Kids & Family
Bloomfield Teen With Tourette Syndrome Speaks About Anti-Bullying
NJCTS Youth Advocate Dominic Dominguez educates Fair Lawn students about acceptance of others' differences during Bullying Prevention Month.
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October is Bullying Prevention Month and the message of kindness and acceptance is being delivered within schools all across the country. NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) has always put their Youth Advocates up to this challenge.
This month, Youth Advocate Dominic Dominguez, 18, of Bloomfield, delivered his message to more than 500 students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes at Memorial Middle School in Fair Lawn.
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The NJCTS Youth Advocate Program trains children and teens, ages 10 to 18, to lead presentations to student groups about Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders. Advocates are empowered by sharing their experiences in front of audiences of all sizes and attendees receive a strong anti-bullying message that promotes acceptance, tolerance, and self-advocacy for all. These presentations are given in classrooms or to full assemblies.
“It’s really easy to make fun of somebody who stands out, who is weird, or a lot of the times people just don’t know what TS is,” says Dominic. Dominic was diagnosed with TS much later than typical, at 16. He currently is a senior at Bloomfield High School. He does many Youth Advocate Presentations, shares his story at Grand Rounds Presentations and has been a participant in the NJCTS – Tim Howard Leadership Academy. “I think that the biggest thing that we can do to counter bullying is to spread understanding and spread information about Tourette Syndrome.”
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The NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders, the nation’s first center for Excellence for Tourette Syndrome, is a nonprofit organization committed to the advocacy of children and families with Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders. Dedicated to delivering high quality services to these individuals, the center recognizes the importance of educating the public, medical professionals, and teachers about this disorder through programs and affiliations with public schools, health centers, and universities.
To learn more about Tourette Syndrome and the programs available from NJCTS, visit www.njcts.org.
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