Marshall Co, WV: Elem school celebrates autism awareness/acceptance

April 8, 2025, WTRF TV, Triadelphia, WV: Center McMechen Elementary celebrates Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month 

 MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va (WTRF) – April is National Autism Awareness and Acceptance month, and one local elementary school hosted an event Monday morning to showcase everything students have learned.  

Every day last week, Center McMechen students participated in different lessons during library time that taught them about autism, acceptance and how to be a good friend.  

Between reading, creating crafts, watching videos and talking with teachers, the goal is for kids to embrace their differences and be kind to everyone.  

One of the main lessons was about AAC Talking Devices that students with autism use to help them communicate.  

Applied Behavior Analysis Pre-K Teacher Beth Ann Winland explains how these devices help both verbal and non-verbal students.  

“We work with them. Once they do well with the picture exchange, we move straight to that [talking device] and they are able to tell us what they want on there. And we are able to practice, you know, showing them how to use it. If you click on this, then you get this, how to say it with that. It’s absolutely their voice, even if they are not completely nonverbal, it’s an aid to their voice and helps them to communicate.”