If you’ve spent any time around ACEing Autism, you know we talk a lot about growth. Kids grow. Families grow. Communities grow. We see it across every program we run. Families often share how their children build confidence, social skills, and motor skills each season.
But every now and then, something special happens that lets us see that growth in a whole new way.
Four Years Together
At Tulane University, three ACEing volunteers did something almost unheard of in a college program. They didn’t just sign up for a semester or a year. They stayed for four years. Through freshman nerves, midterms, study abroad, career decisions, and everything in between.
And because they stayed, they saw something most volunteers never get to witness: kids growing up in front of them.
“I came back after a semester abroad, and it was like meeting an entirely new person,” Sydney, an ACEing volunteer program leader, shared. “He had grown so much, not just in tennis but in maturity and engagement. I was blown away.”
Moments like that carry even more weight when you’ve been part of the journey from the start.
Sydney added, “Moments like these are a constant reminder of why this work matters and why I’m proud to be part of ACEing Autism.”
Moments That Stay
For Julia, another ACEing volunteer leader, forming lasting friendships with the athletes has been a truly special experience. She worked with two brothers who welcomed her into their routine with real excitement.
“They rolled down the car windows and yelled ‘Hi, Ms. Julia!’ before they even parked,” she said. “They never fail to brighten my day.”
It’s a small thing, but it shows how comfortable and safe the young athletes felt.
And then there was Charlie. During her freshman year, Helene, an ACEing volunteer leader, worked with him one-on-one. She remembers the moment he hit his first volley, or as they called it, his first “high five.”
“His face lit up when he made contact with the ball,” Helene said. “The whole court celebrated. I’ll never forget it.”
Impact Beyond The Court
What made that moment special is that Helene had witnessed the entire journey. The early tries. The almost-there swings. The slow, steady build toward confidence.
The volunteers grew too.
All three discovered their long-term career paths through ACEing: speech pathology, pediatric neuropsychology, and therapy.
“Without ACEing, I might never have discovered my passion for working with children with autism,” Julia said.
This is the kind of impact that reaches everyone. Kids gain confidence. Volunteers find direction. Families feel supported. And community forms in a way that lasts.
“I know that the lessons I’ve learned and the relationships I’ve built through ACEing will stay with me for life, shaping not only my career but also how I approach the world and the people I work with. ACEing Autism will always be a meaningful part of my story,” Sydney says.
This story makes us proud of the young leaders wearing ACEing shirts and the athletes who learned and thrived beside them. Their connection, their steadiness, and their shared growth capture the spirit of ACEing Autism at its best.
