Danvers Siblings Share Story Of Autism Support, Inclusion

DANVERS, MA — Danvers siblings Jackson and Taylor Skane brought their story of awareness, inclusion and support for those with autism and other disabilities to the Great Oak School as part of Autism Awareness Month.

The Skane Train — as they call it — includes Jackson and Taylor sharing their perspectives of someone diagnosed with autism at 3 years old and a sister advocating on her brother's behalf.

"That's when his advocacy started," Melanie Skane, the siblings' mother, said. "He spoke about what it means to be autistic and his sister spoke about her experience."

The two have been talking with classrooms for the past eight years and have previously spoken at all of the Danvers elementary schools as well as Holton Richmond Middle School.

Jackson Skane went to Riverside and Great Oak before graduating from Essex Tech. He now attends Endicott College.

Taylor Skane is a senior at Essex Tech who will go to Endicott in the fall. She volunteers at North Shore Dance Academy in the Dancer Within program for people of all abilities age 12-22. She enjoys helping her brother spread the word of inclusion and acceptance.

"I always wanted to advocate for autism and disability awareness," she said. “I can empathize with how it is to be a sibling or friend. It's not easy. You do have to adjust."

Jackson Skane said a core message in their talk is to never treat someone different based on their ability, race, language or sexuality.

"Everyone is different," he said. "We help kids understand the perspective of being a friend, peer or sibling to someone with a disability."

Through Northeast Arc, Jackson Skane has shared his advocacy and served as a youth ambassador to the Board of Directors. In 2022, he was named to the Community Experts Team at the Peter & Elizabeth Tower Foundation — a family foundation focused on improving the lives of children, adolescents, and young adults.

"Acceptance (of people with disabilities) has gotten so much better," he said. "There are a lot more people aware than when I was first diagnosed.

"Autism is an invisible disability that is not talked about enough."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)