CRANBURY: Students raise money for autism group

By David Kilby, Staff Writer
   CRANBURY — Through the sincerity and concern of two Cranbury School fourth-graders, more than $280 was raised to help spread autism awareness.
   Grace Forrest and Tiffany Huang took action after hearing a story about autism read to them by their teacher, Lisa Csatari, and hosted fundraisers at Teddy’s and at the sixth- through eighth-grade winter dance, donating all proceeds to Eden Autism Services.
   The project began with a letter written by Grace and sent to Carol Malouf, Cranbury School’s interim chief school administrator.
   ”I wasn’t here two days before I got a letter from two fourth-graders, and I wasn’t here for an afternoon after that before I heard a knock on the door from them,” Ms. Malouf said at the Board of Education meeting Jan. 18 when she presented the girls with a certificate of appreciation.
   The letter sent to Ms. Malouf read:
    Dear Ms. Malouf,
   Me and Tiffany Huang are making a fund called Autism Away Fund.
   All money goes to Eden Autism Services. We were wondering, can you support us by letting first through fifth grade help collect money? We would appreciate it a lot.
   Grace Forrest and Tiffany Huang
    Grace and Tiffany’s simple yet profound willingness to help was what got things rolling.
   ”She (Grace) was so taken by the story of autism that she researched it with her dad to see what projects they can do,” Ms. Malouf said.
   Ms. Malouf explained how the two fourth-graders came to her and to the upper grades Student Council to pitch ideas about how to raise money for autism awareness.
   Grace, Tiffany and Elizabeth Levine, advisor to the upper grades Student Council, presented ideas to Ms. Malouf, and Ms. Malouf chose the plan for a popcorn sale at the winter dance.
   The board approved the idea Jan. 4, and Grace and Tiffany created a poster to display at the dance Jan. 7. They borrowed a popcorn machine from Municipal Alliance and sold popcorn throughout the dance, raising more than $101 for Eden Autism Services.
   ”What a true way to give to one another,” Ms. Malouf said.
   Before the popcorn sale, Grace and Tiffany hosted a hot chocolate stand outside of Teddy’s in December. The cold and the sincerity of the girls apparently were enough to make it a success.
   ”We had this little box at Teddy’s where people just put money in,” Grace said about the stand.
   In total, the girls raised $281 for Eden Autism Services, Grace said.
   Grace and Tiffany’s concern about autism began after their teacher read “Inside Out” by Ann Martin to their class. Grace explained how she was moved by the main character in the book, who got laughed at for having autism.
   ”We thought, if it’s possible for a boy in a book to get laughed at, it’s possible to happen in real life,” she said.
   She explained how Autism New Jersey gave Grace and Tiffany a packet of all of the things that can be done to help promote autism awareness.
   ”It included an A to Z list of things we can do. We’re now junior ambassadors,” Grace said.
   The packet explained there is a wide spectrum of symptoms associated with autism, and all individuals with autism “have difficulty with social interactions such as eye contact, conversations, taking another’s perspective, etc.”
   Autism affects about one in 110 people nationwide and one in 94 in New Jersey, reads the packet.
   The packet also explained how educational efforts and fundraisers for autism awareness are the most effective interventions for autism since there is no known medical cure.
   ”We just want to help,” Grace said.
   ”Kids from all around the state are giving money to the foundation,” Tiffany said. “They have a lot of money so people can come to them to find out things about autism and see what they can do to help.”
   Ms. Levine explained how support from Teddy’s was among the initial motivators for the girls to go on with their projects.
   ”They were so excited, and it (Teddy’s support) spurred them to continue,” she said.
   The success of the hot chocolate stand was what motivated them to approach Ms. Malouf and the Student Council with fundraising ideas.
   ”They were so brave when they came down to see our middle school Student Council,” Ms. Levine said. “They pitched their idea with tremendous confidence.”
   ”It really surprised me to hear she did this,” said Shang Huang, Tiffany’s mother. “I’m looking forward and hoping she can find a way to pursue this interest in the future.”
   CRANBURY — Through the sincerity and concern of two Cranbury School fourth-graders, more than $280 was raised to help spread autism awareness.
   Grace Forrest and Tiffany Huang took action after hearing a story about autism read to them by their teacher, Lisa Csatari, and hosted fundraisers at Teddy’s and at the sixth- through eighth-grade winter dance, donating all proceeds to Eden Autism Services.
   The project began with a letter written by Grace and sent to Carol Malouf, Cranbury School’s interim chief school administrator.
   ”I wasn’t here two days before I got a letter from two fourth-graders, and I wasn’t here for an afternoon after that before I heard a knock on the door from them,” Ms. Malouf said at the Board of Education meeting Jan. 18 when she presented the girls with a certificate of appreciation.
   The letter sent to Ms. Malouf read:
    Dear Ms. Malouf,
   Me and Tiffany Huang are making a fund called Autism Away Fund.
   All money goes to Eden Autism Services. We were wondering, can you support us by letting first through fifth grade help collect money? We would appreciate it a lot.
   Grace Forrest and Tiffany Huang
    Grace and Tiffany’s simple yet profound willingness to help was what got things rolling.
   ”She (Grace) was so taken by the story of autism that she researched it with her dad to see what projects they can do,” Ms. Malouf said.
   Ms. Malouf explained how the two fourth-graders came to her and to the upper grades Student Council to pitch ideas about how to raise money for autism awareness.
   Grace, Tiffany and Elizabeth Levine, advisor to the upper grades Student Council, presented ideas to Ms. Malouf, and Ms. Malouf chose the plan for a popcorn sale at the winter dance.
   The board approved the idea Jan. 4, and Grace and Tiffany created a poster to display at the dance Jan. 7. They borrowed a popcorn machine from Municipal Alliance and sold popcorn throughout the dance, raising more than $101 for Eden Autism Services.
   ”What a true way to give to one another,” Ms. Malouf said.
   Before the popcorn sale, Grace and Tiffany hosted a hot chocolate stand outside of Teddy’s in December. The cold and the sincerity of the girls apparently were enough to make it a success.
   ”We had this little box at Teddy’s where people just put money in,” Grace said about the stand.
   In total, the girls raised $281 for Eden Autism Services, Grace said.
   Grace and Tiffany’s concern about autism began after their teacher read “Inside Out” by Ann Martin to their class. Grace explained how she was moved by the main character in the book, who got laughed at for having autism.
   ”We thought, if it’s possible for a boy in a book to get laughed at, it’s possible to happen in real life,” she said.
   She explained how Autism New Jersey gave Grace and Tiffany a packet of all of the things that can be done to help promote autism awareness.
   ”It included an A to Z list of things we can do. We’re now junior ambassadors,” Grace said.
   The packet explained there is a wide spectrum of symptoms associated with autism, and all individuals with autism “have difficulty with social interactions such as eye contact, conversations, taking another’s perspective, etc.”
   Autism affects about one in 110 people nationwide and one in 94 in New Jersey, reads the packet.
   The packet also explained how educational efforts and fundraisers for autism awareness are the most effective interventions for autism since there is no known medical cure.
   ”We just want to help,” Grace said.
   ”Kids from all around the state are giving money to the foundation,” Tiffany said. “They have a lot of money so people can come to them to find out things about autism and see what they can do to help.”
   Ms. Levine explained how support from Teddy’s was among the initial motivators for the girls to go on with their projects.
   ”They were so excited, and it (Teddy’s support) spurred them to continue,” she said.
   The success of the hot chocolate stand was what motivated them to approach Ms. Malouf and the Student Council with fundraising ideas.
   ”They were so brave when they came down to see our middle school Student Council,” Ms. Levine said. “They pitched their idea with tremendous confidence.”
   ”It really surprised me to hear she did this,” said Shang Huang, Tiffany’s mother. “I’m looking forward and hoping she can find a way to pursue this interest in the future.”