Defying the odds: Mapletown senior climbs educational ladder
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Chris Menear, on left, is instructed by Life Skills Autistic Support Teacher Dana Pacolay at Mapletown High School on April 23. Menear recently thanked the school board for not giving up on him throughout his high school career despite the challenges he faced due to his diagnosis of autism. Menear will be inducted into the National Honor Society this year and also competes in culinary and band competitions.
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Chris Menear, a senior, plays the trumpet at Mapletown High School on April 23. Menear, who was diagnosed with severe autism at age four, will either tour with his father’s band or pursue a culinary career at a community college after he graduates.
Mapletown High School senior Chris Menear knows firsthand the meaning of perseverance.
“You may or may not know that I was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of four,” Menear recently told Southeastern Greene school directors as he thanked the board, administration, teachers and parents for their patients and service to him as he struggled for an education.
“It was suggested by experts that my parents should institutionalize me. My parents were told that most autistic children would never be able to feel love, understand danger, make rational decisions or learn a trade. My loving parents however would never think of giving up on me that easily.”
During the board’s monthly meeting, Menear also recalled for director his first years of schooling from attending preschool at Child Alert in Carmichaels to attempting kindergarten at Southeastern Greene — both accompanied by a TSS worker from Alliance Wraparound in Uniontown.
After a month at Bobtown Elementary, it was deemed that Menear needed more schooling and so attended East Franklin Autistic Support in Waynesburg for two years.
By the time he reached the first grade, Menear was able to come back to Bobtown, still with TSS support, and was placed in learning support.
“I was challenged in class, yet none of my teachers gave up on me,” Menear said. “By second grade, my grades and behavior had improved to the point that I no longer qualified for services with the agency.”
Menear further credited the one-on-one support he received from the school district to his academic success.
“I will graduate in June and currently have a career GPA of 3.88, and have been accepted as a member of the Mapletown High School Honor Society, and also the National Vo-Tech Honor Society,” Menear said proudly.
During his years in Southeastern Greene, he also participated in the district’s band program since fourth grade, played the National Anthem and Alma Mater at football games and was selected to the Greene County All-County Band and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District Band Festivals.
Menear then encouraged the board to continue supporting the band so that future students will have the opportunity to grow in the performing arts.
“I know music has changed my life and helped me to grow socially,” he said.
Among Menear’s many accomplishments at Southeastern Greene, he has also participated in the Culinary Arts program at the Greene County Career and Technology Center.
He earned a bronze medal at the Ohio State Culinary Classic and was also one of nine students in his culinary class to achieve first place in the State of Pennsylvania Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competition.
The board voted to allow Menear to go on to the national competition in San Antonio, Texas.
In closing his speech, Menear vowed to be a proud graduate and to strive to make the board proud of his future accomplishments.
“I would like to thank the board and administration for the funding and support necessary to allow me to have these opportunities, and to have learned a valuable lesson — never give up,” he said.
Menear received a standing ovation from the board as well as congratulatory remarks and well wishes.
He is the son of Lisa and Bob Menear and would like to continue to study culinary arts and music.