Boundless Abilities: Autism and More
Well-Being explores physical, mental, and emotional health, with a special focus on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or behavioral health challenges such as autism. Each episode features a roundtable of clinicians, community members, educators, and other experts in the field discussing timely topics and sharing strategies to help cope with stress. At Boundless, our mission is to build a world that realizes the boundless potential of all people.
Boundless Abilities: Autism and More
Beyond Barriers: The Boundless Nights Prom
A magical night under twinkling lights, a dance floor filled with laughter, and the joy of feeling fully included—these are the experiences every high schooler deserves. Yet for many students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, traditional proms can feel overwhelming or unwelcoming.
Meet Greg Shetter, the visionary Behavioral Health Specialist behind Boundless Nights Prom, an extraordinary celebration designed specifically for students with autism and other developmental challenges. "This is the opportunity for students to have a singular event of their high school career that is not only inclusive but designed specifically for them," he explains with infectious enthusiasm. Across 16 Montgomery County high schools, approximately 70 students will finally experience a night where they're not just accommodated—they're centered.
Behind this magical evening stands the Mark Andrew Kreushe Memorial Fund, whose generous grant makes the entire event possible. Suzie Kreushe shares how her foundation emerged from unimaginable loss—the death of her four-year-old son Mark in a boating accident. Rather than surrendering to grief, her family chose to "leave a MARK on children's lives" through grants supporting diverse youth programs. "Everyone deserves to be happy," Suzie affirms. "I don't care what you're going through, we can make someone's life better."
The masquerade-themed prom will transform a gym into a night of wonder, complete with corsages, photo booths, refreshments, and even crowns for each attendee. Beyond creating memories, the event showcases Boundless's expanding programs for teenagers, including socialization skills groups, parent support training, and peer friendship development.
Join us in celebrating this remarkable initiative where every student gets their perfect prom moment. Want to support future inclusive events like this? Contact Greg Shetter at gshetter@iamboundless.org or visit MarkKreushe.com to learn how you can help create more spaces where all young people feel truly included, valued, and celebrated.
Okay, when someone mentions the word prom, it probably brings back a lot of memories for all of us, right? Some of those memories are great, maybe others not so good, but you know what? We're going to focus on positive stories today, because we've got a really cool event to tell you about. Welcome to Boundless Abilities, a podcast brought to you by Boundless. Boundless is the largest nonprofit in Ohio that provides services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges. We do it through a lot of things residential support, autism services, primary health care, day programs, counseling and a whole lot more to children and adults. Our mission is to build a world that realizes the boundless potential of all people. I'm your host, Scott Light. I've got two great guests today. Greg Shetter is here. Greg is a behavioral health specialist and creator of Boundless Nights, and Susie Crush is here. She's the director of the Mark Andrew Crush Memorial Fund. Welcome to you both.
Speaker 2:Hi there.
Speaker 1:Thank you. I'd like to begin this way, Greg let's start with you and let's get right to this prom theme, because that's what this podcast episode is all about. You're the whole, the brain trust, the brain power behind Boundless Nights Prom.
Speaker 3:So tell us it is the opportunity for students in the Montgomery County High School area to be able to have a singular event of their high school career that is not only inclusive but designed specifically for those that may either have a diagnosis of autism or an intellectual developmental disability diagnosis as well. So you mentioned at the start that sometimes high school or prom is not a positive experience for students, and this is exactly what it is. To identify that population across the 16 high schools. Currently, boundless supports about 5% of their students, so it not only gives the opportunity for Boundless to expand the services that we provide, but it gives a stress-free, inclusive event for approximately 70 students in these high schools to come together with their peers and have a night that they will absolutely remember for the rest of their life and make sure that it is stress-free and that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1:I love well, stress-free, inclusive and memorable Boy. Don't we want all of our days to be like that? That is fantastic, greg. Before I get to Susie, let me ask you just news clip of a young lady in one of our southern states.
Speaker 3:I think it was Mississippi that has a diagnosis of Down syndrome and her senior class voted her homecoming queen, and so it really touched my heart. But then I stumbled across the Tim Tebow Foundation that holds proms for kiddos as well in local churches, so it was an opportunity to get us more awareness in the Dayton area to provide additional services to children that need it. But, to your point, most importantly, have a night that these kids will remember. So I can't take all the credit. There's a young lady that's probably now 19 in Mississippi that spawned it and it just grew from there.
Speaker 1:Isn't that great when a spark happens like that organically and then you're able to stand up something great like like a prom. We're going to tell all of our listeners a whole lot more about this special night coming up, but, susie, you're with me here in studio on the Boundless campus. Greg's joining us via Zoom. Tell our listeners about your foundation and why you believe this is such a great cause, such a great event to help fund.
Speaker 2:Our story is a little sad, but we're trying to make a silver lining out of it. In 2007, our second born son, mark. He lost his life in a boating accident and he wasn't sick. There wasn't a seatbelt issue, there wasn't a specific cause that we could raise money for to in Mark's memory, so we just started a fund and a year later we came up with the idea that we would help children, because Mark was four. He loved everything about being a boy. He was energetic, he was lively, he skipped, he just laughed a lot. So we wanted to make sure that we put smiles on other children's faces in his honor. So we started the fund and we raise money every year through a couple of different fundraisers and we accept applications each year in the Dayton area and we provide grants to help children, and really that's the goal.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:And we try to leave a mark on a child's life, and that can be in various ways, and prom is a great way to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you bet.
Speaker 2:When we heard about this idea from Boundless, we couldn't say no.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Why not provide such a simple event, a dance, which so many of us take for granted, that our kids go to? We went to and, yes, sometimes it's not so fun, sometimes it is fun and they're stressful. And if we can provide this for the kiddos at Boundless and let them have their prom, why not? It's going to be a great night for everyone.
Speaker 1:I love well many things that you said, but when you said leave a mark on a child's life, that's on your website and Mark is in all caps. Of course, in memory of your son, would you tell our listeners a little bit more about him, about his life, about his spirit?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Like I said, he is or he was. He is an energetic, just a happy kid. He was always happy very blonde hair, fair skinned, and he just enjoyed life. We always said he had a zest for life. He laughed, he giggled, he loved his friends, loved his brothers, and he just have ended up loving what his passion would be. Would it be sports? Would it be arts? What music? Who knows? So we try to give to a lot of different organizations, whether it be the arts or to help children in need. Sometimes it's a food issue, sometimes it's tutoring, and this issue it's prom. Who knew we would do a prom 15 years ago?
Speaker 1:How many grants do you try to reward yearly?
Speaker 2:It is different every year. We have a board that reviews the grants. This year I think we did 12 to 15. And we've done like almost 160. That does include some scholarships for graduating seniors in the area and that is a service-based scholarship, not academic, because we try to promote that with our youth, to promote that with our youth. So we've given to I mean so many different organizations in the Dayton area it's so hard to even mention them all, but we try to do more local things and events that will affect a lot of children. We try to invest in facilities or a program that will be lasting forever.
Speaker 1:Greg, I'm just curious. I'll go a little off script here, but I'd love to ask you when you hear a story like Mark's and like Susie's and a family that has obviously taken a horrific tragedy and has brought good to the world, that brings a smile on all of our faces, doesn't it?
Speaker 3:It absolutely does. And, Susie, my cond it. It absolutely does. And you know, Susie, my condolences to that tragedy. No parent wants to go through that, and the fact that you want to make a difference in another child's life, it just speaks volumes to your integrity. And, Scott, to that point, you know prom, truthfully, without this foundation, this grant, we wouldn't be having our prom, and so this foundation is truly making it happen from the ground up and it's going to put not just smiles but joy on the faces of 70 kids in a way that they've never experienced before. So thank you for that.
Speaker 2:Well, you're so welcome. We are, like I said, thrilled to be part of it.
Speaker 1:Well, let's talk about that a little bit. When we create an experience and Boundless creates these experiences of all kinds every single day, but where everyone feels included, valued and celebrated, I'd love for both of you you and Greg maybe you start us off here, but to talk about those three assets. That's what we all want, right? We all want to be included, we all want to be valued and we all want to be celebrated.
Speaker 3:I'm going to go back to the point that you made earlier. High school is typically hard for all of us to navigate. It doesn't matter who you are, right, it's an emotional time. We're learning, we're growing, we don't know what's going on, we're trying to gain independence, and so those that you know may have a diagnosis that we mentioned earlier. It can present itself that experience in a completely different way, right? So the inclusion is the opportunity.
Speaker 3:You know, a lot of times in the high school environment, diversity or difference is not truly embraced, right? Because as children, you know, we kind of grow up. We're all the same, we all do the same things. That's how we find our niche in high school, and so this is an opportunity to take all that noise away from this specific population and make them feel included in a way that they typically don't get to experience on a day-to-day basis, right, because they may be in mainstream classes, they may not, but this way it's an opportunity that they can turn to one of the other 69 kids at this prom and say you're just like me, and so that is a very powerful inclusion that a lot of these kids don't get the opportunity to experience. That a lot of these kids don't get the opportunity to experience Same thing with value, right?
Speaker 3:The fact that Suzy's foundation has laid the foundation no pun intended for our prom, but the fact that Boundless as a whole, not just in West Carrollton but in Worthington as well and we've got folks from other locations across the state are saying, hey, how can I support this? So the fact that we're willing to do this will make these kids and their parents and we've gotten some of that feedback from the parents already that you know what a unique effort we're doing and how it's going to make their kids feel valued and celebrated and, to your point, celebrating. I don't want to say differences, but the unique assets that these kids bring. We are spending months to celebrate and recognize so that these kids walk away feeling all three of those things that they felt included, they felt valued, and we celebrated every one of their unique attributes by having this prom.
Speaker 1:Hey, Greg, let me follow up this way. This is also a really good way to show off some new offerings from West Carrollton. What's happening your way?
Speaker 3:So a couple of things. Part of the problem is we will have a parent room. So for the parents that choose not to drop their kiddos off and get a little bit of respite by going out to dinner with their significant other shopping whatever the case may be we will have a parent room where Boundless staff will be providing what we affectionately call swag bags for parents and the kiddos. It's a boundless backpack. It's going to have a boundless created coloring book that outlines what our programs are. There's going to be a little fidget gift in there crayons and then there will be a two-sided program of what boundless has to offer for teenagers and kiddos at a program level. So they'll get to take that away. But in preparation for this, we are rolling out here in West Carrollton some additional courses. We have Boundless Connections, which is either a board game or role-based group activities for teenagers and children to be able to not only enhance socialization skills but also to be able to enhance emotional regulation, and so we've got staff trained across the organization here in West Carrollton that have started conducting some of these group activities.
Speaker 3:We are just this week launching a parent support training program. This is geared specifically to parents and it's based on the Ruby curriculum, and what this does is it allows us to provide techniques and training to parents on ways to handle daily activities, living activities, toiletry. It allows them to learn how to address emotional dysregulation, how to establish routines to support emotional regulation. And then we also have one that we'll be launching about the same time as PROM. It is a peer support program. The non-clinical way to say this program is at the end of the 16-week course. It is where we pair up two children together that are of similar cognition, similar interests, and it really, at the end of the day, it really helps them establish skills on developing friendships and socialization. So those, in addition to all the other programs that we have for younger children and teenagers, those are the three that we are recently introducing.
Speaker 1:Okay, Susie, let's talk about MAC M-A-C-H. I know that's the acronym that's often used for the foundation. Have you ever funded or helped fund a prom before we have?
Speaker 2:not Okay. So this is fun. We like to put the fun into life. Yeah, I've talked about this before and I will talk about time blue in the face.
Speaker 2:We all take so many things for granted Taking a child to soccer practice, a child being on a soccer team or whatever team, or music lessons. I've learned so much from all the organizations we've given to. We're very diverse. We have helped kids at the Victory Project. It's an amazing program for teenagers in Dayton, teenage Boys. Bridget's Path is for babies born addicted to drugs and it treats the mothers and the babies because they're both addicted when the baby's born. We've given to the arts. We've given to Shriners Hospital in Dayton, patients with cancer parks, girls on the run it could go on and on Grieving children. So there's just so many things that we help. We try to make every child's life better and I loved what Greg had said about inclusion. Everyone deserves to be happy. I don't care what you're going through. We can make someone's life better and that's our goal. We call them silver linings. My husband always says we didn't want to join this club of grieving parents.
Speaker 1:Nobody does.
Speaker 2:No, and if you would have told us the day before, we'd be there. You know no way. So we're here and we call them silver linings. I have learned so much from so many people on this path. It is amazing, and there's so many good people out there. In a world where sometimes we think things aren't going so well, there's a lot of good things going on, and this is one of them, and I applaud Boundless for all they do. It's not easy every day to come up with new ideas and make every day special, and you guys do a great job of that. So applause to you. We're happy to be part.
Speaker 1:Well, I can't imagine how hard it is on your end, because every grant that comes in your door, in your inbox, however it comes, or just maybe a neighbor saying, hey, susie, can you support this? I can't imagine having to cull through that list and then say, you know, let's go with this one and maybe we can come back to this one in another year or another time. That has got to be really, really hard.
Speaker 2:It is. Yeah, I'm a yes person, so that's not good in this position because I have a board that you know I call it the business side. Like you just can't do it all Right, you can't, but we really try, we push the envelope. We probably spend a little bit more some years than others, but if the causes are worth it, we do it. So we vote on it. It's a group of people and we discuss it and sometimes we have to adjust the budget of what we can give so that we can give to everyone.
Speaker 1:Remind me if you would to ask a little bit more of a personal question in this respect. When you lose a loved one, I personally really don't like the word closure, because I don't think there's ever closure in that definition of the word. Is this work cathartic for you?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I spent a lot of time I'm going to be honest in therapy right afterwards. I was a mom of three other boys at that time and needed to be a mom, but I also needed to grieve. So I took some time and took care of myself and no, it's not over, but we're in a good place and this is a lot of it.
Speaker 2:I would suggest that to anyone going through grief get help, reach out, find something that does make you happy and do something in memory of your lost one, whether it be going to a park and just thinking about them. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be small, it can be whatever you decide, but don't push it aside because it will eat at you. And we you know Mark is in our life. We had a son like six. Well, about a year after Mark passed away, we had our fourth son and he knows Mark Not really, but he does so because Mark's around. You know, he knows Mark's favorite dinner. He knows, you know what Mark liked to do sports wise or where, who his friends were. So he knows.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that golden blonde hair too, talking about him in the pictures in our house. You know, I mean 50 years ago somebody died. You never mentioned their name again. Right, Right, that's new counseling and there's a lot of good help out there.
Speaker 1:We talk about this a lot on really a lot of our episodes therapy, seeking a counselor, seeking a professional that is a sign of strength and we still look at that. There's still so much stigma around that is. You know, people think that's weak and it's just the opposite. It is a sign of strength to your point. So I love it that you mentioned that. Another thing that we always say on these episodes self-care is not selfish, because you've got to refill your own bucket before you can share it with others, Right, yes, definitely. Fill your own bucket before you can share it with others, right? Yes, definitely, Greg. Okay, I'm going to put on a business hat here and ask this this sounds like a great model that can be replicated. Are we already talking about that, Maybe, even though the first one is yet to launch? But wow, I just think we could take this, maybe statewide.
Speaker 3:You know, scott, that's a really great statement. I have to say that Susie and the foundation have set the bar really high with that grant. But the vision to your point is, if we are successful this year with our 70 kiddos, then we will seek reapproval next year for West Carrollton and the plan will be to add an additional site with the goal of making this a boundless program across all locations in the very near future. So I'm tracking that to ensure that this year is a huge success so we can replicate that next year.
Speaker 1:Well, that would be fantastic. Let's talk about the event that's coming up. Let's talk about the prom. It's going to be in a gym where so many proms are. So, greg, tell us about that. And what's the theme for the night?
Speaker 3:So we are fortunate, in this location we do have a gym and it pretty much mirrors a high school gym, and that's what we're trying to accomplish for these kiddos right Is to give them that inclusive, valued, celebratory high school experience, and so you know it will have traditional decorations. We have a photo booth. They'll get their prom picture taken. Each guest will enter, and we've got some high school volunteers that are making corsages and boutonnieres that each guest will get upon arrival. Upon entrance, each one will get the choice of their own prom king or princess tiara that they can wear throughout the night. We have a DJ that will be joining us and typical punch refreshments for the kiddos, and then we are adding activities which center around the theme. So, even though it's boundless nights right, because we want it to be the possibility and potential for all these kids to be inclusive, we do have a masquerade theme, several activities for the kids of voice. One will be to make their own masquerade masks that they can wear throughout the evening as well.
Speaker 1:And is it free to attend?
Speaker 3:Through the generous grant that we have gotten from the Mark Crush Foundation. It is 100% free that is just terrific, susie.
Speaker 1:if people want to well get involved and find you, where's the best place to find out more about the foundation and to get involved with you?
Speaker 2:Okay, there are multiple places we are on social media Facebook, instagram and LinkedIn. They're a little bit, all of them are a little different, but the Instagram is the Mac Fund, facebook's Mark A Krush Memorial Fund, so is LinkedIn, and our website is markkrushcom. One word.
Speaker 1:What do you need? All nonprofits need funding. But many nonprofits will come here in our studio and they'll say you know what? We need? Volunteers, or maybe we need some board members.
Speaker 2:But just broadly what do you need? Funding is always awesome, but this year we're having a 5K. We have a high school group of ambassadors we call them from six different high schools in the Dayton area and they are planning this 5k on April 25th, the night before prom. So, um, and all the money that they raise goes to scholarships for high school seniors. We think of it kind of fitting. So come, support that. We don't have a lot of volunteer opportunities, but if you would like to volunteer at the 5k, you know, go to our website, you can. There's a contact link there Right now. That's it. And you can also donate online for all of our organizations all the organizations we give to.
Speaker 2:It's a perpetual fund, so once you're part of our family, you're always part of it.
Speaker 1:You're in the family. That's great. Greg, similarly to you, does for prom night. Do you? Do you need more chaperones? Do you need more volunteers? What do you need?
Speaker 3:The community outside of Boundless, as well as internal to Boundless, has really embraced this effort. I mentioned the high school kids that are volunteering to make the boutonnieres and the corsages, boutonnieres and corsages. We have a huge contingent of volunteers that are coming Friday before prom to set up the gym. That's a local company that has volunteered their time. And then internally, yes, we do need internal boundless staff to volunteer to support it. We've got just a couple roles to fill but, as I mentioned earlier, liberty Center Worthington and folks in the other locations have really embraced it.
Speaker 1:But we can always use additional support the night of, and if someone's listening and they're like, I want to provide that support. What's the best place, best way to get in touch with you, Greg?
Speaker 3:To provide that support. They can reach out to me through support. What's the best place, the best way to get in touch with you, Greg, To provide that support? They can reach out to me through email that's the absolute easiest way in gshedder, at iamboundlessorg, and then, depending on what the request is internal, external, support, volunteering or just getting an RSVP the night of I can get them in touch with the right area Excellent.
Speaker 1:Let's wrap our conversation this way we are all about the boundless potential of all people. So at the end of this night, on prom night, what do you hope people say about this event?
Speaker 2:I would hope that everyone involved the children, teenagers attending, the volunteers, the employee and staff of Boundless walk away happy that's all you want With a tune in their head, thinking how they had fun. They have their mask on and they're just happy.
Speaker 3:For me, it's not so much a statement, it's more of a feeling right. So for these 70 kids that are coming for them to three months down the road still be talking about the night they have right, because that feeling carries for them internally. It's the feeling for all of us that are providing that support, and our volunteers, along with Susie and her foundation, to feel that we hit those three things. It was inclusive, we made these kids feel valued and we celebrated these kids and us being able to walk away specifically from a balanced perspective, that we truly inspired the potential of not only these 70 kids but everyone that had a part in this process.
Speaker 1:This is going to be a great night and it is great that we've got this episode where we can get the word out just a little bit early. Greg, thanks for everything that you are doing out there, not just for this night, but everything that you're doing region-wide, as you know. It is making a difference, so thank you, sir.
Speaker 3:No, thank you. And Susie, thank you again for the generous donation. As I stated earlier, you didn't choose it, but you are making a positive difference out of a horrific situation and, truthfully, april 26th could not happen without your generosity. So thank you.
Speaker 2:No, you are so kind, your words are kind. It means a lot. We're just happy to be a part of it and see that you guys can fulfill this little dream of yours. So one of many.
Speaker 1:Susie, where can people go to find out more about the foundation? Your website, our website is great.
Speaker 2:It's Mark's name. One word Mark Krush.
Speaker 1:K-R-E-U-S-C-Hcom. Again, thank you both for being here to our listeners. Thank you as well. You can be part of future episodes too. You can email us your questions or comments anytime at podcast at Iamboundlessorg. This is Boundless Abilities brought to you by Boundless Abilities brought to you by Boundless.