Campus News

Big Blue Nation to 'Light It Up Blue' for Autism Awareness

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 31, 2015) — You’ll see blue on the University of Kentucky campus Thursday night as iconic Memorial Hall, the College of Education Taylor Education Building, and Central Halls I an II, Haggin Hall and Woodland Glen 1 residence halls will be lit with blue lights in honor of autism awareness.

The University of Kentucky Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC), part of the College of Education, will host a “Light it up Blue” event for autism awareness at UK’s Taylor Education Building from 7-8 p.m. A brief ceremony will begin at dusk, with a reception to follow.

An international campaign, Light it up Blue was launched by the leading autism science and advocacy organization Autism Speaks. Several iconic landmarks around the globe — including the Great Pyramid in Egypt, Empire State Building in New York City and Opera House in Sydney, Australia  as well as universities, museums, concert halls, restaurants, hospitals, and retail stores around the world will light up in bright blue on the evening of April 2 to honor the first night of Autism Awareness Month. 

Two years ago, UK students decided to light up Memorial Hall since it is an iconic landmark for the university. It was the first reported building in the state of Kentucky to participate in “Light it up Blue.” Last year, students decided to light up Taylor Education Building, as it is the building where they are learning to be great teachers. They will light Taylor Education Building in blue again this year.

How you can get involved:

·         You can purchase puzzle piece pins, blue awareness bracelets, T-shirts, and stickers for your car, which will be sold at the event on April 2.

·         If you can’t make it on April 2, you can purchase a special blue light bulb in honor of World Autism Awareness Day from Home Depot and light up your home or office. Half of the proceeds will go to Autism Speaks.

·         If you are a parent or family member of a person with autism, you can join a local chapter of the Autism Society of the Bluegrass.

·         If you are a UK student interested in making sure that individuals with disabilities flourish in their communities, you can get involved with SCEC.

·         You can donate directly to SCEC, Autism Speaks, Autism Society of America, or other organizations that promote awareness for individuals on the spectrum.

·         You can ask about University of Kentucky College of Education's Autism Graduate Certificate.

About University of Kentucky SCEC

SCEC at UK is a professional development and service organization for students at any level or pursuing any degree program. The purposes of the organization include: being advocates for children with disabilities, advancing the professional development of its members, and providing charitable and other services to persons with disabilities. SCEC is a student chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children, an international organization.

About Autism Spectrum Disorders

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders as 1 in 68 for children ages 6-17, which is significantly higher than was previously estimated.

According to the Autism Society of America, “Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a 'spectrum disorder' that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.” The reason the color blue is used to light up buildings around the world is that boys are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

For more information about the Light it up Blue event, contact Amy Spriggs at 859-257-9105 or Sara Flanagan at 859-257-4713.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu