Summit Academy celebrates
Class of 2025 |
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On June 18, families and staff gathered to honor this year’s 25 Summit Academy graduates.
CEO Lisa Foti kicked off the celebration, and superintendent Mary Bennett shared remarks about the graduates and their achievements during their time at Summit. Matthew Augustyn was the keynote speaker, while Aiden Chan Lam led everyone in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Mya Samuel performed a song during the ceremony.
Over the years, the Class of 2025 has celebrated milestones, faced challenges, and demonstrated their resilience. We have watched these young adults learn about the world around them and grow more confident and independent. Each graduate leaves with their own story of triumph. Congratulations, graduates! Western New York is a brighter because of you. |
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Preschool graduates enjoy a special day |
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Earlier this summer, Summit Academy’s preschool program held a special graduation ceremony for 57 students. Each graduate donned a cap and gown, received a certificate from their teacher, and enjoyed a reception after the ceremony with their families.
From learning to share to mastering the ABCs, our graduates reached important milestones both big and small. They inspired us with their courage, curiosity, and laughter. In the fall, 30 will be attending kindergarten in their local school district.
Cheers to our preschool graduates! We wish each of them a future of success and endless possibilities. |
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Give 716 raises more than $14,000
for new leisure lounges |
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Donors raised a total of $14,779 during The Summit Center’s Give 716 campaign running July 15-16. The DeMarti family generously matched $6,000 in donations to help surpass our goal. Funds will support two new leisure lounges at Summit Academy Hazelwood and Elmwood. The spaces will provide an inviting environment for students to explore their interests, build relationships with their peers, participate in group instruction, and develop new skills.
Give 716 is an online campaign hosted by the Buffalo Bills and Sabres foundations to support local nonprofits across Western New York. |
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Flutie Foundation awards two grants
to support Summit families |
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Recently, The Summit Center was honored with not one, but two grants from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. A gift of $5,000 was awarded thanks to the Foundation’s partnership with Jersey Mike’s. In addition, a $2,500 gift was awarded through the Foundation’s relationship with Get Air.
Donations like these are vital to sustaining meaningful programs that individuals and families deserve. Grants and charitable giving help to offset a gap of more than $1.2 million each year.
To learn more about the Flutie Foundation’s remarkable work, visit flutiefoundation.org. |
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Summit families were able to enjoy a visit to Get Air in June thanks to the Flutie Foundation and their partnership with Get Air. |
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Delta Sonic raises funds
for autism acceptance |
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The Summit Center was presented with a check totaling $8,149.12 from Delta Sonic Car Wash’s April round up campaign. Throughout Autism Acceptance Month, Delta Sonic highlighted The Summit Center as one of the round up recipients. Customers were able to round up their car wash or convenience store purchases to benefit Summit at all 11 of Delta Sonic’s Buffalo locations.
We are so grateful for Delta Sonic’s support of the autism community! |
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Pictured from left to right: Laura Brann, assistant development director at The Summit Center; Lisa A. Foti, CEO of The Summit Center; Tammy Nicholson, Summit parent, and her daughter Charlotte; and Kim Allen, marketing director at Delta Sonic. |
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Save the Date: Summit Gala
set for November 7 |
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Join us for a lovely evening at this year’s Summit Gala on Friday, November 7, at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Road, Depew. This year’s co-chairs are Tammy Nicholson and Missy Cornish. Partygoers will enjoy a sit-down dinner, live and silent auctions, the Hope Awards, and dancing at the afterparty hosted by DJ Primo.
Sponsorships and tickets are now available at givebutter.com/SummitGala. We look forward to an exciting evening to benefit The Summit Center Foundation! |
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Summit welcomes new board members |
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Both the Summit Operating Board and Summit Foundation Board recently welcomed new members.
Grace Huff, D.B.A., M.S. Tax, C.P.A., C.G.M.A., was elected to the Operating Board. Grace currently serves as the CFO for Foundation 214, Inc., a nonprofit that seeks to improve the lives of children, the elderly, and veterans of the U.S. military through education and healthcare. She has also served on numerous boards and committees, including the Buffalo City Mission Board, Stop Trafficking of Persons Task Force, the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, and more.
The Summit Foundation Board elected Adam Bellomo, Tom Deinzer, and Aaron Payne. Adam is the vice president of large group sales and broker programs at Independent Health. Additionally, he serves on the Kevin Guest House Board of Directors and is a coach for Clarence’s youth basketball program and the Clarence Soccer Club. Tom is the senior vice president of learning deployment and analytics manager at M&T Bank. He has served on Summit’s Autism Walk committee for several years and has also been involved with ASTD Niagara Frontier and NorthPointe Toastmasters. Aaron Payne is the vice president of marketing and promotional strategy at Northeast Grocery. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and is passionate about helping children and adults thrive.
We are grateful to our new members for sharing their breadth of expertise. |
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Pictured from left to right are Grace Huff, Adam Bellomo, Tom Deinzer, and Aaron Payne. |
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October 16: The First 30 Days Workshop
Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Virtual Workshop
“The First 30 Days: Troubleshooting and Overcoming Challenging Behaviors and Its Related Barriers” is a virtual, three-hour workshop for educators and school personnel who work with students with autism, anxiety, and/or behavioral disorders. Participants will pause and reflect on the early successes, challenges, and barriers they have encountered during the beginning of the school year. This workshop will be presented by David Meichenbaum, Ph.D., clinical director of the Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic at The Summit Center. Register today.
November 7: Summit Gala Time: 6-10 p.m.
Location: Salvatore's Italian Gardens, 6461 Transit Road, Depew, NY 14043
Join us at the 2025 Summit Gala for a lovely evening featuring a sit-down dinner, live and silent auctions, the Hope Awards, and a fantastic afterparty including dancing and late-night snacks. Sponsorships and tickets now available.
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Although not unique to neurodivergent individuals, stimming (self-stimulatory behavior) can be a way for people with autism to channel and manage excess energy and self-soothe. Stimming behavior can include body movements like rocking or spinning, making vocal noises, or engaging in other stimulation of the senses. (Source: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute)
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Our Mission
Guided by evidence-based practice, we maximize life success for people facing developmental, social, and behavioral challenges. |
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