We Call It Juice
“Thank you - I am so glad we found you!”
“So great to hear all the cool things IOB is doing!”
“My daughter absolutely loved joining in yesterday, when is the next one?”
“What is all this Juice Talk?”
I am really lucky, I get to hear lots of happy stories. We here at IOB call it, "Juice." Juice is representative of all the good stories we get to share—stuff that makes us happy, proud, and know we are doing important and meaningful work. Stories that families are willing to share because they see their son or daughter engaged, thriving, creating, exploring, and finding a sense of connection and community.
Our Fall Guide to Distance Learning just arrived on doorsteps and honestly, between the families who posted pictures of the catalog to the mentors proudly holding theirs up in workshops—it really does make me incredibly humbled and honored looking at all that has blossomed here at Islands of Brilliance.
I am also really lucky because I know what it is like to walk in these shoes. As a parent of a child who lives with autism, finding a place where I can trust that my son will not be bullied or made to feel less than, a place where his unique voice, ideas, and creativity are not just welcomed but encouraged, and to find an amazing group of people—staff, mentors, volunteers, you name it—who all believe in doing something that feels right, that feels good. It feels like home.
Home, community, belonging. That is not an easy thing for parents to find as they navigate the world while loving and supporting a child with autism. It can be very lonely and very scary. And exhausting. At times you feel like no one else gets it. That there are so many things that don’t work for your child and why can’t there be a place where he/she fits in?
And that is why we love what we do. That is why we created Islands of Brilliance—design something FOR kids who live with autism. Rather than expect them to adapt to the environment, we create the ideal environment.
We were able to do that in person for years and loved it. The feeling was palpable—that joy factor as you walked through the door. But then we were handed lemons. And just like the saying goes, we made lemonade.
Online experiences can be fun, engaging, motivating, and yes, something to look forward to. That is why we are offering more programming now than ever. Parents need a place that they trust. And students need a place that is familiar, welcoming, and lets them think and create. Like the Doodle Lounge—a space for kids to just hang out, create, share and relax. Or a Smactivity Workshop. What's that you ask? It's a session that digs deep into a particular topic like superheroes or going on an island getaway. Students let their imaginations guide them on a different journey each class. Or Friday get-togethers with the Brilliant Breakfast Club—a peer group that socializes, chats and works together to navigate the world of growing up.
I have had the pleasure of chatting with so many parents and often the question is basically this: Will this be the place where my child (or young adult) will actually want to go the first time, engage, and then want to go back to again?
Often this is the case because our unique kids have had plenty of negative experiences. Classes that didn’t go well (social skills classes anyone?), kids who didn’t understand why someone would prefer to wear the same shirt each day and were cruel, even teachers who struggled to see the reason why that student just couldn’t access their classroom. I have heard a lot. And I have lived it as well. That is why we do our best to meet each student exactly where they are.
Don’t want to turn the camera on just yet? No worries. Want to do yet another project about Minecraft? Cool! Ask us the same questions each day? We get it. Our model is to welcome but also to coach. It’s a little harder but allows students to develop a better understanding of why we might not want to hear that same story over and over. We understand. It isn’t easy. It requires patience and empathy, but that is who we are at IOB.
And that is why I feel so lucky. I get to see the screenshots of the smiling faces after a workshop. I get to hear the, “She LOVED it,” from the parents, and just as importantly, “The best hour of the week,” from our incredible mentors.
Yes, we call it “Juice”. The team at IOB loves to share their happy "juice" stories and there are always smiling emojis that accompany the sharing. Even staff members who aren't on hand to experience the joy are able to collectively celebrate student successes with a good pouring of "IOB juice." It makes sense that for the IOB team, it felt like Christmas when people got that catalog in their mailboxes. Because as a parent, finding that place you trust, a place where your kiddo is excited to go, and then so proud to share their accomplishments, that does feel like a present, one that offers a sense of welcome and community that is often hard to find, but can now be easily accessed.
So yes, I am really lucky. The Team here at Islands of Brilliance is really lucky. And as we have heard time and time again from parents, We are so lucky we found you! Anyone want to celebrate (aka cheers!) with a tall glass of Juice?
