ACING THE MISSION

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September 13, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

Notre Dame Prep freshman launches local chapter of nonprofit dedicated to helping children with autism grow through the sport of tennis.

ACEing Autism is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children with autism grow through the sport of tennis. It was founded in the summer of 2008 in Boston, Mass., as a family-run organization that relies on the invaluable efforts of its volunteers and supporters.

Count Notre Dame Prep freshman Marisa Bitonti as both a volunteer and supporter.

An avid tennis player herself since she was very young, Bitonti found out about the organization during one of her tournaments.

"I got involved with ACEing Autism when I was playing a USTA tournament and I saw regional program taking place and thought I'd really like to start a program in our area," said the Clarkston resident.

She conducted more research and was soon on her way.

"I reached out to the headquarters, which now is in Los Angeles, and discussed everything," she added. "We had various zoom calls about recruitment, strategic planning and marketing."

It all culminated Sept. 8 when Bitonti launched ACEing Autism Clarkston, a six-week program that saw a remarkable turnout for the opening day. She's hoping to manage and grow it for at least another couple of years and would like to "recruit" other NDP students in the effort.

Meanwhile, Bitonti, who came to Notre Dame Prep from St. Joseph Catholic School in Lake Orion, is looking forward to the rest of her first year of high school and plans to play tennis for the Irish in the spring.

"My first weeks of school have been great so far," she said. "I'm loving NDP!"

More on ACEing Autism: ACEing Autism is on a mission for children with autism to grow, develop and benefit from social connections and fitness through affordable tennis programming, uniquely serving individual needs while filling a national void for this growing and worthy population. Since sports are not easily accessible for children with ASD – a curriculum – developed by Richard Spurling, a tennis professional with a degree in International Business and MBA in entrepreneurship, and Dr. Shafali Jeste, an autism researcher and pediatric neurologist, was created to use tennis as a mean to provide unique social and developmental benefits to children with autism. They currently serve 6,000 children across 150 programs nationwide.

 

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndprep.org.