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CTV News
2 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Charity golf tournament offers sensory experiences to raise money for kids with autism
Golfers put on different gear to alter their senses at the Maier Centre for Autism Charity Golf Tournament on June 13, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) Golfers teed up in the rain Friday to raise money for kids with autism. The 12th annual Maier Centre for Autism Charity Golf Tournament took place at the Quarry golf club to raise money for the new Jim Jiwani Autism Academy in Edmonton. This year's sold-out event was the largest yet with 144 golfers. 'It really speaks to the community's desire to support autism and do what they can to help families in their community,' said Terri Duncan, Children's Autism Services executive director. The tournament includes a special 'sensory' hole, where golfers don gloves, glasses and other accessories that modify what they see, feel and hear on the course. 'It's really an opportunity for golfers to experience some of what it might be like to have some sensory differences, to be neurodiverse and have different sensory needs,' Duncan said. Autism golf tournament June 13, 2025 A volunteer uses a horn to distract golfers at the Maier Centre for Autism Charity Golf Tournament on June 13, 2025. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton) The private school, which costs families about $9,500 per year, was started by Children's Autism Services and opened already at capacity last year. Jennifer Scott's eight-year-old son was one of the first students at the school. She said it helped bring her son's 'light' back after he started struggling in public school. 'He wasn't getting the supports that he needed,' she said. 'He was regressing. So when he started at this school, he had that community, he had the supports in place to help him understand, grow, feel included, so it changed him and brought back that life.' Duncan said the tournament's goal was to raise $100,000, with money going to help with scholarships for families at the Autism Academy and a much-needed expansion. 'One in 50 kids in Canada are diagnosed with autism. The need is immense,' Duncan said. 'This year we had capacity for 40 kids, and we now have 80 kids on the wait list … we need to serve more families.'
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Edmonton's new autism academy celebrates a year of success
A student and his parent can be seen at the Jim Jiwani Autism Academy in Edmonton on June 5, 2025. The specialty school offers programming for children with autism. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) As summer break approaches, one small Edmonton school is celebrating a successful first year. The Jim Jiwani Autism Academy opened in west Edmonton in September. The school is the first of its kind in Alberta and focuses on the needs of children with autism who need extra classroom support. 'We provide support for those kids who really struggle in other settings,' explained Terri Duncan, executive director of Children's Autism Services. 'We really focus on getting them calm, alert, ready to learn and we provide lots of support to be able to do that.' Class sizes are small, just one adult to every two or three students. While the school follows Alberta curriculum, individual learning plans are made for each child. Jim Jiwani Autism Academy Teaching materials can be seen at the Jim Jiwani Autism Academy in Edmonton on June 5, 2025. The specialty school offers programming for children with autism. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) Forty students from Kindergarten to Grade 2 were enrolled for the inaugural school year, with preschool programming available as well. Duncan said next year will be open to students from Grades 1 to 3, with many familiar faces expected. 'We anticipated that we would have a lot of our students who came for a year and then returned into their community settings,' she explained. 'But this year, we have so many families who felt such a strong sense of belonging here that they want to return for another year. 'It really speaks to the success of the program.' Jim Jiwani Autism Academy A classroom at the Jim Jiwani Autism Academy can be seen on June 5, 2025. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) Lexi Marshall said her daughter's doctor told her about the school after she showed signs of being behind in verbalization. Marshall said her daughter started preschool mostly non-verbal but is finishing the year speaking in full sentences. 'It's like a night and day difference. I couldn't believe it,' she said. 'Now she talks nonstop, which is amazing. She can tell us her feelings, like, there's so much difference.' 'I'm just really lucky that we were able to get in (to the school) because it's not only her days at school, but it's changed her days at home as well, which is amazing. I don't think that we would have progressed the way we did without this school.' Jim Jiwani Autism Academy Teaching materials can be seen at the Jim Jiwani Autism Academy in Edmonton on June 5, 2025. The specialty school offers programming for children with autism. (Amanda Anderson/CTV News Edmonton) Duncan said she's proud of what the school and staff have accomplished during the first year. 'What really stands out is the change in these kids,' she said. 'You know that the kids are going to grow and change, but it's been so dramatic and it's just really heartwarming.' This year, Duncan said there were more than 80 families who wanted to register but couldn't due to space constraints. She said the school would like to expand and is working to find the needed funding. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson
