Nearing the end of the school year of 2008, Tavares Middle School announced a new elective for the students called Peer Coach. It teaches students in mainstream how to work and be around students who have autism. Peer Coach teacher, Michelle Metheny said, “[It’s for] career exploration, to see if [students] may want a career with people with disabilities.”

Some of the projects they’ve done in peer coach are having a Hispanic heritage month fiesta, December holiday research projects and worked on social skills. Recently they have finished a recycling program, which involved cleaning out some old recycling bins and giving them to teachers. Currently the class is writing and shooting a short film about something called a “Faction Show.”

“The Faction Show will be a fashion show made around puzzle pieces and increasing autism awareness,” said Metheny. The show will be made into a short film for April’s Autism Awareness Month.

Metheny also plans on an autism awareness campaign for the entire school in the near future. She said, “[For the students in the club it] increases awareness, acceptance and tolerance of people with autism.”  She added that she created all the projects and programs herself.

Metheny also makes sure the class benefits her students with autism as well as the peer coaches. She tries to emphasize age-appropriate and socially acceptable social skills.

In the end, more than just her class benefits.  "The entire school and the world benefit,” said Metheny. 

One of the peer coaches, Jonathan Lindamood said, “Children with autism are just like you but don’t know how to show it.”  Matt Mackey, a student with autism agrees.  “It’s really fun learning around some of my friends,” said Mackey. 

“I think the program is mutually beneficial to both groups of students,” said Metheny.