‘School gave me so much freedom’

King David Victory Park (KDVP) matriculant Liron Neuhaus was always underestimated because he was autistic and required a full-time facilitator. However, his matric year proved that being autistic wasn’t something negative, rather it made him unique.

“It’s not easy having autism and a full-time facilitator because it makes people think that my abilities are bad; however, I show them that it just means that you’re different, not worse,” he said.

Neuhaus spent a lot of time hopping around schools trying to find the right fit for him, so when he moved to KDVP in Grade 10, he knew that he had found the place for him.

“People underestimate me when they hear that I’m autistic,” he said. “I do talk a lot and a lot of it is quite convoluted, so sometimes people choose not to interact with me, but over time, they learn that it’s just how I am.”

Neuhaus said that he had to do a lot of introspection and would take any guidance. It was a case of becoming himself, and waiting for other people to catch up.

When he was at Yeshiva College before moving to KDVP, people took time to warm up to him, he said.

“At Yeshiva, I was alienated to the point where school psychologists got involved and there was bullying. But eventually, I was the go-to person for the school. Sports, academics, whatever, you name it, people were there for me. I went from having no friends to everyone being my best friend.”

The same thing happened when he moved to KDVP. “When I arrived at the school in Grade 10, I was excluded from a lot of conversations. I kept my head down and focused on myself, and eventually people started coming up to me and I was friends with everyone.”

Unlike most teenagers, where school is often a place of stress and pressure, for Neuhaus, school was a place where he could relax. “School gave me so much freedom,” he said, “I was able to think critically and made friends even though it was difficult because I struggle socially. Sometimes I felt more at home at school than when I was at home.”

For Neuhaus, the highlight of the matric year was his matric dance, because he was able to let loose. “I was the last one on the dance floor that night,” he said. “I let loose there like I never have before.”

Neuhaus also has a passion for soccer, and played soccer for his school, a chance he never thought possible. “It was fun being able to play for the team, be a part of something, and play the sport that I enjoy so much. It was the highlight of my day when we had soccer,” he said.

Sadly, Neuhaus had to put soccer on the backburner to focus on his academics, but his love for the sport and the team continues, and he intends to keep playing when he begins university.

Neuhaus plans to study a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and statistics at the University of Johannesburg, and is excited to sink his teeth into university life.