Grade level: Middle school

The Success: In September, they retreated to a closet at the first sign of academic challenge or social disapproval. In June, they knocked it out of the park at sleep away camp in a bunk with 30 other kids.

The Obstacles: Intense reactivity to sensory inputs and sudden neurochemical releases triggered by idiosyncratic medical events made it difficult to maintain calm in the face of academic and social anxieties. Add to that dysgraphia (a fine motor coordination difficulty) and an absolutely brilliant mind, and you find yourself with a mash up that was simply too much to bear.

The Strategies: Piece by piece, we helped them learn to self-monitor, self-manage and self-advocate for their sensory and immunological needs, and to find patience for their own learning journey. Helping them understand their motor difficulties—and plugging away through occupational and physical therapies to address them—brought increasing confidence and eventually a bubbling joy as they approach learning as an adventure in which they are now confident they will succeed.

Favorite Project: “How can we create an app to spark an international revolution for climate change?