To the surprise of his parents, Trevell was diagnosed with autism when he was almost two years old. However, Tanisha and John took the news in stride as they quickly began searching for the resources they needed to help their child. They viewed his diagnosis as yet another way they could grow as a family, despite the challenges ahead of them. “Of course, we were sad [about the diagnosis], but we didn’t see it as a time for sadness,” explained Tanisha. “We just knew we had to get to work and help in whatever way we could.”
Trevell started receiving therapy and other services through Milwaukee County’s Birth to Three program. After aging out of the program, Trevell was placed in Milwaukee County’s Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waiver Program at St. Francis Children’s Center. Through CLTS, Trevell and his family received the resources they needed to help him reach his goals.
Today, the ten-year-old attends a Montessori-based school where he benefits from a hands-on learning approach. Like many others, Trevell’s school transitioned to an online format during the pandemic. Although this created some challenges for Trevell, his parents were determined not to allow this to deter his progress. Tanisha and John jumped into action and purchased books and materials to help him continue his learning at home.
Tanisha and John have made it very clear that their goal is–and will always be–to keep their son’s mind sharp, even through difficult times. This is just one of many reasons why Trevell’s family was selected to receive one of SFCC’s “Unsung Heroes” awards on behalf of our CLTS program.