We Rock the Spectrum is proud to announce that We Rock the Spectrum – Jacksonville and We Rock the Spectrum – Agoura Hills have been named regional training facilities. Since December 2016, Lea Wells and Marissa Chunn have made We Rock the Spectrum – Jacksonville a community staple in Duval County. These two best friends are ABA therapists that worked hard for their dream to own a sensory gym. After hosting many fundraisers and busting down walls, they opened a 7,000 square foot gym (yes the largest out of all locations worldwide) and have been thriving ever since. “What I love most about Marissa and Lea is how they have become a beacon to the special needs community in Jacksonville,” says We Rock the Spectrum Founder Dina Kimmel, “whether they are supporting a local 5k, hosting a vendor fair for mommy-run businesses, or creating a sensory-safe Easter egg hunt, these girls are leaders who understand the importance of bringing people together.” The Jacksonville Regional Training …

One of our most fun zones at this year’s Rock Walk is the Music Zone! Last year, The Conductors pumped out the jams all day and are back again this year! But the 2018 Rock Walk has a new band on its lineup this year, too. Starting the day we have  “The P-22’s” performing what their frontman, Ernie Kamp, calls Blunkpunkinco: a hybrid of the Blues, Funk, Punk and Flamenco. The P-22s may be small and young, but they produce a very big, very mature sound. Joining Ernie (who also plays bass) is Greta Fannin on guitar, Riley Wagner-Lewis on drums, and Liam Butler on keys. Liam was diagnosed on the spectrum when he was three. Since then, his parents have worked to ensure he has been able to do things at the top of his ability. Liam’s talents came to light at the age of eight when he marched up to a piano and began to play “Pachelbel’s Canon in D,” by ear. They …

Every April, the Autism community comes together in support of Autism Awareness Month. We “light it up blue” on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness Day. We attend local Autism Walks. We host resource fairs (like the 2018 Rock Walk!).   The camaraderie throughout April is incredible. I have personally met so many people at these events who have become close friends and professional colleagues (even some WRTS franchise owners). I love April. I love the Autism community. But I’m not so sure I love the term “Autism Awareness” anymore. You see, it used to serve a beautiful purpose. We needed our mothers, fathers, advocates, and supporters coming out of the home and screaming “this is who we are, this is our journey!” and we needed our extended families, neighbors, and friends to understand this journey. I can’t help but think – is just being “aware” of autism enough? We’ve come out of our homes. We have told you who we are. Now is the time …

The We Rock the Spectrum franchise expanded to another town in Missouri! On Saturday, March 24th, 2018, We Rock the Spectrum – North County STL opened its doors to their community. Single mom and proud new owner, Celeste “C.C.” Brown, began her journey with autism after adopting her son, Chance. In April 2016, Chance was diagnosed with ASD, which led C.C. to search for all the possible resources, workshops and therapies in order to enhance her son’s development. Aside from therapy, C.C. noticed the need for Chance to have social interactions with others, as trips to the park, and even birthday parties, were anything but typical for him. That was when C.C. discovered the We Rock the Spectrum – Fenton location, and where she went and became a member to. Seeing the growth in Chance’s processing and social skills prompted C.C. to look into bringing her own We Rock the Spectrum gym to share with her North County St. Louis community. North County STL’s grand opening …

The We Rock the Spectrum franchise expanded to Northern Virginia on Saturday, February 24th, 2018, as they celebrated the grand opening of We Rock the Spectrum – Loudoun. Anjali and Manish Gulati, the owners of the brand new gym, have two children together – a 5-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. Their journey with autism began when their son was diagnosed with ADHD, ASD and SPD in early elementary school. As he grew older, Anjali made it her mission to find places where he would not only feel safe, but also gain the strength and coordination he needed to reach his full potential. After not having much luck finding such a place, Anjali felt it was fate as she stumbled upon the We Rock the Spectrum brand. She knew how much the Northern Virginia area was in need of a facility like this, so she was beyond excited to be able to bring this unique opportunity to her community. The grand opening was one for …

We Rock the Spectrum – Sugar Land brought us our first spectacular grand opening of the year! Margaret and Edmond Lee are the proud new owners of the gym. The Lee’s have two children, Madeline and Jaxson, who have been a great inspiration and joy for their family. Their special needs journey began when their daughter Madeline, was diagnosed with Autism at 2 years old.  One day as Margaret was chaperoning a field trip for her daughter’s school to a We Rock the Spectrum nearby, she saw how amazing and impactful a We Rock the Spectrum gym could be. She wondered how she could bring one to her community because she knew how difficult it can be for a children on the spectrum to navigate through things like a playground when they don’t fit into someone’s vision of how children are “supposed to be.” Margaret found out exactly what she had to do and on January 13th, 2018 she and her husband opened their doors …