Inspiring Moment: 11-Year-Old Speaks Out About Autism in Class

Shael Romarie Zalaz, a sixth-grader at Eagle Canyon Elementary School in Chino Hills, California, took his teacher Lisa Mo by surprise during a class exercise when he asked to speak.

Upon receiving permission, Zalaz stood at the center of the classroom and began a speech that left his teacher speechless. "I was amazed by his courage," wrote the teacher on her Facebook page, causing a public response that skyrocketed awareness about autism. "It's simply incredible to see an 11-year-old explain to other kids why he places the back of his hand on his cheek and taps his face. It's because it helps him feel better among his friends..."

"I'm not doing this to be weird. I do it because I have autism," he said.

"Romarie immediately pointed at the child and said: 'That's me'"

"My student showed me there is no challenge or obstacle he can't overcome," wrote the teacher. "It's true he has a certain type of autism, but the fact he overcame his shame and told himself 'I can also stand in front of a class of 40 kids and speak'—that's a big achievement. I am also surprised by his knowledge of autism. He spoke bravely and explained his 'differences' in a way that the kids admired him. They felt if they were in his place, they wouldn't have been able to respond like he did."

His mother, Olivia Daso, later shared that her son only recently became aware of his autism—and he 'discovered' it by himself. "We were sitting and watching a TV show featuring a child with autism, and Romarie immediately pointed at the child and said: 'That's me. I have that, and you know, Mom, I know that's exactly it.' I was a bit shocked. It wasn't something we talked about at home or told him about."

The teacher concluded by saying that when Romarie entered her class at the beginning of the year, he was insecure and struggling with negative thinking. "But in the positive and supportive environment where I emphasize the importance of kindness, empathy, compassion, and self-confidence, the students are learning to stand up for their right to be—and that's my greatest achievement."