April is Autism Awareness month, and in recognition, this Saturday, April 26, at 7 a.m., Patriot High School will host a 5K run at its location on Kettle Run Road in Nokesville.
Runners and walkers will stay on Patriot High School and T. Clay Elementary campuses. There will be two tracks available. One of the tracks will circle Patriot 13 times. The other track will go around the premises of Patriot and T. Clay 3-4 times.
“This 5K is all about providing more education and awareness to our community about individuals with Autism,” said Brook Bell, Special Education Teacher at Patriot. In her life skills and employment classes, Bell works with students who have Autism.
The run is the brainchild of Patriot’s Interact Club, a school group based off the Rotary Club and sponsored by Bell.
Shelby Blanton, President of the Interact Club said they wanted to hold the run because “a goal of the Interact Club is to further educate staff and students of Patriot about Autism. This year the Interact Club sponsor, Ms. Bell, and myself decided to host our first annual 5K walk / run with the support of the club officers and members to help raise awareness for Autism in our school and community.”
Blanton said the run is an extension of the school’s efforts to promote autism awareness.
“We have been hyping up April's Autism Awareness throughout our school community since Patriot opened in 2011. The past two years, we have sold t-shirts, provided facts each morning on the announcements about Autism, sold bracelets, created videos about Patriot students who have Autism and this year, we wanted to take it one step further.”
Bell said Patriot's Interact Club is trying to show the world that individuals with Autism may be different but not less, an idea stemming from Dr. Temple Grandin who has Autism and has been extremely successful as a professor, inventor and best-selling author.
Bell said she might be the teacher at Patriot, but the real teachers are her students.
“April is just one month,” Bell said. “Individuals with Autism have it all the time...it's not just a one month show...it's a lifetime for many. Being able to better educate and spread the word will only help individuals live their lives on a day-to-day basis.”
“I am thrilled and honored to be the President of the Interact Club and to be hosting our first 5K at Patriot High School,” Blanton said. “Working with children with Autism is a passion of mine that fills my heart with joy and love. Our support offers them everlasting care, love, friendship and strength.”
There are over 175 participants signed up for the 5K, and the school has obtained sponsorships and donations from local businesses.
All proceeds will go directly to the Manassas-based Mathew’s Center, a school for students with Autism and related disorders.
Readers can sign up to run online via signmeup.com.
Support Bristow Beat - Donate Today!