CAPPING OFF A REMARKABLE COMEBACK GRADUATION: SPECIAL VILLAGE GLEN CAMPUS HELPS KIDS WITH AUTISM-SPECTRUM DISORDERS SUCCEED IN HIGH SCHOOL.

Byline: Susan Abram

Staff Writer

SHERMAN OAKS -- They came far to reach this moment -- the math whiz and the music prodigy, the geography expert and the history buff.

For the 16 teenagers in blue caps and gowns, graduation from Village Glen High School on Friday meant more than crossing into adulthood.

It also meant separation from one of the few places that would take them in -- a place where therapists coaxed smiles from faces that society found upsettingly calm, where teachers turned frustrations into triumphs and families stood by with saintlike unconditional love.

"Before I came here, I was always so stressed," said Luke Guastaferro in his graduation speech. "This school made me excel."

Village Glen is one of the many schools run by the Help Group, a nonprofit organization founded in 1975 to serve children with special needs related to autism, learning disabilities, abuse and emotional problems. The students are referred to the school from districts as far away as Santa Clarita.

The fact that the staff works hard to help these children fit into a society that still knows little about many disorders on the autism spectrum, including Asperger syndrome, isn't lost on the graduates, who took turns during their ceremony to describe their transformations.

As gold balloons bobbed around them and relatives with cameras zoomed in on them with the zeal of paparazzi, the students described how they overcame stifling shyness to become the class clown, the dancer, the pianist.

Others gave teachers long hugs, hesitant to let go as tears dripped from their eyes.

Children with Asperger "care so much about doing well and achievement, which is why they can get frustrated," said Cindy Guastaferro, Luke's mother.

Luke had gone to a public school, but because the class sizes were so big, his studies suffered and he often came home crying, she said.

"They know they are so close to achieving the expectations made on what we call 'the normal person' or what we call 'the neurotypical person,'" his mother said. "They know there is a little piece missing, but Valley Glen helps them find that piece."

Luke, who turned 18 last month and got his driver license, earned a 3.8 grade-point average, has applied for scholarships and will attend California State University, Northridge, where he plans to major in urban studies.

He would like to become a city planner and focus on public transportation, he said -- maybe even to unravel the complexities of Los Angeles' mass transit system. If he can do that, he could be a hero to millions.

"I hope so," he said.

A survey released last year estimated that about one in every 150 of the nation's children has at least one disorder on the autism spectrum, including Asperger. Characterized by a difficulty to express needs and an inability to socialize, Asperger is considered a moderate form of the disorder.

"These kids are all loaded with potential, but it just takes someone to give them opportunities," said Barbara Firestone, president and founder of the Help Group. "We wanted to be able to develop a school that would reach out to these children as well as integrate a standard curriculum."

Students who attend Valley Glen also must pass all state examinations before receiving a high school diploma, Firestone said.

Last year, she and others with the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission submitted a 70-page report that asked state officials to immediately begin addressing housing, transportation, employment and educational needs of the young people with autism who will soon transition into the community.

The report notes that the state is ill-prepared on many levels to handle the increase in autism cases and that funding falls short to pay for what needs to be done.

As a result of the report, eight legislative bills are awaiting review.

Meanwhile, some parents praised Valley Glen and its staff for preparing their children for life after high school.

"This place has changed our lives," said Kathy deLorimier, whose son Matthew graduated Friday. "Before coming here, he had so much anger, he would throw chairs," she said. "Now he has a job. He's got a scholarship. He has thrived."

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

818-713-3664

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Graduates toss their caps into the air during commencement exercises at Village Glen High School in Sherman Oaks, which helps teens with special needs related to autism and other problems fulfill their often-high academic potential.

(2) Vincent and Cindy Guastaferro smile proudly at their son Luke on his graduation day at Village Glen High School in Sherman Oaks.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer