CWU special education student, professor build connections with local family

When Central Washington University education major Ethan Berger’s professor told him last spring that she was looking for someone to work with two local boys with autism, he jumped at the opportunity.

Going back to his childhood, Berger has always had an interest in special education, working alongside children with special needs at his family’s church in Bellevue. After learning how to apply those specialized skills with the help of CWU Professor Dr. Wendie Castillo over the past couple of years, he felt like he was ready to put his training into practice by working with a local family.

About a year ago, Castillo accompanied him to David and Mandi Lathrop’s home to meet their two boys, Preston (11) and Austin (8). Fortunately, they hit it off right away.

“Our first meeting went really well,” Berger said. “Dr. Castillo had given me a heads up that they weren’t used to meeting new people, and that there would probably be a learning curve. But I just went into it with an open mind, and I clicked right away with Preston. I think he understood that I was there to help him.”

The Lathrops had been looking for someone in the community to come in and provide respite care for about 10 hours a week, but they didn’t know where to turn for help. A family friend introduced them to Castillo, and she took it from there.

“David and Mandi needed some support, but not a babysitter or a nanny,” Castillo said. “They needed someone like Ethan with the skill set that we teach in our program. The boys were able to find a connection with Ethan right away, and everything just worked out perfectly.”

After seeing how well Berger connected with Preston and Austin, the Lathrops asked him if he would be interested in working with them for a few hours a week. After about two months, he was visiting their home five days a week for 2-3 hours at a time.

“We saw right away that Ethan understood how to be upfront with the boys, and he was also good about setting boundaries with them,” David Lathrop said. “He also knew how to be patient and talk to them in a calm but serious way, like Mandi and I try to do. Preston and Austin grew to really like Ethan, and it was great to see them form such a strong bond.”

The Lathrops credited Berger’s mentorship with helping both boys make progress in school, both socially and academically. Berger’s presence also helped the couple learn some new behavior management techniques.

“Things can get pretty stressful at times, and Ethan was able to guide us with his knowledge and experience,” David Lathrop said. “Living in a small town, resources can be kind of limited, so it has been nice to have someone like Ethan to lean on.”

Berger worked with the Lathrops for about eight months before moving to Sammamish earlier this month to do his student-teaching — but not before gaining some valuable professional experience and some new friends along the way.

“This experience has shown me another side of myself, and I realized how much patience I have,” Berger said. “It also taught me how important it is to take a step back and not rush things. I really enjoyed getting to know Preston and Austin as people, and it was fun to see their full personalities come out as we spent more time together.”

Castillo has been talking to a few of her current students about continuing the partnership with Preston and Austin this spring and summer. The Lathrops are open to the idea of bringing in another CWU student who can not only help them out, but also mentor their sons.

“It has meant so much to us to have people like Wendie and Ethan come in and support us like this,” David Lathrop said. “Ethan has been a god-send for us. He’s so calm and doesn’t get upset, and that’s what the boys need. Plus, it was nice for us to know that our kids were in good hands if we needed to leave for a couple of hours.”

As time goes on, Castillo would like to see her program be able to facilitate more of these types of mutually beneficial relationships in the community.

“I’m sure there are other families who would benefit from these kinds of mentorship opportunities, and we would love to help,” she said. “It’s going to take time for us to put a structure in place, but we are certainly open to the idea.”

Berger, who plans to begin his teaching career in the fall, can’t thank Castillo enough for showing him how to make a difference in the lives of special needs children and their families.

“Wendie has just been amazing,” said Berger, who is preparing to graduate in June. “She practices what she preaches, and she models the kind of temperament you need to become a special ed teacher. She is always there for her students, and after she has taught you everything she can, she gives you that extra little push you need to be successful.”