Free Autism-Informed School Assembly Reaches One Million Students Globally
|
BUFFALO, N.Y., /PRNewswire/ -- Devin's Message Foundation has partnered with national youth speaker Brooks Gibbs to create an Autism-informed educational film that is being shown to schools in Western New York and expanding to more than 1,000 schools around the world for free. An estimated one million students will see the film. The film begins with an introduction by Joe Smajdor, founder of Devin's Message Foundation. Joe's grandson Devin Kurzdorfer committed suicide April 15, 2017 after endless bullying in school. He was a high-functioning autistic 15-year-old boy who struggled with social problems on campus and online. His mother, Toni Kurzdorfer, believes the years of cyber-bullying and harassment from other students in his high school led to his decision. Brooks Gibbs, the spokesman for the campaign, believes teaching Autism-informed social skills in schools will help empower kids like Devin to navigate social problems and avoid despair. "I was inspired by Devin's family to create a message that appealed to students of all learning abilities, especially those on the Autism spectrum. My message breaks down social aggression into three behavioral categories (Joking, Hurting, and Controlling) and I use entertaining role-playing games to demonstrate why people are mean and how to stop them. We de-mystify the subject of bullying and empower kids with the knowledge they need to solve their social problems." "Please continue to support us, as we grow, and help other students and parents understand how serious this problem is," Smajdor said. "Building emotional resilience and self-esteem in these children is the key to preventing these negative behaviors - and Gibbs has been a great source of wisdom to our community." Parents and educators can register to participate for free at GlobalSchoolAssembly.com. About Devin's Message Foundation About Brooks Gibbs
SOURCE Brooks Gibbs |
View original content: