Madison Marilla, 17, deserves a big round of applause.
"I thought I was different when I was little but once I got older I kind of thought, it’s okay to be different," she said.
The junior at Lincoln-Sudbury High School started the Autism Awareness Club at her school.
"I was diagnosed when I was only 2 years old and I was not talking until I was 3," she said. "When I was 8 or 9 my mother told me that I had this disorder and I was like, ‘What?’ Once I got to high school I was finally aware that I had a disorder.
Now, Madison spends time educating people about Autism and helping parents and children with the disorder.
"I just want to start mentoring Autistic kids, because my mentors inspired me so much and I wanted to give back," she said.
Madison said she knows what other young people with Autism are going through and can help guide them.
"I often tell them, ‘Don’t worry,’" she said. "If they were throwing a fit it would be like, ‘It’s not the end of the world, you’ll get past it.’ I’ve been through the same things so I can relate a lot to this."
Her teachers say she is spectacular.
"She is a great leader," said Lynn Hunter, speech and language pathologist. "A lot of her skills and her talents are able to be portrayed through this club. She’s president of the club and this one took off. She’s got a good following."
While Madison said she has faced challenges along the way, she wouldn’t change a thing.
"I like how I am," she said. "I feel like my disorder is part of who I am."