On February 18 we had our first annual Great Hearts Awards!  Thank you to every employee who so willingly and passionately shared the stories of what inspire them to work with kids with autism.  Each and every story was inspiring and infused with the energy that you bring to work each day!  We would like to extend a thank you and congratulations to each of the following people for submitting your stories:

• Lauren Bolander           
• Dustin Nickerson
• Paulina Tavernier
• Ana Fernandez-Ziya        
• Anton Nowels    
• Marjorie Tavera
• Ashley McKerlie 
• Lindsey Ozmon  
• Brittani Tucker
• Crystal Medina  
• Jeanne Peterson
• Eden Valencia
• Robert Ni          
• Ginna Quijada   
• Yvonne Walker  

It was so very difficult to choose winners among such amazing stories!  We would like to extend congratulations to these stories that were selected as the winners this year:  

Robert Ni - You Make a World of Difference Award Robert is an adult living with autism and works for AZA United as a Community Representative.  We are grateful for all the work that he does on behalf of AZA United and the Autism Community!   

Ginna Quijada - Runner Up
Ginna has been employed with AZA United since May, 2009.  She has worked with and developed strong relationships with the children she serves by transferring her energy and enthusiasm into every interaction she has with each child! 

Crystal Medina - Grand Prize Winner
Crystal has been working with the twins about whom she wrote her story for several years now and has dedicated herself to helping them advance and achieve their goals.  She is passionate, caring, innovative and driven to make an impact on the lives not only of the boys, but of the whole family.  Thank you for all you do Crystal! 

In celebration of Autism Awareness month, AZA United is excited to announce a grand opening! The Lending Library is a free resource for AZA families and employees, filled with a variety of developmentally appropriate, easy to use and kid-approved materials to assist with teaching and motivating children. Reference materials are available to support your learning of excellent ways to utilize these materials.  The purpose of the Lending Library is a "try-before-you-buy" system.  Materials and resources are intended for trial use to determine whether they are worth purchasing for your child.  The Lending Library, which is located at our office, will be open every Wednesday from 10 am to 12 pm, starting April 13^th.  Join us for the grand opening celebration each Wednesday this month, and see what materials we have that could benefit your child's program!  If you are unable to attend during these times, you can also call the office to schedule an appointment during regular business hours.  You can also help us keep the Lending Library stocked with useful materials for other families to borrow by donating any books, videos, toys or other materials that you no longer need.  Thanks for your support!

We are pleased to announce that Krashawnda Simpson has been named to our Executive Board! Krashawnda Simpson's toddler with autism led her to AZA originally where she instantly embraced AZA's model for working with children on the autism spectrum and their family members. Along with her MBA, Krashawnda has a BA in History with a minor in Behavioral Sciences. She is currently a Director for the University of Phoenix where she has been employed for over eight years. She has held several management positions prior to joining her current employer. In the past, she has worked for non-profit organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and has been a youth leader. Krashawnda brings a wealth of knowledge from a business and parent perspective. Krashawnda is always willing to go the extra mile and is dedicated to the ASD communities and our AZA family. She is passionate about education, family, furthering the futures of ASD children, and assisting parents. Krashawnda is from the Midwest but has made Arizona her home for over 11 years. She is married with one child who is a fifth generation Arizonan.

The AZA United Executive Board consists of professionals who act as advisors to the governing Parent Board.  If you are interested in learning more about the Executive Board or making a nomination, please contact Nicole Geremina Newhouse, Operations & Fund Development Manager, at Nicole@AZAunited.org.  

Want to stay informed of what's happening in the autism community?  Arizona Autism United has both a Facebook and Twitter presence that allows us to share relevant news about autism related events, resources, research, and therapeutic approaches - all in real time!

We established our social media presence not only to share information more readily and frequently, but also to deepen our culture of collaboration with the families we serve, the therapists that work with us and the autism community at large.  We encourage you to share your thoughts, opinions and suggestions, as well as posing your questions to us!  Our goal is to create a community dialogue that will ultimately help us to achieve our vision - to have every person affected by autism accepted and supported by society. Log on and check us out!

Click here to "like" us on Facebook

Click here to follow us on Twitter

We would like to extend an invitation to all families to attend to an event that Horses Help is offering. It is free for all our families and we will be there! At this event you will have the opportunity to check out the skills of their 60+ Horses Help riders and enjoy the ranch. AZA United will be present with a booth.

Activities and attractions:

• An awesome horse show including, showmanship, horsemanship, dressage patterns, and trail patterns
• An assortment of local vendors that benefit the special needs community
• Great food and snacks for purchase
• Petting zoo
• Roping contest
• Face painting

Date: Saturday, April 16^th

Time: 9am-3pm

Location: Horses Help  

2601 E. Rose Garden Ln.

Phoenix, AZ 85050

www.horseshelp.org

No RSVP is required!