When your child receives an autism diagnosis, it can feel like stepping into an entirely new world—one that’s full of potential, but also a bit overwhelming. In Wisconsin, we are fortunate to have a wealth of resources to support families, but knowing where to start can still feel daunting.

Sometimes, you find answers to tough questions, and sometimes you realize you're already figuring them out on your own. A couple of weeks ago, I visited Adobe’s world headquarters.

For May’s blog post, the Islands of Brilliance Creative Technology Team (aka C-tech Team), wanted to interview the newest C-techie, Shayne Mack. We asked him what he thought about his new title as a Junior Creative Technologist and the contributions he feels like he’s making to the team! Shayne has been involved with the IOB community since he joined as a participant in 2018.

In December, with the full support of our Board of Directors, Islands of Brilliance chose to change our mission statement with the intention of opening our doors to the broader community of neurodiversity.

You may have heard of ChatGPT; some of you are familiar with it by now. Today, we will discuss another similar technology called Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).

Joyful moments…seeing Pirate Ships…at Islands of Brilliance

Working at Islands of Brilliance (IOB), I get to see pirate ships built and enjoyed nearly every day. I would like to share a few of my favorite joyful moments from 2023.

This year, IOB co-founders, Mark and Margaret Fairbanks share a scene from their home as they reflect on where we’ve been…and where we’re heading in 2024.

This is a look at what happened in Islands of Brilliance's (IOB) Digital Academy (DA) in 2023 and a peek at what's coming in 2024. I'll focus on the substantial growth experienced by both the students and the program.

Take your gratitude to the next level this Thanksgiving season with a helping of freudenfreude - the bliss we feel when someone else succeeds.

Instead of associating autistic special interests (SpIns) with shame or as something to avoid or fix, IOB celebrates them. When mentors listen to students's interests and embark on creating something together based on the topic, the lines of communication open.

IOB uses iPads to open the window to creative exploration for our autistic students, facilitating connections among peers, mentors, and the community.

IOB’s Digital Academy is more than just a set of programs; it's a community that fosters boundless creativity and self-determined growth. Our new Quest workshops – Quest, Side Quest, and Collab Quest – are being designed to nurture creativity, foster teamwork, and help us embrace the joy of creativity.

Natalie Derr, IOB Creative Technologist, and key driver in the evolution of our Sandbox program recently took a month-long service trip to southeast Asia. Hear about the connections she made between her work at IOB and the amazing trip

Providing some daily structure can help your autistic student have a happier transition to summer. Here are some ideas to get you started.

New students are often surprised by the welcoming community that they find in a Foundation Workshop. What is it like to start at Islands of Brilliance?

As Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer, Margaret Fairbanks explains how autism is defined. It comes down to defining “difference” and “difficulty.” “Words matter. And the words we have used throughout the years to diagnose and describe autism have been changing almost as quickly as the prevalence rate.”

For anyone who has witnessed a final presentation at an IOB Workshop, this is a familiar phrase. At the end of every workshop and especially at the end of an entire session, IOB asks students how they want to celebrate all the amazing things they learned.

Belonging. Community. Acceptance. These are things that many, if not all of us, crave. Even those of us who proudly wave our introvert flag still desire to be seen, heard, and loved. It is in our DNA to find “our people…our place.”

At Islands of Brilliance, we’ve provided a space for our participants who are 18 years or older to form their own community, the Brilliant Breakfast Club.

What’s it like to mentor for IOB? You might be surprised. IOB and first-year graduate student in the MFA program at UWM, Mich, shares his experiences. His hope was to teach the students new skills. It turns out, they taught him some things, too.

SpIn is a new word that’s been added to the IOB lexicon recently, even though it’s a very familiar concept to all of us. It’s the melding of two words into one: Special + Interest = SpIn. The #actuallyautistic community has coined the term to describe the passions and interests autistic individuals love to spend hours focusing on and digging into.