In a quaint brick home with a sprawling acre of land located right off of Route 2 at the Calvert County line, you can find children from across Maryland gathering to play, communicate, and learn. You would also find parents, chatting about their week, providing advice, and helping each other understand that they are not alone.

The home houses The Autism Project (TAP) – a nonprofit organization that educates and empowers children on the autism spectrum, their families, and their communities. 

TAP was started by Angela Gaither-Parker who graduated with a B.S in Psychology and Physical Education and an M.S. in Special Education a decade ago, and who began working with high functioning students on the autism spectrum early in her career. She has since earned a graduate certificate in “Educating Students with Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders” from Johns Hopkins University.

“The kids who come to us have very diverse and specialized needs,” she explained. “We strive to work with each student at their developmental level while maintaining age appropriate activities that allow them to learn how to interact with peers effectively.”

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3. It impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.

Autism is diagnosed four times more often in boys than girls. Its prevalence is not affected by race, region, or socio-economic status. Since it was first diagnosed in the U.S., the occurrence has climbed to one in 150 people. Currently there is no cure, though with early intervention and treatment, the diverse symptoms related to autism can be greatly improved.

Typically, students with “high-performing” autism are found in regular classrooms, just with accommodations, like sitting closer to the teacher and having frequent work breaks that help them to focus and adapt. Often times, these students have sensory processing issues like sounds distracting them that throw them easily off track.

The most identifying trait of many autistic students is not their intellectual ability but their inability to relate to peers and, consequently, to make friends.

At TAP, parents request Ms. Gaither-Parker conduct a thorough study of their child’s history, diagnosis, and medical treatment, as well as visit the student’s school to anonymously observe potential participants in their school setting. Once her evaluation is over, she places the student in an age appropriate TAP group she believes would be a good fit. 

This group then meets weekly and regularly participates in special social activities every month, like restaurant visits, sports-related workouts, and art projects. The weekly sessions help to accomplish many things.

“Our groups work on recreation and leisure skills, pragmatic language, teamwork and social skills,” Ms. Gaither-Parker explained. “Social outings and community service projects are incorporated into the group structure to teach community skills. Our social skills groups are intense in both time and commitment as our program runs year round.”

A typical theme of a group session might be something as simple as how to interpret a joke. “These kids are very literal,” explained Ms. Gaither-Parker. “Sometimes they can’t understand when someone is kidding around.”

Another example happens during the holidays, when a group discusses what to do when a person buys you a gift you don’t like or want. “This doesn’t come naturally to them,” one mother observed. “They don’t understand how a truthful response like ‘I already have that’ would hurt someone’s feelings, because it wouldn’t hurt theirs.”

After each weekly session, when the students are having play time, Ms. Gaither-Parker relates the lesson of the day to parents arriving to take them home. (Parents do not participate nor are they present during the activities.)  Her face lights up when she is able to describe an “ah-ha” moment or provide an example of positive social interaction among the group.

“I love looking back on where the kids have come from,” Ms. Gaither-Parker reflected. “Some of our students were non-verbal when they came to us and now they never seem to stop talking. Some were shy and uninterested in peers and now they have a place where they actually want to come be with their friends. Others were aggressive and now they are giving hugs and handshakes. It makes me really proud to know that I had a small hand in helping some of those miracles happen.”

The Autism Project is hosting a Basket Bingo in Dunkirk on March 21st as a fundraiser. To learn more about the organization, go to www.autismproject.net or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Courtesy photos below. To view a photo, click on the thumbnail.