We feel so blessed to have found this wonderful school for our son and it's right in our backyard. He loves it and spends as much time there as he possibly can. He is gaining useful skills for the work force and is learning how to work with a team for a common goal. The community is small and supportive and the employees see my son for who he is and all the great ways he can contribute to our world. I count our lucky stars every day for NonPareil and the people who work there.
As a Trust Officer who specializes in Special Needs administration, it is imperative to me to know about all the local resources for my clients, my professional network, and for my family circle. It is important to advocate for these services and to connect them to the right parties. It takes a team to do so and I am proud to recommend nonPariel Institute to anyone in my circle. They perform an invaluable service to the Autistic community by building a better future for them while leaving a lasting impact for all to see.
Tanya T. Castro, CFP(r), CTFA
Current Advisory Board Member
I've watched nonPareil develop over the years - from an initial focus on just video games to a broader focus on providing technical, vocational and social communication training/experience to help adults with autism build their own best futures. At nonPareil, I've watched adults with autism find employment for the first time in their lives. I've seen adults with autism gain the confidence to go on to college. And I've seen adults with autism who, while perhaps unable to work due to their other diagnoses (apart from autism), have found community, a feeling of belonging, and an opportunity to continue to grow to reach their potential as well.
Is there a better program for assisting adults with autism? I've followed this field for many years...and I have never run across a better program. nonPareil has served over 800 adults with autism; I'm not aware of any program that has more experience in this field. I look forward to watching nonPareil continue to expand its offerings - more tracks of courses, more locations, more opportunities for autistic adults.
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Great organization. Continuing to meet the needs of adults with autism in spite of the pandemic. Makes my son feel accepted and appreciated.
nonPareil has been life changing for our son. While he is classified as "high functioning" on the Spectrum-he found navigating after high school difficult. nonPareil was an answer to prayer for our family and out son!
He is on the digital track and he loves what he is learning. But in addition-he enjoys and benefits from the comradery with the other crew members.
This is an amazing program--I can't say enough about it.
I joined the advisory board in Houston because of my belief in this organization and for everything that I have seen them to for the young adults that attend nonPareil!
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From the early days of nonPareil Institute, it was clear there was an urgent need for organizations focusing on adults on the spectrum, especially after the support offered by schools and colleges runs out. I was invited to support well-meaning people who not only get it, many live it every day as parents of children on the spectrum, the result of which is high levels of empathy and urgency to succeed in finding meaningful solutions.
The organization has evolved over the years responding more directly to initiatives that most closely support the goal of teaching life and technical skills best serving the attendees for their future. My personal observation is that it often appears those most thankful for the nonPareil Institute existence are the parents of those on the spectrum. It is not easy work and the organizations persistence, adaption and constant optimism are a tribute to all those that help make the organization possible. It is truly rewarding to be part of this enterprise.
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It has been an absolute privilege to be part of this much needed and very successful organization. The founders Dan and Gary made a leap of faith and commitment few would dare. The result is an organization that is helping hundreds and will soon be thousands of individuals, students and family members alike, providing skills training, a community like no other, and above all hope to those who have few options. The organization deserves the recognition and support to further that vision. The people working there provide selflessly of themselves for the single purpose of providing an opportunity to those who might not be afforded those chances in life we so easily accept for ourselves. And the students are instinctively drawn into the community and opportunity provided. The grand dream of expanding that vision to include housing, work training, life training and work opportunities will be a reality in time.
nonPareil Institute is a nonprofit that should have been started much sooner than its modest history. I was instantly drawn into the passion that was displayed by those who worked there in not only providing technical learning, but also the intangibles that will assist those with autism to navigate within society with confidence. I have personally witnessed the benefit that nonPareil has done for individuals that attended it's curriculum. The continued success of individuals cannot be overlooked, something is definitely being done correctly.
What a beautiful and inspiring institution. Seeing young men and women socializing, sharing ideas, supporting each other in their endeavors to learn and grow to one day fulfill their own dreams of contributing to society. I hope more people can see what is happening in their own community. A missing link, a whole, has been filled for these students. God bless
When I visited nonPareil Institute in Plano, Texas seven years ago, I was looking for a safe place for my daughter Katie to explore her interests in technology. NonPareil has more than delivered, coming to Houston and setting up shop here almost 4 years ago. Katie is very happy. She used to be isolated for the most part, but now she is learning how to be a part of a community, how to be a friend and colleague and not incidentally, she is learning to write code and next, level design. She’s gone from being a very self-absorbed young lady to someone who is a good friend and capable of participating in group work. I am so impressed.
In Houston we have gone from serving an initial crew of about 25 to more than 85 at this point, and we have room for more as we added 9000 ft.² to our premises last December. We are fortunate in our dedicated staff of technologists, artists, educators and speech language pathologists focused on life skills training. There is no place like nonPareil In this country and we are so pleased to be part of the program.
Review from Guidestar
Having a sense of belonging means so much. nP Institute provides a community and an opportunity to belong and can be a great match for certain young adults. The staff is warm and caring and strives to find various ways to best support and help young adults succeed.
I have been involved with nonPareil for the last 6 years both promoting the games developed by the crew and donating to the program. A close friend in the Special Needs program with Frisco Independent Schools introduced me to nonPareil. Her passion for the program ignited my own. There are many challenges for adults with autism once the support from public school ends, not the least is how to ensure they continue to grow and develop. My son with autism, has helped shape my understanding and desire to be involved with this program. nonPareil is not for all adults on the spectrum, and my son is not enrolled in the program, but he does support the objectives and goals. nonPareils’ program is designed to develop both commercially - viable technical skills and social skills. I am proud to be part of the team that is attempting to fill a significant vacuum in the community.
I've been involved with nonPareil for five years, first as a donor, then volunteer, and now board member. I have great admiration for the people in this organization. They are committed to their mission "to build better futures for adults with autism". NonPareil's staff continues to learn, improve, and innovate while pursuing this mission. As they expand to new cities this year and in future years, I have no doubt their success will continue and grow, and they will help thousands of adults with autism reach their full potential.
nonPareil has changed my son's life. I am SO grateful for the caring staff and volunteers. He now has friends, feels involved in the community and has a place that feels like 'home'. Keep growing and positively changing lives of more people with autism, nonPareil!
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nonPareil has changed my son's life for the better. So exciting to see how adults with autism can bloom when given opportunities for success!
My 14-year old son, Ethan, and my wife’s 14-year old son, Trey, are on the autism spectrum. We just found out early last year that our son, four-year old Luke, also has autism. One out of every 68 children today has some form of autism.
Because of Ethan and Trey’s autism affliction, five years ago I worked with the co-founders, Dan Selec and Gary Moore, to start nonPareil Institute -- for training young adults with autism to work in the technology industry, specifically in developing gaming applications and gaming software -- at that time on a "campus" that consisted of Dan's breakfast nook in his home serving three students.
Since then, we have grown to over 150 students on Southern Methodist University's Plano Campus. The students have developed numerous apps for the iPhone and similar devices, and have also developed several computer games – from start to finish. And we just signed an agreement with Nintendo to develop games!
We literally have received emails from all over the world asking about the work we're doing and if we can help children all over the country and around the globe.
For more on nonPareil:
http://www.npitx.org
A profile of the amazing work being done at nonPareil Institute is featured in the Spring/Summer 2014 issue of NTX Magazine (the magazine of the North Texas Commission): http://www.joomag.com/magazine/ntx-magazine-spring-summer-2014/0643373001396990159
And Family Circle last month (April is World Autism Awareness Month) did a story profiling nonPareil Institute: http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/volunteering/career-training-for-autistic-young-adults/
nP was featured in USA TODAY in September: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/28/autism-jobs-parents/2839027/#!
nP was featured on CNN in July: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjZq-oiv5uw
nP was also featured last June on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52162262/#52162262
And, a second trailer for the documentary being made about nP has been released: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5j-3fjmuNc
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My son, Ethan, and my wife’s son, Trey, are on the autism spectrum. We just found out eight months ago that our son, three-year old Luke, also has autism. One out of every 50 children today has some form of autism.
Because of Ethan and Trey’s autism affliction, four years ago I co-founded nonPareil Institute -- for training young adults with autism to work in the technology industry, specifically in developing gaming applications and gaming software -- at that time on a "campus" that consisted of one of the co-founder's breakfast nooks in his home serving three students.
Since then, we have grown to 125 students and have opened offices and classroom space on Southern Methodist University's Plano Campus. The students have developed numerous apps for the iPhone and similar devices, and have also developed several computer games – from start to finish.
We literally have received emails from all over the world asking about the work we're doing and if we can help children all over the country and around the globe.
nonPareil has just signed an agreement with Sony to produce games for their Playstation game console (so exciting) and we're about to release "Lightwire" -- a visually stunning gaming app for the iPhone and iPad. We also just released a fun gaming app called "Dots & Boxes."
We were also featured recently on NBC Nightly News: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52162262/#52162262
For more on nonPareil:
http://www.npitx.org
KERA Radio in Dallas, part of the NPR digital networks, profiled nonPareil Institute on air and on its Website in the story "Young Adults With Autism Find Work In Tech":
http://keranews.org/post/young-adults-autism-find-work-tech
A job training and autism briefing at Dallas City Hall early last month featured my fellow co-founders at nonPareil Institute:
http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/2013/02/job-training-and-autism-briefing-at-dallas-city-hall.html/?goback=%2Egde_3268263_member_214205878
nonPareil was highlighted in the November 30th print and online issue of the Dallas Business Journal:
nonPareil's tech training gives solid future to adults with autism Premium content from Dallas Business Journal by Bill Hethcock, Staff Writer
Date: Friday, November 30, 2012, 5:00am CST - Last Modified: Thursday, November 29, 2012, 3:24pm CST Aaron Winston and Cheryl O’Brien spend much of their day in a darkened room, staring at a computer screen, developing gaming apps for iPhones, iPads, Androids and other smartphone and tablet devices.
In one of Winston’s apps, called Spaceape, a Cosmonaut ape named Dmitri flies around outer space, scooping up bananas and dodging asteroids, comets and aliens. One of O’Brien’s apps, called npiSoroban, is an abacus for the iPad and other devices. The apps are available for 99 cents at app stores.
Winston and O’Brien are former students and current staff programmers at nonPareil Institute, a nonprofit technology company housed on Southern Methodist University’s campus in Plano. Like all of nonPareil’s students and more than half of its 23 staffers, Winston and O’Brien have autism.
The three-year-old institute provides technical training for adults on the autism spectrum, teaching teamwork and skills that enable students and staff to create products, like Spaceape and npiSoroban, for market release.
The institute is growing fast, said Gary Moore, president and co-founder. It had eight students when it opened on the SMU-Plano campus two years ago. Today, it has 93 students and a waiting list of more than 50.
The institute is looking to add a campus in Fort Worth in the next year and ultimately expand nationwide and around the world, Moore said. Word of the institute and its work has spread fast in the autism community, he said.
“There is a tidal wave coming,” Moore said. “From all over the world, we are getting phone calls. There’s nothing else for these adults.”
‘People understand how I’m made up’
Soaring autism rates are driving much of the growth of nonPareil (which means “no equal”), Moore said. The condition is now believed to affect one in 88 children — up from one in 150 just 10 years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the next 10 years, more than 500,000 people with autism will turn 18, according to the nonprofit Autism Speaks.
Because people with autism may think and act differently, many don’t fit into a typical corporate workplace, so they end up unemployed or in part-time, minimum-wage jobs, Moore said.
“Many of the high-functioning guys are brilliant, but they can’t get a job because they’re different,” Moore said. “We’re trying to build a future for them.”
Winston, who wasn’t working or in school when his mother took him to interview for a student slot at nonPareil, said the institute is a perfect fit for him. After graduating from a North Dallas high school in 2010, Winston signed up for a composition class at Richland College, but never went because he had “too much anxiety,” he said.
“(nonPareil) gave me the skills I needed,” he said. “There is less pressure here and great camaraderie. People understand how I’m made up.”
The institute has proven transformational for O’Brien as well. O’Brien, who has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Houston, was throwing papers, working as a crossing guard and doing part-time clerical work when she heard about nonPareil. She traded those jobs to be a student at nonPareil, and has worked her way into a position as a staff programmer and instructor.
“I like programming and I like making apps,” O’Brien said. “It’s fun.”
Building corporate partnerships
Students at nonPareil pay $600 a month to take classes. The money is used to help keep the nonprofit business running. Revenue from apps goes back to the institute, although so far the apps haven’t racked up big sales, in part because the institute doesn’t have much of a marketing budget, its founders say. App sales totaled about $500 last year.
The goal is for mobile app revenue to sustain nonPareil’s operating budget, CEO Dan Selec said. Selec and Moore co-founded nonPareil along with John Eix in July 2009, and the organization’s first classes were held in Selec’s kitchen. Selec, Moore and Eix, a nonPareil board member who works in business development for Dallas law firm Hunton & Williams LLP, all have sons with autism.
“The thing that the three of us were so passionate about when we began was, once school systems were done with the kids at 18 years old, it’s very difficult for them to move into a corporate environment,” Eix said. “They don’t process information that way and they don’t process emotion that way. But if you put them in an environment where they’re working together, where they appreciate one another because they know what the other one is going through, they just absolutely thrive.”
The institute is building corporate partnerships with companies such as Google, Selec said. That company has a “Google Spectrum Team” which engages people with autism nationwide to work on projects, he said. Google provides licensing to nonPareil for some of its software products, Selec said. The company also uses donated software from Microsoft, Valve and other corporations, he said.
Texas Instruments, Vision2 Systems, Accent Networks and Cinemark Theaters are among the corporate supporters of nonPareil as well, Eix said.
The institute has four apps in the Apple iTunes store, three apps in the Google Play store and another 10 in the pipeline, Selec said. While sales of nonPareil products haven’t taken off yet, it only takes one breakout app — an Angry Birds, for example — to dramatically change a company’s revenue picture, he said.
The institute tries to take a market-driven approach to the employment challenges faced by people with autism, Selec said.
“If we can consistently get product on the market, instead of having this tidal wave of individuals look for a welfare answer or a governmental answer, what we’re focused on is getting them resources they need to learn and earn their own way in their lives,” he said. “Let’s help them live fulfilled lives through the work that they can do.
“We’re committed to giving them the skills that they need to build great products and compete in the marketplace.”
APPS AND AUTISM
NAME: nonPareil Institute
BUSINESS: App and game development
HEADQUARTERS: 5240 Tennyson Pkwy., Ste. 105, Plano 75024
OWNERSHIP: Nonprofit
TOP EXECUTIVE: Dan Selec, CEO
EMPLOYEES: 23
PHONE: 972-473-3593
WEB: npitx.org
The Huffington Post profiled nonPareil Institute in its online issue recently:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/27/autism-employment-white-collar-jobs_n_1916611.html
nonPareil was featured in a recent ComputerWorld article:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9225562/Institute_s_mobile_apps_are_built_by_hands_of_those_with_autism?taxonomyId=77
We were also just highlighted as part of a story that ran a few months ago on Channel 8 (the ABC affiliate in Dallas):
http://www.wfaa.com/community/autism/Parents-of-children-with-autism-greatest-fear--What-happens-when-the-school-bus-stops-coming-151788515.html
Also, the documentary filmmaker has been filming a documentary profiling nonPareil. He provided us this trailer in advance of the film’s release later this year:
www.creektreefilms.com/programminghopevideo.html
And also, I made The Dallas Morning News' op-ed section over a year ago:
http://letterstotheeditorblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/04/what-can-we-do.html