This March I will be running the #UnitedAirlinesNYCHalf and I will be raising money for LearningSpring School! I began at LearningSpring as a TA in 2015, left to get my master's, and returned in 2022 as an Occupational Therapist. This organization was founded by a group of parents of children diagnosed with ASD, who felt their needs were not being met within their current education system. Their mission statement includes the following: LearningSpring School is for children on the autism spectrum (ASD) in grades K-8 and is committed to advancing the social, developmental, and academic growth of its students through pioneering educational and therapeutic strategies to prepare each child to participate in the wider community. The cost of educating a student at LSS is over $14,000 more than we receive each year from the NYS Education Department and the NYC Department of Education. Fundraising via the Annual Fund to meet this gap enables us to provide our students with an individualized education addressing each of their unique abilities. The Annual Fund also allows us to recruit and retain our dedicated and brilliant faculty and staff, who are committed to helping our students grow and make strides both inside and outside of the classroom.