Stillwater, Okla. — Oklahoma State University is making history through an initiative it started for individuals with autism.
The university’s athletics started the initiative, called “I’m A-OK”, to accommodate fans with autism, and has recently teamed up with Autism Center of Tulsa’s Jennifer Sollars Miller in an effort to make watching football games an even better experience for children on the spectrum.
Event and stadium staff at the Boone Pickens Stadium are being trained specifically to help make the experience of individuals with autism much more enjoyable and comfortable. And to help the staff easily identify those with special needs among the audience, children with autism can voluntarily wear an “I’m A-OK” badge— and they, along with their families, will be assisted by staff.
OSU hopes to encourage families to bring the kids with ASD to the games by giving them a more comfortable experience watching them. Kyle Fredrickson, who is a beat writer for the OSU, told:
“It’s about identification of the kids, but they also want them to be integrated with the rest of the fans at the stadium.”
“There will be some safe zones these kids can go to be safe if they need it.”
In a NewsOK report, Fredrickson, along with Berry Tramel, talked about how OSU is making history by raising autism awareness in sports events.
Source: NewsOk: Berry Tramel and Kyle Fredrickson: Oklahoma State football making history with ‘I’m A-OK’ autism initiative at Boone Pickens Stadium.