Temple Grandin shares success story with Salt Lake students

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SALT LAKE CITY — Dr. Temple Grandin is an expert in autism spectrum disorder mainly because she lives with it herself.

Grandin was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People and is in Salt Lake City to receive an award, but Tuesday morning she inspired a group of students.

Four hundred students and their parents cheered as she entered the room to speak at Spectrum Academy in Salt Lake City. A professor at Colorado State University, she has done more to bring hope to children with autism than anyone in the world.

Who is... Temple Grandin?

Temple Grandin is an American doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, speaker, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. As a person with high-functioning autism, Grandin is also widely noted for her work in autism advocacy.

She told them now is the time to develop their strengths.

They asked questions, and she admitted she was teased while growing up.

From the HBO film " Temple Grandin," many people have learned of Grandin and the work she has done to revise the animal processing in America to a much more humane industry.

Grandin says whatever your skills, get a job. "A lot of people on the spectrum who are successful in the business world had paper routes when they were kids. Can't get a paper route? How about walking dogs? How about maintaining a church website?" she suggested. "And you're going to have to do it every week. It's called work."

To the students in North Salt Lake, Grandin was a superstar. They listened to her and saw possibilities.

"I was just excited (to hear from her)," said ninth-grader Jace Gold. "I found out about Temple Grandin when I was young and, yeah, I was excited."

"I watched the movie (about Temple Grandin), and that inspired me to come to the assembly," ninth-grader Jensen Oliver said.

"I think one of the wonderful things that was gained is that the children (saw) that there's someone like them," said Principal Annette Davis. "It gives them hope that they too can overcome their challenges."

Email: cmikita@ksl.com