Special needs.
Whenever we hear this particular term, we often assume such people have disability and hence require charity. At the Student Leadership Dialogue at Pathlight School, this view was challenged.
Why is a person different?
What is autism
Seated in a state of the art auditorium complete with hi-tech equipment, one would not expect what was to come.
‘What is joy and meaning to you?’
This was what Ms Denise Phua, Chairperson of Autism Resource Centre and MP of Jalan Besar GRC, challenged us at the annual Student Leadership Dialogue at Pathlight School.
It was evident that a life of service and empowering others was hers. She shared her inspiring story of how learning that her son was diagnosed with autism compelled her to champion the autism cause. It was with this passion that enabled Pathlight to be born.
The fruits of her labour can be seen from the impressive architecture and state of the art technology at Pathlight to the planning and execution of education.
The programme at Pathlight is catered for children from the different autism spectrums, with both the academic track and vocational track in place so that the students could fully tap into their abilities.
Pathlight uses the same academic curriculum as mainstream primary and secondary schools, unlike many special needs schools. This was to empower students with a full-fledged education, such that they will be dignified because they do not deserve less simply due to special needs.
For the vocational training, Pathlight collaborates with Starbucks and Mr Bean allowing their students to pick up valuable life skills such as preparing and serving food. All these trainings are conducted within the Pathlight campus, with a quasi-cafeteria doubling up as their workstation.
As the dialogue closed, I asked her what are the problems that youth today face, with respect to serving the community. She simply replied – the same as everyone else: Time. It’s about making the seconds count.
This philosophy of hers extends to the entire school, displayed by staff and students alike.
The eager and earnest students of Pathlight School, who were wearing smiles all the time, served us refreshments that they had prepared themselves. I could really see the pride and joy they put into their work, something many of us could definitely learn from.
With that, I would like to end off with a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, that summarizes what is the essence of what a person is.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
