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75 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, August 28, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 21, 2004 Scouting helps youth earn his independence By JACI SCHNEIDER Mail Tribune Becoming an Eagle Scout is always a challenging goal, but for Eric Thompson, it was especially difficult. Eric, a senior at South Medford High School this fall, has autism; but that didn’t deter him from pursuing a goal he’s had since he began Scouting at age 11. His parents however, were simply pleased that he joined a troop. "I was grateful that he was willing and open to participate in something outside his own world," said Eric’s mom, Kirsten Thompson. Eric received the Eagle Scout honor earlier this month. Advertisement Children with autism don’t filter and interpret information the same way other children do, Thompson said, making it difficult for them to interact socially. As a child, Eric was hyperactive, aggressive and had few language skills. As the family learned about his condition, they realized that many of Eric’s behaviors were a result of anxiety from not understanding the world around him. In order to minimize Eric’s stress, the family began structuring his life and helping him work out social situations in advance. This helped Eric develop the skills he needed to get through school. Scouting, although daunting at first, ended up being a tremendous help for Eric, his family said. In the beginning, Eric had trouble sitting through the meetings, Thompson said. But family members were able to teach Scout leaders how to help Eric by using visual aids and keeping the meetings structured. "Key people in his life have been supportive and given him security," Thompson said. One or two Scouts worked with Eric on projects, and in the process they learned about autism while Eric learned teamwork. The peer support that came from Scouting contributed to Eric’s success, Thompson said. "Scouting has exposed him to areas he never would have tried himself," she said. "It was another way of helping him earn his independence." For his Eagle Scout project, Eric designed and built a display rack for missionary plaques at his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He spent 19 hours planning the project, and he and Troop 61 of the Big Pine District spent a combined 36 hours building the racks. "I had to work really hard," Eric said. Eric’s parents credit much of his success to his interaction with children of his own age. Although many children with autism attend special school classes, Eric has been in standard classrooms since third grade. In concrete subjects such as math and Spanish, he does fine, his mother said. But he attends alternative classes for lecture-based courses because he has trouble processing large amounts of non-visual information. Through Scouting, Eric learned to enjoy hiking, camping and rock climbing. Eric found success in many Scouting activities, giving him confidence, self-esteem and the desire to try new things. "Eric’s self-esteem has increased year by year as he’s had success in the Scouting program," Thompson said. Eric even wrote and presented a speech in front of almost 100 people at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Eric sings in choir at school and accompanies his church group on the piano. He runs with his family, and in November 2002 he ran a half marathon and came in third in his age division. This coming year, Eric plans to research autism for his senior project. He said he hopes to attend Rogue Community College after graduation. Reach reporter Jaci Schneider at 776-4471. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities