Author Archives: Christina Morello

Alessandra Gesiotto Joins Love, Andrew Autism Foundation Team as Teen Ambassador

Ali and Andrew

Ali and Andrew

The Love, Andrew Autism Foundation is proud to announce the addition of Alessandra Gesiotto, Miss Ohio High School America, as Teen Ambassador for the organization. Gesiotto’s responsibilities include promoting autism awareness in the younger generation, promoting inclusion and acceptance of children with autism in school and everyday life, assisting with fundraising, promoting the Love, Andrew Autism Foundation statewide and nationally through social media and other channels.

“We are so pleased to have Ali as part of the team,” said Christina Morello, president of the Love, Andrew Autism Foundation board of directors. “Her empathetic nature, combined with her drive to succeed in all of her efforts make her the perfect teen role model for our organization.”

Gesiotto, a junior at Jackson High School, is no stranger to community service. The 17-year-old is a member of the F.U.S.E. (Friends Unite Students Everywhere) Club, which organizes inclusive social events for typical teens and their peers with special needs. Gesiotto, who was born with a heart defect, participates the yearly heart walk for the American Heart Association. She has worked with her family to raised more than 25,000 dollars in one night for the Wounded Warrior Project, and she has participated in and helped organize the Love, Andrew fashion show, Light Up the Runway for Autism.

“I am honored and delighted to be chosen as Teen Ambassador for the Love, Andrew Autism Foundation,” said Gesiotto. “It’s because of Andrew. His genuine outlook on life and ability to be himself in all situations is a message that needs to be shared with today’s teenagers.”

Gesiotto currently holds the title of Miss Ohio High School America, and will be competing for Miss Ohio Teen USA on November 7, 2015, in Springfield, OH. If she wins, Gesiotto plans to adopt the Love, Andrew Autism Foundation as her platform during her reign.

The Warstler Star Room

We’re on the move with our next Star Room!

Warslter Elementary is preparing space to become our next Star Room. Warstler put forth a lot of effort in creating an environment that addresses the needs of children with disabilities. Now the school is going forward to address the needs of children with autism and other spectrum disorders.

The Warstler room will be unique in our current constellation of Star Rooms in that it will feature an observation area. This will allow the school to become a training center so teachers and counselors can learn to develop the positive environment that’s been so critical to the success of our pilot Star Room. Attitude and approach are just as important as the reduced-stimulus environmental design, so this is a critical next step. Parents and teachers will be able to witness firsthand the positive effects on the children.

The Warstler Star Room expands our inclusive approach by serving as an environment for tutoring students who need a quiet space and as a resource for speech and occupational therapy.

After settling on an ideal location in the school, volunteers from Schumacher Homes are beginning prep work to transform the former classroom into a Star Room. Here are a few before images, showing the room that will become the Warstler Star Room.

Before Photos

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