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Board proclaims April as Autism Awareness Month; honors YETI partnership
Summary
Highline School District recognized April as National Autism Awareness Month and honored the Youth Experiential Training Institute (YETI) for partnerships serving nine secondary schools. Special education staff and YETI leaders described services and student benefits.
The Highline School District Board of Directors on March 19 proclaimed April 2025 as National Autism Awareness Month in Highline and recognized the Youth Experiential Training Institute (YETI) as a community partner serving nine secondary schools.
The proclamation described autism as a developmental condition affecting social, communication and behavioral skills and urged residents to support the Highline Special Needs Parent Teacher Association and community awareness activities.
Lori Giddings, assistant director of Behavior Intervention and Support, thanked the board and described the district’s applied behavior‑analysis work and a team of behavior analysts who support special education and general education staff. “Research shows that children with autism are almost twice as likely to have severe problem behavior,” Giddings said, and she noted the value of early intervention and team‑based supports.
David Dunphy, executive director of YETI, and Sean, YETI’s program director, described YETI’s outdoor education work. Dunphy said parents launched the organization about 15 years ago and credited the district’s community partnerships team with helping YETI expand into Highline schools. Sean described trips and activities this year, including a six‑week snowboarding progression at Stevens Pass for two high schools, mountain biking outings, snowshoeing trips for fifth graders, and upcoming spring campouts and rock‑climbing activities.
Several students who had participated in YETI trips also addressed the board during scheduled communications and described sledding and other outdoor experiences they said they would not otherwise have had through school programming.
