynchronous development is common. Parent of 2e children and neurodiversity expert,  Amanda Morin , herself was an undiagnosed 2e learner during her school years. From her perspective, simply being recognized as gifted left her unprepared to “walk into a world” that is more diverse and at the same time filled with others who also are gifted. A barrier she often encountered with her children and was constantly asked, “Well, you're so good at this…why can’t you do that? You just aren’t trying hard enough.” Or, the pointing of fingers by some who believed that only if the parent could “get the child under control” there would be no problem. An example of asynchronous development that Amanda points out about her son: “He could do advanced math in his head, but didn’t have the language skills to explain how he got there. His emotional regulation skills were lacking and developmentally behind his math ability.” Amanda’s son, Jacob, who is autistic and identified as gifted, recalls how his highly inquisitive nature often got him in trouble. “They didn’t know how to deal with my constant questioning. If something didn’t make sense, or if I questioned how something was presented, even though none of it was done out of malice, teachers became wary of me. They presumed I was always doing something wrong and made everything a behavioral problem with detention as the only solution.”  Lack of a solid educational foundation in teaching students who are gifted with learning disabilities also exposes the inability to identify these students. A student’s strength can often mask their weakness, while a student’s weakness can mask strengths. I remember the difficulty explaining to some educators in Anthony’s early years that, even though his comprehension level seemed high, he required a formal evaluation of his reading. I could see that while he’d miss a lot of words, he was able to “power through” by relying on his deductive reasoning, vast vocabulary , and background knowledge  to decode reading passages. Anthony struggled with phonological awareness , a foundational reading skill essential to reading success and the ability to advance to more sophisticated text. “Seeing” 2e Learners The broader 2e definition (noted above) provides guidance in identifying these students, but it still remains complex for sundry reasons, including the co-occurrence of indicators, challenges of strengths and struggles masking one another, and the emotional interplay that may be distorted due to either the student’s strength or challenge.  Stevie Mayes, Executive Director of Michigan’s Council for Exceptional Children,  found testing instruments to be a student barrier. When Stevie was young, their mom initially served as their advocate; she knew Stevie was quite bright and also dyslexic. In high school, their accommodations were taken away because they did grade level work. The school only felt responsible to support Stevie in reaching grade level standards, rather than helping them grow their strengths and interests. Stevie felt frustrated, and still does, that their acumen in science was never recognized. While teachers gave them A+s in classroom work, their standardized test scores were low and Stevie was kept out of advanced placement science, despite teachers arguing for them to be there. “My low test scores stifled my academic growth in science, and that was frustrating.” Turning lemons into lemonade, when their IEP and accommodations were removed, Stevie learned and honed self-advocacy skills to stand up for what they needed to achieve their potential. Other barriers exist. For some educators, personal bias  can lead them to ignore gifted curriculum and acceleration options. Also, students from under-resourced communities may also be overlooked, especially given that they typically cannot afford expensive private assessments and tutoring . And, too often, even when teachers want to provide for 2e students, they do not have the time, support, or professional learning  to do so. In a  2019 Learner Variability Project National survey , nine in 10 teachers, about eight in 10 Americans overall, and three-quarters of parents say that teachers don’t have the support they need to focus on students’ learner variability. Most say teachers’ time and professional learning opportunities are lacking as well. Those results mark a broad gap between what the public wants, a focus on each student’s learner variability, and what they believe schools are able to provide. Anthony and Jacob both mentioned the difficulty they see when a teacher has 25+ students in a classroom and doesn’t have the support they need to customize for students, especially those identified as 2e. All three former students wondered if teachers had the professional development or undergraduate college experience that could support their efforts to engage 2e students. Respondents to REEL’s 2024 Silicon Valley Educator Survey agree with the lack of opportunity to prepare to teach these learners. As one commented, “It would be so helpful to have PD for teachers who have these students. Often these students are their least favorite, but in reality they might be the most capable in the class.” Another shared, "The diversity I have found in the classroom is the greatest challenge. Students have multiple labels and needs. Trying to reach them all is an everyday struggle. Yet, the one thing I can do to support these students is to broaden my understanding of their unique needs." It’s clear that teachers need more support in addressing learner variability in the classroom, including their twice-exceptional students who are so often misunderstood or overlooked. What is learner variability? It is an evidence based concept that recognizes “each of us go to school with a backpack filled with very different experiences that we draw from to master content, create meaning, work in groups, share our voice, and achieve our potential.” These factors of learning are holistic, interconnected, and can change according to context. For more information: Learner Variability Is the Rule, Not the Exception  (Pape, 2018). Ready to learn about effective strategies to support 2e learners by acknowledging and supporting their learner variability? Check out the second part of this series: Twice Exceptional: Bridges to Opportunity . For more information, including on the Learner Variability Navigator, contact: Barbara Pape, Senior Director of the Learner Variability Project at Digital Promise, bpape@digitalpromise.org Digital Promise is a trademark of Digital Promise Global, registered in the United States and other countries, used with permission. Click here to see the list of the citations in this article.

By Callie Turk, Co-Founder, REEL It’s estimated that there are four times as many boys diagnosed with autism as girls; but researchers believe the incidence may be closer to three to one if only autism in girls were better understood (Ratto, 2020). This has massive implications for our ability to provide important early intervention services for girls who could benefit from them. If you listen to stories from females who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition in their teens or even later, it is clear that they have experienced years of suffering, neither understanding themselves nor being understood by others. Many have been misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as eating disorders, and endured severe bouts of anxiety and depression before finally receiving a long overdue autism diagnosis. Which is why a recent post in one of my 2e (people who are bright and have learning disabilities such as autism spectrum conditions) Facebook groups grabbed my attention: For those of you who have 2e daughters or identify as 2e and female yourself, do you wish there were more resources specifically focused on 2e females? Hat tip to the incredible Julie Withrow for this question, which sparked a heartfelt and meaningful conversation for many parents in the group with 2e daughters. The answer? Yes, we definitely wish there were more resources. Here’s the thing. I’m the mom of a 2e, autistic teen girl. She was identified as gifted at age 8 and diagnosed with autism at 12 ½. Looking back on the journey, though, the signs were there. The skin picking, the social challenges, the sensory issues, the passions. But, as a generally well-behaved girl with a high IQ and mad writing skills, it was easy not to see. Too easy. Because the DSM-V and all the representations of autism in our society don’t reflect the female experience. Julie Withrow is the mom of a 2e daughter as well and is answering the call for more resources by launching a podcast called Exceptional Girls ( www.exceptionalgirlspodcast.com ) later this spring. I felt this same pull in a grad school class I took through the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education in the fall of 2020, working with classmates to create a presentation called Neurodiversity through the Female Lens. As soon as I saw Julie’s post, I reached out to her to say “let’s connect!” I wanted to share all of the resources and research I’d gathered to help propel her journey forward. And then, I wondered, why haven’t I shared this list already? Wouldn’t people in our REEL community also be interested in this topic? And what resources might our community also know about? Shouldn’t we crowdsource some of this? So, without further ado, we present the Females on the Spectrum references list , with information on books, videos, articles, research papers, and conference presentations centered on this important and yet often overlooked topic. We’ll soon work on resource lists for Females + ADHD and Females + Dyslexia. Understanding the true nature of our children’s challenges and identifying their unique strengths provides the information we need to help them chart a pathway for life. And girls deserve to understand themselves and be understood as much as boys every dang day of the week. Reference Ratto, A. B. (2020). Commentary: What’s so special about girls on the autism spectrum? – a commentary on Kaat et al. (2020). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 62 (1), 107-109. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13284

“Help, I am freaking out! Will my child ever get into, let alone graduate, from college?” When our 2-e kids are little, we put a lot of effort into finding the best-fit school for them, and we are not afraid to change if the fit isn’t right. In many ways, we need to approach college in the same way. The good news is there are many more options for college-bound students than elementary and secondary school students; for the right college, students can potentially go anywhere in the country or even the world. Additionally, college-aged kids have a lot more agency. They can assert their preferences more vocally, exercise autonomy in decision-making, and actively engage in their own perseverance and achievement. “That sounds great, but all I hear is that college is ridiculously hard to get into.” There is a lot of noise around college admissions, which can be scary. If you listen to the news or social media, you may think that students need straight As, perfect SAT/ACTs, and many extracurriculars, including volunteering and sports or band, etc., to get into a “good” college. One may think, wait a minute, my child is brilliant but still gets Bs and even Cs, or my child doesn’t have the energy for extracurriculars, they still need to take mental health days, they will never sit for a standardized test, my child only wants to study (______) fill in the blank , or even my child never remembers to take their meds, and still struggles to make friends, etc. How can my child possibly succeed in this world? Let’s look at the college landscape. There are over 4,000 2-year and 4-year colleges in the US. Of the 2,500+ 4-year schools, only about 115 have a less than 30% admit rate. Fewer than 10% have an admit rate of less than 50%  Almost 20% have an admit rate greater than 90% Closer to home in California, we have an excellent and expansive 3-tier public higher education system, including nine undergraduate University of California institutions (UCs ), the state’s primary academic research institutions, and 23 California State Universities (CSUs).  Selectivity, programming, support, and campus culture vary significantly across the system. In addition, there are more than one hundred California Community Colleges with excellent transfer programs to both the UCs and CSUs. The UC system has a system-wide commitment of a 2-1 freshman-to-transfer ratio, and  ~95% of UC transfers come from California Community Colleges. California is also home to another 150 or so private non-profit colleges and universities.   “Well, it sounds like there are options, but that still leaves the question: can my child succeed in college? What types of supports are available?”   Success in college largely depends on finding the right fit – this is true for neurotypical as well as neurodiverse learners. What most people may not know, especially those looking at colleges for the first time, is that there is a vast range of options available.   Let’s talk about accommodations and campus support. The laws covering post-secondary education differ from those covering K-12 education, so the level and type of support can vary. Colleges accepting federal money must adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 E, and offer basic accommodations to create “access” to the curriculum, housing, and campus activities, but not necessarily student “success.” At some colleges, students may have access to many of the same accommodations they had in high school; however, many high school accommodations will not carry over. Each campus's Office of Disability/Accessibility Services will make these decisions. (Note: students will not be eligible for curriculum modifications in college.) If we think about a continuum of support,  at one end, we have campuses offering basic accommodations. Examples of Common College Accommodations Classroom Accommodations Extended time on exams Breaks during tests Alternate (reduced distraction) testing sites Use of laptops for tests/exams and note-taking Use of calculators for tests and exams Use of spell checker Note-taking accommodations (permission to record lectures, have note taker) Access to assistive technology (audiobooks, text-to-speech, voice recognition software   Additional Accommodations Priority registration for courses Reduced course load  Course substitutions (especially in math and foreign languages) Housing accommodations (e.g., a single room or in a specific location) Service and assistance animals At the other end of the spectrum, we have schools with very specific structured programs to support students one-on-one with LDs or ASD. Often, there is a fee for these more comprehensive programs. The University of Arizona SALT Program is one of the most well-known; nearby, we also have the UCAM program at Southern Oregon University. If you are open to looking farther away, there are many other programs nationwide. Programs can vary from college to college in terms of their focus (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, etc.), level of support, and cost. Landmark College in Vermont and Beacon College in Florida are two colleges dedicated to exclusively serving students with learning differences; at these two colleges, comprehensive support is intentionally designed into their academic and residential programs. Structured Support Program Offerings One-one coaching one or more times a week Specialized tutoring beyond what is offered to the general student body Small group programming (academic, social, and vocational skill building) Social supports Peer Mentors/Campus Allies Behavior modeling Specialized social events Special housing (students may live together/co-adjacent) Pre-orientation programming Between basic support and structured support programs, a third cluster of colleges and universities offer more comprehensive support and programming than the basic, but not to the level of the structured support programs. There is a lot of gradation in terms of the level of support across these schools.   “Let’s cycle back to the colleges for a minute. Beyond accommodations, is there anything we should look for?”   Absolutely!  As for any college-bound student, 2-E students should be looking at the whole range of characteristics of fit, such as academic programs, campus size and location, social and extracurricular opportunities, etc.  2-E kiddos are much more than their disabilities. The mission, culture, and academic and social programming can all make a difference. A school may not offer structured or comprehensive support but may still be a great fit. For example, there are what I like to call the “warm hug” schools. These are schools that offer a supportive environment to all students. These tend to be the smaller liberal arts schools that offer smaller class sizes, robust advising, and accessible and engaged professors. The 2-E student may be less likely to get lost in this environment. The Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL) website is a good starting point for looking at these schools. Another consideration could include the emphasis and flexibility of the curriculum and general education requirements; can students focus on the subjects that interest them? Can they minimize the requirements in areas that might be impacted by their disability, such as math or world language? Some students may look for programs emphasizing experiential or hands-on learning and/or co-op programs, while others seek research opportunities or discussion-based classes. The structure of the academic calendar can also be influential; students may prefer a semester or quarter-based system or even a block schedule where, depending on the school, students take 1-3 classes at a time in a condensed time frame. Finally, the campus culture and extracurriculars can play an important role for 2-E students; students will thrive in an environment where they can find their people and engage in extracurricular activities that are important to them.   “Wow, we have covered a lot of information! Is there anything else you would like to add?”   There are many opportunities for kids who want to go to college and whose mental health is in a good place; it is important to know that there is no one model or way of doing things. Like our kids, the college programs are not one size fits all. Help your student figure out what they need to be successful, help them learn to advocate for their needs, and then look for schools whose programs and supports align with these needs.  Don’t be discouraged if your student’s path is not straight or if your student needs to take a year off before or during college; you are playing the long game, and a year or two isn’t going to matter. The world is changing, maybe not as fast as we would like, but it is changing. More schools are recognizing and supporting neurodiverse students and students with learning differences. About the author   Helen Amick was born, raised, and educated primarily on the East Coast; she moved to California after business school to begin a career in strategy consulting almost 30 years ago. Helen is now a committed Californian but has strived to raise her three kids to be “bicoastal.” She has two kids in college (one on the East Coast and the other in the Mid-Atlantic region), and her third is a senior in high school, winding down his college search. Helen completed the UC-Irvine Independent Educational Consultant certificate program and is launching her career as an Independent Educational Consultant; she is passionate about helping all students, including those with ASD or LDs, find their best-fit college. She can be reached at helen_amick@yahoo.com .