April is Autism Acceptance month, and at Education Destination School in Lafayette, students with Autism say acceptance equals understanding.
This is a non-profit K through 12 school where students with learning challenges say they can thrive because of the special attention and environment they are provided with.
"I like seeing all my friends but I also like knowing I'm in an environment that's safe and helpful for me to grow," says Emma Barry, a student at the school.
Tory Trahan, who will be in the school's first graduating class, agrees.
"[Students] are not going to get bullied, they're not going to get picked on. They're not going to feel like a burden to the classroom. They're going to feel accepted. They're going to be challenged," he says.
The students are all on track to earn high school diplomas, overcoming more than the average student to do so.
"We have our battles during the day but they fight wars every day with their learning challenges. But these kids have powered through the hardest of days and come out with a smile and will do so many amazing things in the future," says Kelly Landry, the school's executive director.
To support the school's mission, this Friday, they will host an event at the Madison in Broussard, open to the public. It will be a trivia night with a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle hosted by Voice Impersonator Sam Joubert.
The event starts at 6:30 and you can buy tickets here.
To learn more about the school visit educationdestination.org or call 337-552-8255.