Texas Autism Academy and Sam Houston State University Announce Collaborative Project

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Texas Autism Academy (TAA) and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) are pleased to announce a new collaborative project whereby a group of SHSU biology students will be volunteering to teach high school-level biology labs at TAA. Over 15 enthusiastic volunteer students (and counting) have already signed up to teach with a total of 20 labs scheduled throughout the 2024/2025 school year.

“We are thrilled by this exciting program that has already had one successful lab session at our school” said Dr. Shelinta Perez and Cary Mollinedo cofounders of TAA. “These labs taught by the amazing SHSU biology students will expand and grow curriculum opportunities for our older students. We are forever grateful to TAA student parent Dr. Jordan Clark for establishing this amazing partnership with SHSU” adds Dr. Perez.

Dr. Clark, Course Coordinator and Head Instructor in the SHSU Department of Biological Sciences is also Cofounder and Senior Advisor of Autism Unites, an innovative program that serves students with autism including SHSU students in a variety of ways. “Having firsthand knowledge of the great work TAA has done for our son, I am particularly proud of this opportunity for our SHSU students from the department of biology to teach these labs at TAA” quotes Dr. Clark. “Not only will it provide valuable education elements to TAA students, it will give our biology students the opportunity to have a truly unique teaching and learning experience – a true win/win collaborative program” he also says.

TAA is a 501-C3 non-profit tuition based, and fully accredited private school located in Magnolia, Texas very near The Woodlands. Now in its 8th year of successful operation with over 35 students ranging in age from 5-18, TAA was founded by education professionals to provide unique education tools and techniques designed to serve children diagnosed with autism. Simply put, autism is delayed development impacting 1 in 36 children. TAA students are achieving remarkable results. Public school systems may not use the programs that TAA uses – hence the formation of TAA.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Mollinedo at carymollinedo@asdhope.com or 281-771-5348 and Dr. Jordan Clark at jmc124@shsu.edu or 713-899-0688.