This guest post is Thomas Mattey, a young man on the autism spectrum who was accepted into Baldwin Wallace University. Thomas is applying for the Spring 2025 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4 and you can read more about my organization here.
Autistics on Autism the Next Chapter: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams will be released on Amazon on 3/25/25 and looks at the lives over 75 Autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to supporting our nonprofits many initiatives, like this scholarship program. Check out the book here.
Education, protection of my Civil Rights as a student with autism and Literacy is what the fundamental of justice means to me.
My name is Tommy Mattey I have autism, dyslexia and a comorbidities of other learning differences.
In an ideal world, every student, especially those with neurodiversity and learning differences, would receive the support they need to succeed. However, that is often not the case. The majority of schools, both public and private, do not provide supports, timely or evidence-based interventions for autism. When the evidence-based interventions are not implemented as early intervention with fidelity for students like me with autism, it has often made me feel like I was being held back and excluded from showing what we are actually capable of.
Education is a foundational skill for accessing education, employment, and other imperative skills. Without the ability to achieve and education, read and write, students like me are excluded from many opportunities for advancement. Besides the injustice to a basic human right, I cannot tell you about the last time I received a Student of the Month award. I am kind, diligent, do my best and often work twice as hard. While that is not necessarily an injustice, I can tell you how it feels like it is one. This exclusion is shown to perpetuate cycles of poverty and has been shown to be the pipeline to prison. I would like to fight for this justice for all. Now, while in college, graduate school and/or after I graduate, I plan to fight for justice for all. While I had signs of autism since I was two years old, my mom and I met with my school year after year because I remained unable to access my education but to no avail, it wasn’t until I entered 7th grade reading at a 2nd grade level that my parents had to hire an educational lawyer for both my younger brother, also with autism and dyslexic, and for me. After spending over $70,000.00 in advocacy, multiple lawyers, advocates, parent mentors and parent training courses, my brother and I were finally afforded programs and supports that could help us succeed.
My story sounds like an injustice but it is not. As a result of my story and the thousands of dollars my family had to spend on advocacy for justice, our family started a 501(c)(3) the very day my brother and I started our autism supports and Orton Gillingham program. We realized as a family that if my brother and I went undiagnosed and under supported, many others were too. My mom started OPEN-Bees to ensure justice for every child with autism, dyslexia and other learning differences. All of the advocacy is free, and it is driven by families like mine that volunteer their expertise, firsthand stories from students like me and experiences in hopes for earlier identification. Justice. Justice for all.
There are many others that have supported me both directly and indirectly, Nana, Maggi Wulff, Attorney Kerry Agins, my tutor, Greer Cerveney, Dr. Jennifer Murphy, Brett Tingley, Dr. Rebecca Tolson, Kareen Jabbar Weaver, Dr. Nadine Gaab, Morgan Amend, Lori Josephson, Emily Hanford (https://features.apmreports.
After I graduate from Baldwin Wallace University, I plan on forming sport supports with peers both inside of the educational system and as extracurricular activities. I was left out of so many sports as a child that simply did not understand the rules or the cues. A buddy system with peers that have a passion or simply are looking for service hours can help so many children and students like me at a much earlier age. I think back to the peers on my soccer team who knew I was struggling with the rules and where to even go. I would like to be that Difference Maker and change the lives of so many. I know a handful of young teens that did this for me and I am certain they did not even know my name or disability.
The very words I have lived by since graduating out of Help Me Grow and my speech therapy services are none other than that of Civil Rights Activist and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 until his death in 2020.
If not us, then who? If not now, then when?
– John Lewis
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education. Help us continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Also, consider having Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
