My son Dylan was diagnosed with PDD when he was 8 years old. He was going to "regular" school at the time but because of his outbursts and temper tantrums they forced me to send him to BOCES and said he was not capable of being in a "regular" school. Each year I'd ask to bring him back to district and each year I was told no. In my district we only have a elementary school and our kids go to high school in a different district. Through eighth grade my son continued at Boces, barely passing his school work. In ninth grade the high school asked to bring him back to district. They even put him in a regular Regents Biology class. He passed the class with an 81 average and got a 84 on his regents he also was passing all his other classes. In 10th grade they sent him to Boces half a day for a computer class. One day Dylan wrote a poem and his teacher was impressed. She encouraged him to enter a poetry contest and though he did not get first place he did get his first poem published in a book. He is now 17 and in 11th grade and is taking culinary and is on high honor roll. He told me a couple months ago he is planning on going to college and getting his masters and a PhD. He said he will not stop till he gets there. The child I was told would never be able to be in a "regular" school and may even need to be in a home at some point is now a high honor roll student and a published poet. His vocabulary is so extensive that in his culinary class they started a wall of words in which Dylan has taught the other students. I am so proud of him! I encourage parents to never give up and don't let people tell you what your child is and is not capable of. His poem is above "In My Last Moments"

Krista de Kerillis
East Marion, NY