The Aaden Vance Project

06/07/2026

Looking to Buy: Berenstain Bears Books 📚

The end of May and now June, Aaden has been having a rough time. With school being out for the summer, our guy has been struggling with the loss of his daily routine. He's been missing a lot of the familiar things that bring him comfort, and one of those things is reading Berenstain Bears books.

He has loved these books for a long time because he gets to read them at school, but now that school is out, he doesn't have access to them like he normally would. He does have a few of them that he has read so many times, he has memorized every page! Finding them has felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack!

I thought I'd start here just in case anyone is cleaning out bookshelves, decluttering or has some Berenstain Bears books they no longer want or need. We'd love to give them a new home.

If you have any you'd be willing to sell, please let me know. Thank you! ❤️

05/21/2026

And some of us are both🖤

05/20/2026

Awards Day is fun and exciting, but it also can be too much.

Mrs. Cosley hand delivered Aaden’s Unified Sports Award in one of his favorite places at school!

Way to go, Aaden! So proud of you!

Thank you, Miss Emma for the picture💙

05/12/2026

Yesterday, Aaden made Paul Bunyan Pancakes with his class and Mrs. Rynning! He even chose to share his with Ms. Emma, which made the moment even sweeter.

Watching him work through something that can often bring him anxiety and worry was truly special. Seeing his teachers gently encourage and support him every step of the way was nothing short of magical.

What meant the most was seeing how proud they all were of him and how proud he was of himself. ❤️

Also- seeing this picture made me see how much he has physically grown this year. 🥹

04/20/2026

04/18/2026

Found this gem while looking through my pictures!! 🥰

04/17/2026

Happy Birthday, Denise!! We hope you have the BEST day!! 🎂🎉🥳🍹

04/10/2026

💙💙💙💙

12/13/2025

Late post—finals completely consumed my life.

Aaden and I wanted to take a moment to celebrate our school and show our appreciation for everything they do to support his success. And honestly… who doesn’t love a hot cocoa bar? ☕️

December is an especially important month for Aaden. It’s when we meet with his IEP team to reflect on how his year has gone. This time is about celebrating his growth, strengths and the goals he has crushed- while also identifying where he may still be struggling and how we can make the more challenging parts of his day easier and where he may need more support.

As a parent who works within a school and has a child with different abilities, this process can be bittersweet. One moment you are filled with pride and excitement over the progress they have made and the next you are feeling the weight of hearing where they are struggling. Both can exist at the same time. And it’s okay to feel them both!

We are incredibly fortunate and blessed that Aaden is surrounded by people who see him first and foremost as the happy, kind, ten year old boy he is and not just his autism diagnosis. He is one very lucky little guy to have so many people showing up for him, supporting him and advocating for him. Every. Single. Day. 💙

Once one has worked in the magical world of special education or in a school, you quickly learn just how much of yourself you pour into your students. It can be exhausting and sometimes left feeling like your own cup is empty. But this work matters. It’s what I love to do—and it’s what the incredible people in our schools do every day as they give 100% of themselves to their students.

I see you. I appreciate you.

Thank you for the hard work, dedication and care you pour into Aaden and all of our students. 💙

Lancaster School