Matya’s

Matayas is a young man, who despite living in a world still far from being understood by most people, has assembled accomplishments and acclaim that reach far beyond growing up with the undiagnosed disorder referred to as the Autism Spectrum. At three years of age, he was determined “very much affected” by this disorder, led to believe that he was weak and lacked the ambition to improve his malady. 

Then things began to change. Because of the remarkable effort of his extraordinary mother, a very dedicated tutor, and his intensive studying, his life began to unravel and his grades improved dramatically. To his amazement, he exceeded his and everyone’s expectations significantly.  

His list of stellar accomplishments far exceeds many of those considered beyond the boundaries of the “normal amount” of intellect. These are only a few; Growing up around his grandparents helped him grasp the importance of investing time with the elderly. Currently, he is a full-time volunteer at Loretto where he spends his days motivating residents to participate in more recreational and stimulating activities. As an eighth grader at Bishop Grimes, he was one of 6 contestants out of 30 from Catholic schools in Central New York to enter the spelling bee contest. He tied for second place, 

His mind is without boundaries, his kindness is infectious, and his love for his mother is eternal. Nothing will stand in the way of his greatness and his command of the things that are most important in life. He is a stellar young man and role model. I salute him and everything he stands for. A world in which young people commit to pursuing a higher education is his ultimate vision.