Congratulations to Sarah Poole, our employee of the month!  Sarah first became interested in becoming a habilitation therapists while volunteering in a social group for children with autism. She observed another habilitator doing amazing work and wanted to have the same affect. Since she also has four cousins who have been diagnosed with autism, this work is very close to her heart. Not surprisingly, she has excelled quickly. According to AZA parent Michele Simonis, "Sarah is passionate about what she does...and it shows! She is both creative and interactive with methods she learns and hears about that assist our little Bethany in her growth and development. Sarah participates in continual learning and goes above and beyond to implement new techniques, while also giving our family and other providers new ideas. She stays on top of tools and resources available through AZA United and throughout the community. Miss Sarah truly pushes Bethany to excel, yet has a unique bond with her such that Bethany respects and appreciates the disciplined work. Since Miss Sarah started working with Bethany, her vocabulary has increased tremendously and she has started to interact with other children. She loves singing, dancing and jumping while working with Miss Sarah. Bethany truly adores Miss Sarah as does the rest of our family. I am honored to say, Sarah Poole has been a true asset to Bethany and our family!"

Sarah also loves volleyball (she's a player and a coach) and hopes to become a speech therapist someday. Talk to Sarah for a few minutes and it's not hard to see her passion for autism bursting at the seams. "My favorite part of the job is to see my little kiddo accomplish something independently and to see her excitement!" And your all-time favorite highlight? "My FAVORITE moment was when she said my name for the first time! Eye contact and all!! I almost cried!" Oh my, I think we're all a little misty eyed right now. Hats off to you Sarah; keep up the good work!

Parents - do you have a habilitation therapist that goes above and beyond?  A great way to say thank you is to send your nominations for the next Employee of the Month to GreatWork@AZAunited.org  

It is time for our 2nd annual Great Hearts Awards!   Great Hearts is all about sharing the stories of the work we do every day, from the perspective of the therapist. Every year we have a contest for employees to submit their stories, and an event to recognize all of our Great Hearts and share the love with our community. Working each day with a child affected by autism can be challenging, but your hard work is rewarded every time you see a new step of progress. You make an impact on the life of a child and those that love him. You can inspire and teach children in ways that help them reach their innate potential. You experience the thrill of the child's discovery of their inner talents and abilities. Arizona Autism United would like to honor your dedication to helping children with autism and share your stories with other families, habilitation therapists, and the community at large. Your stories provide hope, inspiration, and awareness of the value of the work you do each day. To be entered into the Great Hearts contest, please write a story up to 750 words that answers one of these three questions:

1. When and how did you know this job was for you?  

 2. What is a lesson that a child with autism has taught you and how?  

3. Describe a memorable moment with a child. Why was this moment so memorable to you?

Send your stories of success to GreatHearts@AZAunited.org by Thursday, December 16th. Each of your stories will be entered into a contest and award you 2 hours Professional Development Credit.   There will be 3 finalists and the winner will be chosen by AZA United's Board of Directors. The winner will be awarded a Grand Prize of $300 and the remaining finalists will be awarded $150! Winners will be announced on January 20, 2012. We look forward to hearing your story!