Special Olympics Gold Medalist Performs Pair Routine with Long Island Figure Skater for Autism Awareness

At Cantiague Park Ice Rink, Hicksville NY, two young Long Island residents will skate to open this public event to show the true meaning of acceptance, abilities and autism awareness.

Jaclyn Urzia, 17, a resident of Massapequa and a Junior at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, is a lifelong figure skater with a heart of gold. Her dream of using her athletic talents to bring awareness to meaningful causes will become a reality on Saturday, April 29th at the Cantiague Park Ice Rink. Together with Joseph Penzel, Special Olympics Gold Medalist in figure skating, the pair will share the ice with a special performance during the First Annual Skate for Autism.

The Long Island community is invited to witness this genuine display of inclusivity while enjoying ice skating, pizza, ice-cream, sweet treats, refreshments, raffles and giveaways. Entrance fee is $20 per person and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Spectrum Designs Foundation, a non-profit organization in Port Washington offering inclusive employment opportunities to teens and young adults with Autism.

"While most people my age are busy preparing for exciting senior life activities and college, I realized we should not take for granted that there are others who might not have those same opportunities due to their disabilities," says Urzia. "It made me reflect and want to show that although we all have different life paths, we should embrace their differences, recognize their abilities and support organizations who help them in their adult lives."

Jaclyn's pair partner, Joe Penzel, has been employed as a screen printing production assistant at Spectrum Designs since 2012. Joe, along with 19 others with autism, is a contributing member of Spectum Designs' integrated workforce. This is a rare opportunity, as statistics show over 80% of people with autism are unemployed. Joe works 15 hours a week at Spectrum Designs, earns a paycheck and enjoys figure skating, ice hockey and horsemanship in his free time.

Joe's parents are very proud of his accomplishments and are grateful for the full life he has. "We have always believed in Joe, had high expectations for him, and tried to give him opportunities to develop himself and to discover his true abilities. The rest has always been up to him. He always gives 100% and has great persistence and high personal standards for everything he does. We hope he can, in some way, inspire other autistic individuals and their families to also have high expectations and to see them as capable and talented individuals deserving of the same opportunities as others," adds Joe's parents Wendy and Fred Penzel.

Jaclyn has competed in various figure skating events and has been skating since she was 3 years old. Her hopes for "Skate for Autism" is to highlight the talents and capabilities of individuals with autism while spreading awareness of the lifelong disability.

With April being Autism Awareness Month, the event is perfectly timed. Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurological condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate, form social relationships, and is accompanied by behavioral challenges. The most recent statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show 1 in 68 American children as being diagnosed on the autism spectrum.

"We are deeply touched by Jaclyn's impressive efforts in organizing this event and for the generosity and awareness she has single-handedly brought to the work of Spectrum Designs. Jaclyn is certainly an inspiration to all, especially for the younger generation who are our future philanthropists and world changers," says Co-Founder of Spectrum Designs, Nicole Sugrue .

The event is sponsored by Sweet Treats of Oceanside. The Nassau County Parks and Recrecreation Department offered the rink to host this wonderful community event .

More information, including event location, updates, schedule, ticket sales and/or donation can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/sk8forautism/

To learn more about Spectrum Designs Foundation visit: www.spectrumdesigns.org