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PCDA Honors Teen with Autism at Harvest Moon Fundraiser
Pasadena Independent Sep 23, 2015
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Jamaal and Teri Clipps. – Photo Courtesy of Bӓumle Studios
By J. Shadé Quintanilla
Jamaal Clipps walked with pride on Saturday night. Dressed in his best, he mingled and spoke with guests familiar and new at the Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA) Harvest Moon fundraiser and auction. He was honored that evening as the recipient for the PCDA Achievement Award.
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Clipps has come a long way from the introverted child he used to be. When his mother enrolled him in therapy at PCDA at the age of six, he had difficulty talking and interacting with others. He first started with one-on-one social skills therapy and then transitioned to a social skills group. At 13 years old, Clipps moved on to join the PCDA Teen Club program. He recently completed the program and now attends Pasadena City College where he participates in the swim team. He hopes to become a police officer when he finishes college.
Clipps owes a lot of progress and development to the PCDA Teen Club. Designed for teens with mild to moderate communication issues, the club is a socialization program that aims to help the participants form friendships, build confidence, and learn independence. The program is broken up into subgroups of three to six and meets twice a week. On Thursdays, the teens have discussions about topics, including how to deal with bullies, when to call 911 and how to order a meal at a restaurant. They also work together to plan activities for Saturday mornings. With $15 a month to spend, each group learns how to budget money and work together. Some of the activities in the past have focused on their vocational, socialization, and community service interests. From helping put together bulletin boards at Altadena Elementary School to learning how to apply for jobs at the Santa Anita mall, the teens engage in a wide range of fun activities that help them grow.
PCDA and the Teen Club have played a huge role in helping Clipps become the person he is today. By creating a safe and non-judgmental space, the Teen Club helped him build his confidence and gain the skills to make new friends.
Carolyn and Alexandra Watson. – Photo Courtesy of Bӓumle Studios
“I think he’s in his element here,” said Clipps’ mother, Terri, during a speech at the PCDA fundraiser. “It makes the future for him seem very open-that he’s been able to develop so many of the skills while being in the Teen Club that a lot of times we take for granted that our kids are going to get.”
The Teen Club is one of PCDA’s many programs and services. The non-profit organization provides professional training and family-based, multidisciplinary services for children with autism and other developmental concerns. Founded in 1997 by Dr. Diane Cullinane and Mimi Winer, the Pasadena-based organization focuses on social-emotional development and family relationships. It also uses the Individual Difference Relationship Floortime-based approach (DIR/Floortime), which is an approach that meets children at their developmental level and builds on their strengths and interests. Some of their services include feeding and nutritional services, speech and language therapy, social skills groups and more.
During the PCDA Harvest Moon fundraiser, Clipps was honored with the PCDA Achievement Award. Accepting the award with three of his friends from his Teen Club group, Clipps gave a speech to an audience of more than 200 guests, thanking the organization and his mother for their support.
Parent and designer Carolyn Watson was also given an award. Recognized for her volunteer work and advocacy for the organization, she received the PCDA Humanitarian Award. A mother of an autistic child, Watson is on the development committee and hosts fundraising events for the organization. With her company, Watson Design Group, she designed and created a play yard for the PCDA facility. She was also honored on Saturday with a dedication video from employees and children at PCDA and a special poem written about her.
PCDA raised thousands of dollars at their fundraiser through a silent and live auction. The money will be used to support the programs at PCDA and help fund children who need their services. Within the next year, the non-profit hopes to add a creative arts therapist to their team and start a summer camp.
Editor’s note: The PCDA already has a summer camp; more information can be found here: http://www.pcdateam.org/creativeartssummerprogram/
– Photo Courtesy of Bӓumle Studios
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