More than 480 original works by students with disabilities filled Y.A.L.E. School’s Performing Arts Center this month as the private special‑education network hosted its fifth Tri‑State Ability Art Show during Autism Acceptance Month.
The two‑day event, themed “Making Magic,” drew artists ages 3 to 21 from 27 public and private schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. About 500 guests walked the gallery, which featured paintings, sculptures, mosaics and mixed‑media pieces created by students with autism spectrum disorders, behavioral and emotional disabilities, and visual or hearing impairments.
“The real magic is watching students light up when they see their work on display,” said Karen Donnelly, a Y.A.L.E. art teacher who founded the show. Certified American Sign Language interpreters translated the awards ceremony so every winner and family could participate.
Community partners — including Mural Arts Philadelphia, Art Educators of New Jersey and the Perkins Center for the Arts — judged the exhibits and presented ribbons that Y.A.L.E. vocational students produced in the school’s skills lab.
Students also printed “Making Magic” T‑shirts and mugs in-house; sales raised $1,500 for Mural Arts Philadelphia’s no‑cost youth education programs.
The show expanded this year with a craft fair featuring 25 local vendors and a performance by magician Ed Schmitt, tying in with the “magic” theme.
“For five years this program has grown in size and impact,” Donnelly said. “It fosters creativity, confidence and a sense of community that keeps young artists coming back.”
