When their son, Sam, was a preschooler, he was diagnosed with autism. His parents were told that he would never be able to communicate, to read, to learn, or to be around typical peers. Determined to create an "ordinary" life for their son, Sam's parents used the principals of person centered planning and self-determination to create an enviable life for Sam.  In this presentation, Sam and his mom, Bradford, will share Sam's journey and some of the tools used to facilitate the path to an "extra" ordinary life for him. This presentation will discuss how these principals were used throughout his entire lifetime and are still utilized now as he is preparing for the transition to adulthood. 

 Sam Hulcher is a 2011 graduate of Deep Run High School in Henrico County where he was actively engaged in many facets of curricular and extracurricular opportunities within the school community. Sam has attended the VDOE I'm Determined Youth Summit for the past 3 years and is currently participating in a one year internship with Project Search at St. Mary's Hospital.  Bradford Hulcher is the Executive Director of the Autism Society, Central VA. She is a graduate of Partners in Policymaking and a Medicaid Waiver Mentor. Bradford serves on the Virginia Autism Council and the Advisory Board for the VCU Autism Center for Excellence (ACE).  Bradford has presented on person centered principals, self-determination, transition issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Medicaid Waivers across the state.