Submitted by Terri Garrity
(July 1, 2023) — The Alexandra Dilger Award recognized ten neurodiverse young adults from towns across the state at a ceremony on June 9, 2023.
The Alexandra Dilger Award was created by her parents, Gale and Patrick Dilger of Deep River, in her memory. In partnership with A Little Compassion/The Nest Coffee House, Gale and Patrick honor their daughter’s legacy by recognizing and lifting up young adults who, like Alexandra, are neurodiverse and wrestle with challenges while working to attain their goals and dreams. “These young adults are resilient, determined and we want to help them get to where they want to be in life,” the Dilgers said.
The 2023 awardees are:
· Zachery Whaples of Chester is a student at the Region 4 Transition Academy at Valley Regional High School. He is working toward gaining his driver’s license. To help him achieve this goal he will receive specialized driving lessons.
· Zoe Matthiessen of Essex is an employee and job coach at The Nest. Zoe earned a BFA in Illustration in 2020 and is an aspiring art therapy teacher. To help her achieve her goal, she will receive an art desk, LED lightbox and other supplies.
· Saumya Jain of New Haven, and Raleigh, North Carolina is one of two awardees from the Chapel Haven Schleifer Center in New Haven. A talented student, Saumya will attend Lesley University’s Threshold Program in Boston this fall. The Award will help to fund specialized tutoring for Saumya as she enters college.
· Jacob Oliveira of Cromwell, is a student with exceptional drawing ability at the Central Connecticut Transition Academy. He’ll now be able to develop his skills through the Watts Atelier online instructional program for aspiring artists.
· Isabelle Theisen of Milford is an accomplished dyslexia advocate and also wants to be an elementary education teacher. She has been accepted to Mitchell College. She will receive a MacBook Air with assistive technology.
· Jessica Constantine of Torrington just started a new job and is making a comfort sensory room in her apartment. Jessica will receive a variety of items to help her develop her coping skills and create her safe space.
· Juliana Waring of Glastonbury is an aspiring elementary school teacher. Julianna will enter Mitchell College this fall and will receive assistive technology to help her in her studies.
· Brittney Wheeler from Southbury has worked to become a stronger and more confident disability public speaker. Brittney will receive tutoring support while studying communications in college to help her continue to improve her public speaking skills.
· Maximus Orsilini, from New Haven is a student at Chapel Haven. Max recently finished his first college course at Gateway Community College and excels in creative writing. He’ll receive a MacBook Air to help him advance his literary skills.
· Maeve Ronan of Fairfield wants to work with young children. She will be attending Mitchell Colle as an early childhood education major and will receive a Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Laptop.
A Little Compassion, Inc. wishes the best to all of the 2023 awardees on accomplishing their goals. A Little Compassion, which operates The Nest on Deep River’s Main Street, nurtures the skills and strengths of young adults with autism, and intellectual, and developmental disabilities through employment and social opportunities.
