Spencer Shields’ legend will forever be he is the greatest question asker of all time says his social studies teacher.
Dylan Sinclair, a teacher at Holy Trinity Academy (HTA) in Okotoks, said Shields will ask questions about his own questions just to clarify concepts. The teen’s inquisitive mind has not been quelled despite he was diagnosed with Autism at age seven.
In the 16 years Sinclair has been teaching at HTA, he said he has never had a child with autism take his social studies 30-level course until now.
Autism is a developmental brain disorder characterized by difficulties communicating and repetitive behaviours. Autism affects one in 150 Canadians according to the Autism Society of Alberta.
Shields’ autism hasn’t slowed him down in high school and Sinclair said he hasn’t modified course content to meet Shield’s needs.
At 18 years old, Shields has come a long way. His mother, Brenda, said when he started Grade 1 he did not even know his alphabet.
“It wasn’t through a lack of trying,” Brenda said. “I have a degree in child psychology so I stayed at home to work with him.”
When Spencer finished Grade 6, Brenda said he was testing at a Grade 2 or 3 level. He had a full-time aid in elementary school, but once he hit junior high it was reduced to a part-time aid because Brenda said things started making sense for Spencer.
“All of a sudden a light bulb would go off and he figured it all out at the same time,” she said.
Once Spencer started high school, Brenda said he caught up with the rest of the children his age and was streamlined through the regular academic program at HTA without an aid. She said his success is largely due to his persistent determination.
“He has an incredible work ethic,” Brenda said. “He would try to do 12 hours of homework (a night) because he wasn’t done yet.”
After that, Brenda said she had to limit the amount of time Spencer did homework to teach him while good grades are important, there is more to life. As a result, Spencer said he has been involved in the school’s hiking club, advocated for Students Against Drinking and Driving and worked for the Okotoks Dawgs during summer months.
During those months, Spencer said he works in the kitchen preparing hot dogs, burgers, pretzels and churros for the concession stand at Seaman Stadium. Brenda said his boss stopped her in the parking lot to tell her Spencer is always the first one out the door to do what needs to be done.
“He said Spencer is one of the best workers he has ever had,” Brenda said.
However, there is one aspect of his life he has loved since he was six years old, art. He said he enjoys drawing, painting, woodcarving and photography. Spencer took art classes from Okotoks artist Cheryl Taylor for four years.
“He’s a very good technical drawer,” Taylor said. “One of his greatest assets is he’s persistent in his problem solving skills. He keeps at things until he’s finished.”
Some of his artwork sits in frames around his house. Brenda said her favourite piece is a pile of cow bones Spencer did for his portfolio.
“I am shaking my head going, Spencer, this is the worst idea ever,” she said. “By the time he finished it was incredible. You could see the detail of the tiny holes that make the bones.”
Spencer was accepted into the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD), due to his art work, but he was also accepted to the University of Lethbridge and the University of Calgary.
“When he was in Grade 1 if you would have told me he was going to post-secondary I would have said there was no way,” Brenda said.
This fall Spencer will be embarking on a bachelor’s degree in visual communications design to pursue a career as an illustrator at ACAD.
“Whenever I read I usually form an image, an idea, that points to the text in my mind,” Spencer said. “Since I happen to enjoy drawing I thought I could make a career out of it.”
Spencer’s artwork will be featured at a showcase at the Crystal Shores Beach House on June 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Four days later he will graduate from Holy Trinity Academy and set foot on his journey to post-secondary education.
