Marlins champion inclusivity through Autism Acceptance Night and sensory rooms
The loud cheers, the celebratory music and lights and all the other exciting stimulation that make up the fun at a baseball game can be just too much for families affected by autism.
But in mid-April, attendees of the Miami Marlins game against the San Francisco Giants were treated to more than one winning experience when ABA Centers of Florida took over loanDepot Park as sponsor for the annual Autism Acceptance Night.
The outing allowed children to apply their autism care lessons to a real-life situation while their assigned behavior therapists provided one-on-one support to help navigate the exhilarating environment.
ABA Centers of Florida also offered a private space staffed with autism therapists for its clients and their families to view the game.
One 3-year-old, at his very first baseball game, delivered the lineup card hand-in-hand with his mom.
Three other youngsters received once-in-a-lifetime experiences when they ran on the field, their behavior therapists by their sides, to swap out the bases before the seventh inning.
The children took to the field again for the seventh-inning stretch and led the entire arena in a singalong of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
“With ABA Centers of Florida, I promised that I would provide our kiddos with the kinds of experiences that my own daughter missed out on,” said Christopher Barnett, Founder of ABA Centers.
“I’m so thankful to the Miami Marlins for championing inclusivity and treating our clients - and everyone within the neurodivergent community - with such compassion and respect.”
In March, on opening day, ABA Centers of Florida hosted a naming ceremony of the ballpark’s sensory room on the fifth -loor Legends Level. The room provides solace to guests who may become overstimulated by the noise and bright lights.
And while the sensory room was created with the neurodivergent community in mind, all loanDepot park guests are welcome to visit the space at baseball and non-baseball events throughout the season.
ABA Centers of Florida also provides sensory bags that include headphones and other items to provide another layer of overstimulation alleviation. The sensory bags can be requested at the loanDepot park guest services desk. Learn more at www.abacentersfl.com and www.mlb.com/marlins/ballpark/specialty-rooms
YOUTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM LAUNCHED
South Florida high school students who love the natural world can now learn about “conservation through community,” and earn service hours, through a new summer edition of the award-winning Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program.
Applications close June 16. The Tropical Audubon Society High School Ambassador Program is open to any incoming or current high school student, or any recent 2024 graduate. Apply at /tropicalaudubon.org/high-school-ambassador-program
This inaugural high school version of the environmental series was launched “to help empower a new generation of young leaders to become more engaged, educated and effective environmental advocates.”
“Bending the Curve” is free and will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, July 1-July 17, through a virtual Zoom format. A field trip to Everglades National Park will be July 13. Graduation will be July 20.
In addition to earning up to 25 service hours, aspiring High School Ambassadors will receive advocacy training from environmental experts and gain a deeper understanding of our region’s indigenous wildlife and cornerstone ecosystems — The Everglades, Biscayne Bay, Pine Rocklands and Tropical Hardwood Hammocks.
YOUNG ARTISTS HONORED AT ARTS FEST
Continuing its longstanding tradition of honoring local students who excel in creative arts, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Board of Directors announced 16 winners for the 2024 scholarship program.
Each of the Miami-Dade County high-school scholarship recipients was awarded a $3,000 check during a family-and-friends ceremony where works by the talented artists were exhibited.
“These young artists are beyond remarkable,” said Chairman of the Board Dave Hill. “To be able to honor the outstanding contributions of budding artists in our community, in addition to helping further their education, is simply the best and most important task that our Board undertakes each year.”
The following graduating seniors are the 2024 recipients of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Scholarship program: Federica Atabaki, Lizandra Amador, Nicole Bosch, Sandro Daniel Castellanos, Katrine Eliev, Sophia Kessler, Rocio Laucerica, Ashani Lillie, Saily Milian, Cing Nuam, Hannah Mesa, Elise Olazabal, Jeannie Paguaga, Sophia Regalado-McCoy, Manola Silva-Hanson, and Sasha Stoppi. More is at cgaf.com/.
KIDS CAN ENTER FINANCIAL CONTEST
Students across the country between the ages of 8 and 12 are being encouraged to read a financial literacy book of their choosing and either write a 250-word essay or create an art project to show how they would apply what they learned to their daily lives. Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by June 28.
The 14th annual “I Got Bank!” National Financial Literacy Contest is presented by OneUnited Bank, the nation’s largest Black-owned bank. Ten children will win a $1,000 savings account.
To make financial literacy a core value for children, the Bank is offering a free “I Got Bank” e-Book. Teri Williams, OneUnited Bank president and author of “I Got Bank! What My Granddad Taught Me About Money,” wrote the book when she discovered there were not enough books geared toward educating urban youth about finances.
“Given the impact of inflation and shrinkflation, it’s important for families to become financially literate,” Williams said. “OneUnited Bank advocates for financial literacy to be taught in K-12 schools across America. Our contest and free e-book make it easy to teach children about the importance of savings and investments, good credit, home ownership, having a profitable business and other keys to building wealth.”
For more about the contest, visit www.oneunited.com/book
Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.
