Kemmerer Mayor Tony Tomassi welcomed students and teachers from Kemmerer High School to sign a proclamation declaring that the City of Kemmerer would join the school in observing April 2 as Autism Awareness Day. Front row: Jody Ball, Kylee Smith, Emmie Cooper, Tony Tomassi, Rebecca Ashliman, Afton Orvin, Karina Rivera and Shelby Swann. Back row: Kellsie Lindsay, Jordan Boyd, Thomas Mills, Drake Gauthier and Robert Clarke. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)

Students and teachers from Kemmerer Junior Senior High School joined Kemmerer mayor Tony Tomassi on Monday, March 26, to sign a proclamation declaring April 2 as Autism Awareness Day in Kemmerer.

April 2 is also recognized as World Autism Day, and April is observed as Austim Awareness Month.

Jody Ball is a special education teacher at Kemmerer Junior Senior High School.

Ball accompanied the students to City Hall to help the mayor sign the Autism Awareness Day proclamation. She said this awareness event is important.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t know about (autism) or understand the disability, and it really helps bring awareness and teach people,” Ball said.

Mayor Tomassi read the proclamation at the event and at the Kemmerer Council meeting that evening.

Autism spectrum disorder refers to a wide variety of medical conditions that can affect learning development, social skills and repetitive behaviors.

Ball said the challenges and strengths of autistic children vary.

“They often have a difficult time communicating,” Ball said. “It also involves social skills — some children learn these naturally, and others have to be taught directly.”

Autism affects one in 68 children in the United States and one in 42 American boys.

“That statistic really shocked me,” Mayor Tomassi said at the council meeting. “I think this proclamation is good, because it helps us create an informed public and a community committed to supporting these individuals.”

Ball said there are specific things members of the community can do to support children with autism.

“I think we can be patient and be considerate of their needs, as well as support the parents who have children with autism,” Ball said. “There’s not a lot of services in Kemmerer for children with special needs.”

Ball agreed with Tomassi’s statement that cooperation between the City of Kemmerer and the school is important for children and the community as a whole. 

“I feel that every child can learn, but they learn in different ways,” Ball said. “We need to understand as a community that (autistic children) have talents and abilities as well.”

For more information about World Austim Awareness Day, as well as symptoms of autism and resources for children and families dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder, visit autismspeaks.org.