The School for Advanced Studies is a public high school in which every student earns an AA degree along with a diploma at graduation. It’s academically intense. So all the students at SAS are high achievers. In that environment, Alexia Borges considers herself one of the crowd.
“That’s what she likes to be called, ordinary, but we know she’s extraordinary because of the things she’s done and how compassionate she is,” said Arlene Martinez, the school’s counselor.
A senior, Alexia founded a club at her school called the Disability Awareness Bureau, called to action because her older brother, Damion, has autism.
“I think it’s really important because autism is such a pandemic globally that other people need to be aware of it,” Alexia said.
Alexia also writes a blog about her experiences with Damion, at www.alexiaborges.com . Her next project is writing a book to highlight her point of view: being a sibling to someone who’s autistic, often being his caretaker.
“Well I’ve definitely had to mature a lot faster than people my age,” said Alexia.
Local
As she explains it to her friends, Alexia learns as much from Damion as he learns from her.
“Patience, understanding, loving, how to view the world through a different lens, he’s always so happy, so full of joy,” Alexia said. “I think he adds to my life more than he takes away.”
Through the blog she writes and the club she founded at school, all the work Alexia does at home with her brother is impacting her classmates as well.
“It really makes me feel like oh, she’s making a change, maybe I should, too,” said David Overholt, one of Alexia’s best friends.
“I find it pretty impressive to have the courage of what she’s doing, one, it takes a lot, and to have the willpower to keep on going every day,” said fellow senior Jandrice Nacier.
Alexia keeps on going, acing most of her classes. She wants to become a physician one day, but says her mission of changing society’s perception of autistic people will be her life’s passion.
“So it’ll definitely be something that’s close to my heart and something that I’m always going to want to keep pursuing,” Alexia explained.
From home to school to the world, Alexia Borges is just getting started.
