ACEing Autism South Pasadena launched its inaugural program at the South Pasadena High School tennis courts on Oct. 21.
Program directors, SPHS sophomore Mailani Ramos-Platt, SPHS junior Zachary Lee and parent Fayven Lee worked closely with coach C.B. Richards, SPHS Athletic Director, and Justin Belisario, M.D., ACEing Autism Director of Program Operations, to bring the national nonprofit program to South Pasadena.
Individuals on the autism spectrum can have challenges with attention span, social skills, fine motor skills, gross motor skills and physical health intervention. Tennis can help them with fitness, learn turn-taking, social skills, and motor skills among other areas. ACEing Autism’s mission is to help children with autism grow, develop and benefit from social connections and fitness through affordable tennis programming.
Miles Vidreiro, ACEing Autism Program Quality Manager, trained 19 volunteers, many of whom are SPHS students who play tennis, and emphasized three main goals for the participants: exercise, social connectivity, and fun provided in an inclusive and safe environment.
The program launch had 10 participants from South Pasadena and Alhambra. The ACEing Autism South Pasadena volunteers helped to make the launch a success.
“It was lots of fun and [a] new experience for us. We appreciate it very much,” a parent said.
ACEing Autism South Pasadena runs for the next three Saturdays through Nov. 18 from 10-11 a.m. at the SPHS tennis courts.
For more information, please visit aceingautism.org.
First published in the November 3 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
