SERVING UP CONFIDENCE

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September 24, 2026

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

NDP junior Marisa Bitonti leads ACEing Autism’s Clarkston program.

Before Notre Dame Prep junior Marisa Bitonti began her freshman year at NDP, she decided to combine her love of tennis with a desire to serve others. The result was a new ACEing Autism program based in Clarkston, Mich.

ACEing Autism is a nonprofit organization that introduces children with autism to tennis while helping them build confidence, coordination and social connections. Volunteer-led sessions are designed around the needs of each athlete.

Bitonti first learned about the organization almost by chance. She was playing in a tennis tournament when she noticed an ACEing Autism sign. She was curious, reached out to the organization and began learning about its work.

“I loved that it combined my passion for tennis with the opportunity to help children build confidence, social skills and friendships,” she said. “I wanted to create a place where every participant could feel supported, included and proud of themselves.”

Three years later, Marisa is still leading the Clarkston program.

As program director, she recruits and organizes volunteers, coordinates sessions and handles outreach to families with children ages 5-18. She has also brought some familiar faces with her. Notre Dame Prep students Finley Wise, Brooke Mikel, Julianna Stewart, Adriana Dedvukaj, Rana Brennan and Lexie Janssen also volunteer with the program.

Marisa knows her classmates already have plenty competing for their time, from schoolwork and sports to other activities. That makes their willingness to show up each week even more meaningful to her.

“Having my classmates involved has made the program feel like a true NDP community effort rather than something I started on my own,” she said. “Watching genuine friendships grow between the volunteers and athletes reminds me that the experience is meaningful for everyone involved.”

Those relationships can take time to develop.

Marisa remembers one athlete from her first ACEing Autism session who was nervous about entering the courts. He wasn't ready to join the group right away. Over the next few sessions, he gradually became more comfortable.

Now, he doesn't want to miss one.

“He has since attended every session and become a leader on the courts,” Marisa said. “Watching his confidence grow has shown me how much a supportive and welcoming environment can mean.”

Marisa said her experience at Notre Dame Prep has influenced the way she approaches moments like that. She points to her teachers, classmates and opportunities to serve as examples of the patience and care she tries to bring to the program.

“Notre Dame Prep has strengthened my desire to serve others by teaching me the importance of faith, community and treating everyone with kindness and respect,” she said. “Through service opportunities and the example set by my teachers and classmates, I have learned that even small actions can make a meaningful difference.”

She also sees her work with ACEing Autism as a natural extension of NDP’s mission to form Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars.

“As a Christian, I try to treat every athlete with patience, kindness and respect, especially when someone feels nervous or needs extra encouragement,” she said. “As a citizen, I took responsibility for bringing the program to Clarkston and continue to organize volunteers and create an inclusive community for local families.”

Being a scholar, she said, comes into play every time she must adjust an activity for an athlete or think about what could work better at the next session.

“This experience has taught me that faith, leadership and learning are most meaningful when I use them to serve others,” she said.

Marisa hasn't settled on a career path yet. But the experience of starting and leading ACEing Autism Clarkston has given her a clearer idea of what she wants to carry with her beyond high school. She said she hopes to continue working with programs that serve children and people with different needs.

“Wherever my path takes me,” Marisa said, “I want service to remain an important part of my life.”

 

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.ndpma.org.