Montgomery, Ala.—April 11, 2022—Disability as an Ability Toward Success: Moms on the Move, also known as D.A.T.S.M.O.M., a national 501(c)(3) organization, is proud to announce the first
recipients of the Conner Dantzler Autism Scholarship Fund.
16-year-old John Bell III, 10-year Jeffrey Burton, II of Hattiesburg, MS and Jaxson Jordan of Montgomery, AL are the 2022 Conner Dantzler Autism Scholarship progress-based and need-based recipients.
Bell and Burton are brothers diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Bell is a 9th grade student at Hattiesburg High School. Burton is a student at Thames Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Miss. Their mother, Monique Smith, says she’s constantly seeking out information and resources to learn more about ways to help her sons navigate their autism journeys.
“The current goal for Jeffrey is to learn how to communicate verbally his wants and needs. Jeffrey is considered non-verbal and thrives off of routine, cues and gestures from others. My goal for John is for him to increase his understanding of basic life concepts. John is currently a 9th grader, but functions on a 3rd-4th grade level,” Smith said.
Ashley Bell, the mother of Jaxson Bell says participating in the free D.A.T.S.M.O.M. parent trainings, programs and initiatives for children on the spectrum has really helped her find Jaxson’s
abilities. “Jaxson has a long way to go, but I am so proud of all of the progress he has made so far,” Bell said.
D.A.T.S.M.O.M. Founder/Chief Executive Officer Tametria Conner Dantzler and her family created the scholarship fund in honor of her 8-year-old son Conner who is on the spectrum.
“This endowed scholarship is our family’s gift to create a service legacy for Conner,” Dantzler said.
Conner was diagnosed with autism at the age of 20 months. He is navigating along his autism journey with a village who loves, uplifts, supports, celebrates and challenges him to be the best version of himself.
“The Conner Dantzler Autism Scholarship Fund is another avenue I created to help individuals on the Autism Spectrum turn their disability into an ability,” Dantzler said.
The Dantzler family believes in giving back to families of children who are on the same journey. The Conner Dantzler Scholarship Fund was created to help support and celebrate the unique needs and interests of children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum.
“2022 is the first of many years of assisting families of children on the same journey as our family. This is bigger than us. It’s rewarding to see other families progress and navigate along this journey with support,” Dantzler said.
The Dantzler family will award two scholarship each year. One scholarship will be awarded based on a need. The other will be a progress-based scholarship. Applications can be requested beginning January 15th of each year. The application deadline is February 15th of each year. E-mail datsmom@datsmom.org to request a scholarship application with instructions. Please call 334-669-6590 if accommodations are needed to complete the application.
For more information on family services, initiatives, programs and resources through D.A.T.S.M.O.M., please our website www.datsmom.org, Facebook (DATS MOM), Instagram and Twitter (@datsmom). For additional information, please e-mail datsmom@datsmom.org or datsmom@yahoo.com.
About Disability as an Ability Toward Success: Moms on the Move (D.A.T.S.M.O.M):
Disability as an Ability Toward Success: Moms on the Move, also known as D.A.T.S.M.O.M., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving more than 150 families of children on the autism spectrum (or with related developmental disabilities). The goal is to provide a platform to help parents and caregivers shift their children’s disability into an ability by equipping them with the knowledge, support and tools needed to be effective advocates for their children. By providing free support, programs, enrichment activities, resources, parent training and services for children and young adults on the autism spectrum, we help families progressively navigate the autism journey. Some notable initiatives include the Alabama Autism Safety Initiative, the Conner Dantzler Autism Scholarship Fund and the Spectrum Sky Airport Training Program. D.A.T.S.M.O.M. has conducted autism training to more than 130 professionals, helping them better serve individuals on the spectrum.
D.AT.S.M.O.M. CONTACTS:
Website: www.datsmom.org
Contact: Tametria Dantzler, Founder
Phone: 334-669-6590
E-mail: datsmom@datsmom.org or datsmom@yahoo.com
