From Awareness to Acceptance
For many, April brings a time to reach out to their loved ones, wear blue, and educate and empower those around them. April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day. The goal is to teach others about autism spectrum disorder (ASD or autism). Answer questions like how the world can bring awareness and acceptance to help […]
Heather Hernandez Sedillo
When we asked Heather what her superpower was, she responded Therapeutic Horsemanship. For many, therapeutic horsemanship help with proprioception, sensory integration, communication, balance, attention, anxiety relief, and much more! Therapeutic Horsemanship has many similar beneficial qualities as dogs in Animal Assisted Therapy. Heather Hernandez is the Executive Director of Reining Strength, whose mission is to […]
Ellie Schmidt
Hope For Three is excited to introduce the first child living with autism to finish their puzzle in the Felicia Smith Jigsaw Puzzle 2022 Competition, Ellie Schmidt! Ellie is ten years old and in the fourth grade at Pecan Grove Elementary! Ellis loves reading, Legos, drawing, Barbies, Singing, and swimming! Swimming is a new hobby […]
Why is the Term “Asperger Syndrome” No Longer Used?
Asperger Syndrome began the beginning stages of study in 1944 by Hans Asperger. Asperger was a child psychologist who recognized a few boys he studied with average intelligence and language development that still portrayed behaviors aligned with Autism. These behaviors include a lack of social interactions, understanding nonverbal communication, obsession with a specific subject, and […]
Monica De LA Haya Moffitt
Hope For Three is thrilled to announce and introduce Monica De La Haya Moffitt as our February Autism Superhero! Monica is an autism mom and has a deep passion for working with atypical children and young adults as a therapist. Monica recalls having no direction before giving birth to her (and ours!) All-Star, Augustin. The […]
Augustin “Auggie” Miguel Villarreal
Hope For Three is honored to announce our February Autism All-Star, eighteen-year-old Augustin (“Auggie”), a senior at Kempner High School. Auggie is a man of many talents, one being his love for history and unbelievable mathematic ability! Auggie has made serious strides (literally) on his Cross Country and Track team and made many connections doing […]
Dana Walker
Dana Walker never imagined where her drive, motivation, love, and compassion would take her. Having a son with autism, she quickly became passionate about autism advocacy and uses her determination to make a difference in the world to help others like her son. Dana wants to leave a positive change in the world and make […]
Brooke Alam
We are excited to announce our December Autism Superhero, Brooke Alam! Brooke’s superpower can be described as putting the unseen, precious moments, into something visible and beautiful. Brooke specializes in making custom sound wave art, which has taken off as an art company called Rindle Waves. Brooke captures special moments: baby’s first heartbeat, wedding vows, […]
Santiago Montoya
Please meet the curious, smart, funny, and entertaining Santiago Montoya, an energetic two-year-old boy who is loving, supported, and a perfect example of how early interventions can be essential for growth and further development after an autism diagnosis. Diagnosed at one year and 11 months, Santiago is a sweet boy, who loves horses, playing outside, […]
Joseph “Jojo” Thomas
Meet the incredibly gifted Joseph “Jojo” Thomas, Hope For Three’s November Autism All-Star. Jojo is an 18-year-old entrepreneur who attends a local private school in Fort Bend County. When Joseph was born, he was diagnosed with a rare medical condition, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome is a genetic disorder in which stature, specific facial features, and […]
Nycole McMahon
Meet Hope For Three’s November SuperHero, Nycole McMahon. When we asked Nycole what her superpower is she responded “I have a big heart and a passion to help others and support the ASD community.” For those who do not know, Nycole is the creator of our Autism All-Star program! She began writing about our children’s […]
Tessa & Michael
When we asked Tessa and Michael Schmidt what their superpower is, they responded Autism Advocacy! Here is how their superpower came to be: “Our oldest daughter Ellie was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when she was 3 years old. Since then our family has become her advocate and we’ve made so many special friends in […]
Tanner Schultz
We are excited to announce and introduce Hope For Three’s October Autism All-Star, twelve-year-old Tanner Schultz! Tanner is a fifth grader at Frost Elementary and has a deep love and knowledge for football; just like his eldest brother. Tanner also loves video games and is very tactical with his gameplay. Currently, his favorite game is […]
Gustavo Amezaga
Hello our September Super Hero, Gustavo Amezaga!! When we asked Mr. Amezaga what his super power was, he surprisingly said “I turn wood into beautiful things.” After losing his job due to COVID, him and an acquaintance began building custom furniture and cabinets. Taking people’s visions and bringing them to fruition. He has also found […]
Felipe De Jesus Jr. Carranza
Meet Felipe De Jesus Jr. Carranza, Hope For Three’s talented and innovative September Autism All-Star. Felipe comes from a devoted and caring family and is the youngest of two. He and his older sister Carmen are incredibly close. He loves attending church, riding his bike, gaming, music, and Chick-fil-A. At age 2 ½ years old, […]
Kayra King
Meet Kayra King, Hope For Three’s brave August Autism All-Star with a passion for life. Kayra was diagnosed with autism, speech impairment, and intellectual disability at three and a half years. Even so, she refuses to let these diagnoses stop her from living her best life. Kayra started reading at just four years old and […]
Wendi Akers
Meet Hope For Three’s August Superhero, Wendi Akers. Wendi is the Superpower behind the Special Needs Ministry and iFit at River Pointe Church Richmond. We ask, What’s your superpower? I’m a super planner! Why? I love to plan events and thinking things through and organizing events is a gift God gave me!
John Fletcher
Meet John Fletcher III, affectionately known as J3, and Hope For Three’s July Autism All-Star!! J3 loves to travel, spend time with his family, and is a dedicated athlete and creative genius!! J3 was diagnosed in 2016 at the age of five with autism. At ten years old, he is heading to 5th grade at […]
Hope For Three Creates First Autism Awareness License Plate in Texas
Sugar Land, TX (June 25, 2021) – Following the end of this year’s 87th Texas legislative session, Hope For Three Autism Advocates received approval for Texas’ first autism-related specialty license plate. The new plates are available for purchase from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in September for $30 annually, or with five-letter customization for […]
Maddy Lee
Meet Hope For Three’s talented June Autism All-star with a heart as big as Texas, Maddy Lee! Maddy is a rising 7th grader at Pershing Middle School who enjoys playing the piano and singing. She lives with her younger brother, Jaxson, and her parents, Margaret and Edmond. She has two pets; a dog named Luna […]
The “Up and Coming” Therapy
Many “up and coming” therapies, “cures,” and suggestions to handle or aid in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD or autism) have shown face in the last several years. Though most are bogus and unproven to work, one therapy has shown very promising results recently, Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)! Animals have been revolutionizing the medical world for […]
Eric Murdock
Meet Eric Murdock, Hope For Three’s miraculous May Autism All-star. Eric was born severely premature at just 26 weeks. He weighed 1 pound 3 ounces and was only 13 inches long. He spent the first three months of his life in the NICU before being released to go home with a breathing machine and had […]
How Autism Is Impacting Graduation Rates
College is a challenging time for every student, but for those individuals with autism, it can be incredibly difficult. The transition from the relative structure of high school to the vastly different processes of college can be a big hurdle to overcome. These challenges mean that less than 20% of students with autism had graduated […]
Grant Manier
Meet gentle giant Grant Manier, Hope For Three’s April Autism All-Star!! Grant is a 25-year-old Eco-Artist and co-author of the award-winning children’s book series GRANT the Jigsaw Giraffe. He has gained national acclaim and considerable recognition for his incredible artwork and charitable heart. Grant was diagnosed on the spectrum at eight years old after demonstrating […]