About

Hello, and thank you for visiting my website! I am Carter, and I was born on Long Island in 2005. I am a first-year student of Hofstra University who is studying psychology, with minors in exercise science and human resources. In my free time, I am a martial artist, a writer, and a gamer. For the past year, I have worked at ACDS in Plainview; this is also the preschool I attended, and where my late mom woked. My life's work is to advocate for high-functioning autistic children, particularly those who are stuck in inadequate public school environments, and to research and develop academic solutions that address their needs.

Backstory & Mission

When I was two years old, I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism. I was placed in the Roslyn School District, which you may know as the subject of the 2019 movie Bad Education, or, of course, the actual incident which that movie is based on. I did eventually find peace in this district when I was placed in the Hilltop Academy program. In fact, I consider Hilltop to be an excellent starting point for high-functioning autistic academic programs to improve upon. Its main flaw, in my opinion, is that it primarily caters to Roslyn students (although it does accept children from other Long Island districts). Before I was placed in this program, however, my entire academic experience was a complete disaster. I learned that people with high-functioning autism, like myself, cannot receive adequate education by attending the same schools as typical kids. We have different strengths and weaknesses; and more importantly, we tend to lash out when our needs are unaddressed, which causes us to be seen as dangerous. When schools see us as dangerous, they retaliate against us instead of helping us, and that can leave us traumatized.

I found, in my personal experience, that I reached the intelligence of an average adult when I was 11. My intelligence did not continue to develop at the normal rate of a 12-17 year old; if it did, I would've become a supergenius! My rate of growth slowed, like it would for an actual young adult. It was as if I simply skipped over a few years of my childhood. To put this into Erikson's model, I believe that I skipped nearly the entire "adolescent" stage, but my environment prevented me from progressing to the next stage. This was incredibly frustrating! I've found that there is little research concerning this particular pattern of autistic mental development; and I mean to correct that, because I know that I'm not the only one who experienced it. Ask yourself: how would you feel, as a typical 18 year old young man, if you were forced to attend middle school? Let's say that you didn't remember the material, but you retained all the cognitive skills you had already gained. Sure, you would be ahead of the other students, but wouldn't you be frustrated? Wouldn't you be bored? Would you resent being treated the same as the other kids, who are going through struggles that are entirely foreign to you and who require protections that you do not (i.e not being trusted with a means of obtaining income or committing to a life plan)? This is the reality for many high-functioning autistic children. I decided long ago that I would dedicate my life to fixing this. One day, I will ensure that autistic children are given a level of dignity that matches their development, just as (nearly) all other children are.

Current Activities

Of course, I have other passions besides what I've chosen as my life's mission! I am a yellow-belt at Tiger Schulmann's Manhasset. I am an absolute believer in the importance of physical discipline with any intellectual pursuit. I believe that you simply cannot have one without the other; the body and mind go hand-in-hand. This is why I chose to minor in Exercise Science. In the past, I have worked physical labor jobs (yes, I consider retail to be physical labor if you're the employee who is unofficially designated to perform most physical tasks) where my physical strength has come in handy. In the future, if my life's work leaves me time, I would like to help other people achieve their own physical fitness journeys. Strength and discipline should not be reserved for athletes and gym bros; they should be for everyone! Even - in fact, especially - children can benefit from an early foundation of discipline and confidence.

My work at ACDS has been foundational to my personal development. It means more to me than just giving back to the preschool that helped me as an autistic child. I have had two classes so far, totalling 16 different children. Even as a teenager who's only fourteen years older than some of them, I find that each and every one of them has inspired me in a way that makes me feel like an old man. Each and every child - whether they're curious or passive, serious or funny, early geniuses or learners - has infinite value to share with the world. My mom told me that working with kids might "make me a better person," and she was right. Witnessing what even the most disadvantaged children are capable of has strengthened my faith in humanity tenfold. For this reason, I love working with young children, even though my life's focus primarily relates to middle-school children. My job at ACDS also introduced me to many adults whose careers lie almost everywhere across the broad field of psychology. This is what inspired me to minor in Human Resources Management. My intention is to be prepared to take any job in my field, in case I'm unable to land a good research position right away.

Outro & Gallery

That's pretty much all there is to know about me! If you came here because I applied for a job, I hope you have a decent understanding of who I am now. If you or anyone you know works in special education and has a similar vision to mine, please reach out at carter@cartersilverstein.com! I am young and still learning, but I intend to explore every possible avenue to create an academic solution for kids with my type of autism who are being misunderstood and mistreated. I don't know of anyone else who's currently working towards my exact goal, but if an organization pops up, I would be glad to contribute in any way that I can! In the meantime, I am greatly appreciative of any sort of work experience and/or networking opportunities that anyone coming across this could offer me.