Teens with autism can find individual success

By Staff Writer

Antonio Henderson-Davis is one of the most popular students at his high school. The teen, who has autism, has become a YouTube rap sensation, according to the Star Tribune. Henderson-Davis is also a reserve defensive tackle for his school's football team.

The boy's family, teacher and coach still find it hard to believe that a 17-year-old with autism has gone from being an unknown in north Minneapolis to a viral Internet star with the nickname 50 Tyson.

Henderson-Davis hosts parties and performs at trendy nightclubs. Celebrities sport his 50 Tyson t-shirts and comedians refer to him in their routines. There was even a rumor that a Hollywood starlet wanted to book him for her birthday party.

The fame began after he sneaked his sister's camera into the bathroom to record non-rhyming, stream-of-consciousness raps and posted them on YouTube, drawing millions of hits.

Former NBA player and music producer Troy Hudson signed Henderson-Davis to a contract. He told the news source that the boy has already done what people said he could not do.

Henderson-Davis is the unquestioned star of the record label.

While he is in school, the young rapper spends most of his day in a six-student classroom with a teacher and two aides. His lessons focus on reading and social skills, and he spends most mornings in vocational training at a Minneapolis bottling company.

There are more than 700 students with autism in the Minneapolis School District, and more than 12,000 in Minnesota. Henderson-Davis is getting an education and exposure like no other, his teacher-case manager Shanda Copeland said.

In the four years they have known each other, Copeland has worked to help people understand his autism, from football coaches to his former boss at McDonald's. He quit the part-time job to focus on his music career.

After hosting late-night performances on video-streaming websites, he often falls asleep in class, Copeland told the news source.

The performances are part of Hudson's plan to keep Henderson-Davis fresh in music fans' minds until his album release next year. He advanced the teen $20,000 when the he signed with Hudson Records. As part of their two-year contract, the former basketball player also started a website to market Henderson-Davis as the "face of autism."

Since signing with Hudson, the boy has gone from rapping and singing in his mom's bathroom to a sleek studio in Brooklyn Center, where he spends weekends recording tracks for the album.

Giving teens with autism independence can be beneficial to their development.

Autistic teen receives gift from the government

A teenager with autism is enjoying a sense of personal space, thanks to a federal program that financed the construction of a secondary suite adjoining his parents' home. The Expositor reports that Robert, who is now 18, was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the age of nine.

He graduated with a certificate from Tollgate Tech and now holds a part-time job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant, and he is also receiving a disability pension. However, his family, like many others with special needs children, wondered how and where he would live as he matured.

The solution came via an application to the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program, which offers financial aid for the creation of a secondary suite for adults with disabilities. This enables them to live independently, yet close to family or friends.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, ASDs are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, yet are on average four to five times more likely to occur in boys than in girls. In addition, one in 110 children in the U.S. have the condition.