HHS teacher organizes autism awareness project

Homewood High School teacher Megan Wadsworth has challenged teachers and students for the past eight years to participate in World Autism Month, held in April, by decorating puzzle pieces to promote autism awareness and encouraging students toward acceptance and appreciation for all individuals living with autism.

This year, HHS decorated over 250 puzzle pieces and raised $450 through teacher donations in the project. Puzzle pieces are a nationally recognized symbol for autism, so Wadsworth let students in all grade levels participate in decorating puzzle pieces.

Wadsworth hung the puzzle pieces and made a display in the lunchroom for the school to see. She also made information-specific puzzle pieces that were hung around the school to give students a better understanding of autism.

Many of the students on Wadsworth’s caseload are on the autism spectrum and help out with the project each year. Over the past eight years, she has kept all of the puzzle pieces and laminated them, and hung a few of them in her classroom.

“The wall in my classroom is covered with the most decorative puzzle pieces from each year, or ones that have the most detail, or ones that are dear to my heart from my students,” she said.

Submitted by Homewood City Schools.