Continuing on her own

Called Triple A, the youth group for boys from first to 12th grade meets from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. each Friday at the Kootasca gymnasium.

The program was started by Roxanne Skogstad-Ditsch, an International Falls school district special needs instructor in the areas of special education, early childhood special education, deaf and hard of hearing and autism. She works with more than 40 people from birth to adulthood.

In addition, Skogstad-Ditsch is a sign language interpreter and manages an adult disabled group home with her spouse.

Aspergers syndrome is an autism disorder with relatively lighter delay symptoms involving language or cognitive development. The students are usually in a mainstream classroom setting where they face challenges with a condition that was identified less than 10 years ago.

Skogstad-Ditsch said that the school day does not allow enough time with the kids individually and no time to meet in groups. She developed an after-school program for Aspergers kids to meet together with activities that address physical coordination, social interaction, and repetitive behavior and interest patterns.

The informal setting is necessary, she said, especially for the younger kids to have fun while discussing sensitive issues and skills-building exercises. She said that the parents are happy with the program because their children are opening up to others about their disability.

“It’s really nice to see them be able to share with each other and not be shy about admitting they have Aspergers,” said Skogstad-Ditsch. “It has to do with relating to people mostly, so we do that and then we play games.”

The students like to use the word anxiety to describe Aspergers when discussing the symptoms of the condition. The important things, she said, is that they are discussing how they feel and how to respond to people when they don’t understand what they want from them.

“So instead of hiding it, we want to talk about it and still be able to feel good about everything going on with the kids.”

Skogstad-Ditsch said that the experience has been positive for the 10 or so kids that attend regularly. She would like to see more Aspergers youth in the area begin to attend.

The intent of the program, she said, is to look past the negative effects of Aspergers, and to take pride in themselves. She noted that Aspergers youth typically have at least one skill that is considered highly advanced to that of someone considered normal.

Skogstad-Ditsch said that the younger kids look up to the teenagers as role models, who in turn enjoy the mentor role. When these relationships are formed, it’s easier to work on problem solving skills and teach them how to advocate for themselves, she said.

A grant, made available through Boise Inc.’s employee safety award program, provided money for exercise equipment and board games.

“Boise has done a wonderful job with financially supporting the group using their safety dollar money to purchase equipment for the games and things,” she said.

The program operates as a Kootasca support group. Skogstad-Ditsch and her family volunteer their time for the program and cover the $350 fee for use of the gym.

She said Community Education programs often charge fees to cover materials and instructor hours. However, she said the fees for the use of the gym cannot be waived because they cover insurance costs.

Skogstad-Ditsch will not charge participants of the program. She said they are often from economically disadvantaged families and it might discourage attendance.

“The last thing I want is for families of kids with Aspergers to feel they would have to pay a fee to come to this, and I will not allow it,” she said.

Rachel Amdahl, Falls Community Education director and enrichment coordinator, said the gymnasium space will still be available to Triple A, but that the group must provide their own funding, as is required of any of the other support groups operating through Community Education.

Amdahl said that Triple A was funded by Community Education last spring, but must look for alternative sources for money this year.

With more than 30 years experience working and advocating for people with disabilities, Skogstad-Ditsch said she would like the community to take a closer look at how policies are prioritized. She would like for decision makers to think as the disabled, and consider how policies and funding cuts for essential programs would impact their lives.

It is inconsistent to have policies that encourage more disabled into the mainstream classroom, she said, when not providing enough time, staff and resources to modify materials and consult with instructors about accommodations for bigger classrooms.

Skogstad-Ditsch points to special needs educators and says, in a perfect world, they would be working more with students and spending less time on paperwork and other administrative roles.

Until this perfect world exists, Skogstad-Ditsch and people like her will continue to fill in the gaps.