Like many start-up organizations, Diana Diaz-Harrison founded a charter school in Arizona for kids with Autism based on need and not just desire. Her son wasn't getting the type of education she felt he needed or deserved and she set out to fill a need for other families who felt the same way. 

In ten years the student population at Arizona Autism Charter School (AZACS) has grown 10X in size and they are thriving. More importantly, so are the kids. The school now serves Kindergarten through 12th grade, and some of the kids are going on to community colleges, 4-year college, and directly into the workforce. They get a well-rounded education, often focused on STEM, but arts and literature and even vocation-specific training are added to the mix. 

“They just need help with executive functioning and social skills, but they can be trained on that and be wonderful,” said Diaz-Harrison.