'It felt just right'
By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN
All Tyler Jones wants is to be considered a normal, healthy 12-year-old boy.
For about a five-minute span last week, Tyler got his big chance. And he inspired a lot of people in the process.
At the annual Hays Arts Council's Famous Figures competition for fifth-graders at 12th Street Auditorium, Tyler gave a PowerPoint presentation about an autistic high school student who made national news two years ago.
Tyler -- who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler -- talked about how Jason McElwain from Rochester, N.Y., scored 20 points in a four-minute span in a high school basketball game in February 2006.
Jason, the team's manager who was in the game only because his coach wanted to show his gratitude for being the team manager, received several awards for best sports moments and inspiration after his scoring outburst.
Tyler, a fifth-grader in the special education program at Roosevelt Elementary School, lives with the Shawn and Tammy Lawson family in Hays as part of a host family program through Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.
His special education teacher, Pat Schumacher, as well as others at Roosevelt, helped Tyler research McElwain for his "famous figure" and put together a PowerPoint presentation where Tyler read the script from the screen.
When Tyler was finished last Friday, he got a standing ovation.
"I was in tears," said Carol Shepherd, Roosevelt's principal.
"There were a lot of people in tears," agreed Brenda Meder, executive director of the art council.
Tyler's presentation was called an exhibition. He wasn't eligible to advance to the Ellis County finals out of his school competition because his presentation hadn't met certain qualifications of the contest. The Famous Figures program, which promotes research, writing and organization, requires students to memorize their presentation.
But when Schumacher saw what a special message Tyler could give, she asked if he could present it on the day of the finals as an exhibition.
Schumacher thought it would be as good for everyone listening as it would be for Tyler.
"We wanted to show that using technology can help bridge a gap," Schumacher said. "I always feel the arts are an avenue for expression, and I think Tyler broke some barriers (Friday)."
"Autism is becoming such a part of our society," Shepherd said. "A lot of people hear that word and are afraid of it."
According to a federal study done five years ago, about one in every 1,000 children younger than 18 have autism, neurologically based developmental disorders that include impairments in social and communication skills and repetitive behaviors.
In his presentation, Tyler read a quote by Jason after he was lifted onto his teammates' shoulders at the end of the game.
"From there, I could look at all the people and feel normal," said Jason, who later was featured in a book, "The Game of My Life," written about the challenges of growing up autistic. "From there, they could look at me and not think that I was any different from anyone else on the team."
"I thought," Jason went on to say, "this is what happens when you're a regular kid and you hit the winning shot, or make the play of the game. This is what happens when you're just like everybody else."
Following his presentation, Tyler got a chance to feel what it's like to be cheered by his peers.
As he boarded the bus to return to school from the auditorium Friday, the fourth- and fifth-graders aboard started chanting, "Tyler, Tyler."
"It felt good," Tyler said of all the attention. "It felt just right."
The Lawsons, whose household includes four boys ranging in age from 8 to 16, don't sugarcoat anything in trying to give Tyler opportunities to succeed.
He plays basketball with his brothers in preparing for the Special Olympics program and plays softball in the Hays Unified Softball Program that runs for four or five weekends each spring in Hays.
"Tyler has a disability, so we find his abilities and that's what we focus on," Tammy Lawson said. "He's good in music, so we're hoping to get him into music lessons.
"And," she said with a laugh. "He'll be great in drama in middle school and high school."
Tyler's host family says he possesses a knack for staying calm. He was quick to say OK when asked if he would do the presentation on stage, in front of a large crowd.
He said he wasn't a bit nervous.
"No, I was excited," Tyler said.
"He never gets nervous," confirmed 8-year-old Aiden, the youngest of Tyler's brothers.
Tyler, always glad to be one of the gang, frequents soccer events of the Hays Soccer Club even though soccer isn't one of his favorite sports.
"We made a deal," said 11-year-old Collan Lawson, a member of the 12-under Infernos of the Hays Soccer Club. "I watch him play basketball, so he has to come watch me play soccer."
Tyler has progressed by leaps and bounds since he has come to live in their house, Tammy Lawson said.
He still isn't sure what autism means.
"We talk about it, but I'm not sure he understands," Tyler's host mom said. "I think Aiden said it best. He says (Tyler's) brain just works differently than ours."
While Tyler might not grasp the full meaning of autism, he has learned how to pronounce the word correctly.
"He says autism now, but he used to say, 'Hi, I'm Tyler Francis Jones, and I'm artistic,' " Lawson said.
Turns out, he wasn't that far off base after all.
