Stories of Bridgeway House: Isaiah and Anthony

Presenter: KEPW celebrates Autistic Pride Day by visiting with students at Bridgeway House. We talked with Anthony and Isaiah about their favorite studies. Here’s Isaiah:

Isaiah: I’ve been here for nine years and I’m doing pretty good with my academic skills. I’m learning German, but also I want to learn a coding language I’ve been working on. I really like computer language. I am working in Lua. It’s games like Roblox, Project Zomboid, a game called Garry’s Mod. Those use it, it’s used for a variety of games.

Presenter: Here’s Anthony:

[00:00:41] Anthony: I’m wanting to do music stuff, but I just want to form some rock band. It’s just me on a guitar, singing right now. But hopefully, I think I can, I’m starting to meet some new people. I think maybe if I meet enough I could, like, possibly form a band, maybe. That’d be cool.

[00:01:00] I’m inspired a lot by the grunge scene, like Kurt Cobain, Pearl Jam. But also the Whiteaker punk scene, Rot//Woven. Check them out. They’re awesome. Just got to get them out there, but we do that for independent study and that’s pretty much one of my highlights of my day, on the days that we do so.

[00:01:20] I started, I think 10 years ago when I was seven. We’ve known each other since (I want to say) we were in diapers, before Bridge Drive, but we met again during Camp Creek times. It’s definitely a great place for socialization ’cause a lot of my—basically, I think all of my friends have come from Bridgeway, so yeah, it’s a great place to help shape people.

[00:01:50] I don’t think any person here has turned out to be like a bad person. I mean, it’s a regular old school with, like, high school kids. I’ve seen like meltdowns. I’ve seen emotional immaturity from, like, older, but I think we’re fine.

[00:02:05] Isaiah: I think Bridgeway is a good place for people with intellectual disabilities or autism to find a safe social space and learn how to socialize and make good friends. Just a good place for people to socialize and find community.

[00:02:26] I think if you have a child who has Asperger’s or autism I think it’s a great place to have your child go and, I don’t know what the status of it is right now, but I’m pretty sure they need help. Bridgeway needs help, so, yeah, and I want, I wish for children with intellectual disabilities to have a safe haven and I’d like them to have a safe place. It’s the best I can say it.

[00:03:04] Anthony: Exactly what he said. I mean, it’s awful that like a lot of stuff with mental health has been struggling recently. We had the financial crisis of Bridgeway and also like the shutting down of CAHOOTS also.

[00:03:18] And the more people that come to Eugene, I’ve definitely seen it grow more in the past five years. And I think that if they do need, if there’s people here moving that like have kids with any disabilities or struggling to make friends in like other schools and need support, then definitely here is the place.

[00:03:38] I remember like meeting a person, a good friend of mine. I, literally, the first day that I was ever in a new classroom, the first day that I entered that classroom, he literally, he, like, went towards me and was like, ‘So we’re friends now, right?’ And I was like, ‘Uh, okay.’ And then like I would just love that dude.

[00:04:00] I think we bonded ’cause he was the first, he was a person that I thought: ‘We’re into the same stuff.’ I remember bonding over him ’cause he was the only person in my class that knew Stanley MOV, a YouTuber.

[00:04:13] If I can have this gush over, like, a good friend that I met here, it’s basically just point forward proof that, like, even the shyest kid could meet someone here or meet an entire group here that they could grow up with.

[00:04:32] I’ve grown, I’ve had so many, like big life moments here and grown a lot physically and mentally here. It’s definitely, like, a good place for kids to just be in general. So yeah, Bridgeway definitely is a positive impact on so many lives. I can’t even count ’em all.

[00:04:52] Presenter: Bridgeway students Anthony and Isaiah recommend their school as a safe haven and a great place to socialize and find community. You can support Bridgeway House through their website BridgewayHouse.org or call  (541) 345-0805.

During summer break, calls to Bridgeway House will be automatically transferred to school admin team cell phones. For faster service, call the cell phones directly: (541) 743-5159 and (505) 930-6910.