Autism Program Comes to Zanesville

The CASS Mind Academy is bringing a new initiative to Zanesville.

The Arts & Autism in Ohio Initiative is in Columbus, and Cassandra McDonald wants to bring it to Muskingum County. It’s a program that gives autistic kids the opportunity for hands on learning in different mediums in the arts.

“We’re doing something especially different, introducing to the community,” McDonald said. “I belong to an art initiative called Art & Autism in Columbus, Ohio, and we’re the first that we know of in the country. We’ve gotten the attention of the Kennedy Center, so I thought let’s bring it to Zanesville.”

To help show what these kids can do, McDonald said there will be a concert at the Treehouse Thursday.

“We wanted the community to know that these are just regular kids with extra special abilities. But serious extra special abilities, so we partner with the Treehouse down on Market and 4th Street and the performance will be on Thursday the 23 from 4 to 6 o’clock,” McDonald said.”

While the concert is free and open to the public, McDonald hopes people donate because she’s trying to raise $12,000 for a new playground area for the kids.