HAMILTON, Michigan — Every mom has high hopes for their child's first day of school. New friends, classes and clothes.
But Emily Algera had no illusions. She knew every bit of the new would be hard for her son, Josh.
“He has been in some sort of therapy, physical occupational speech since he was about six months old," she said.
Josh suffers from Fragile X syndrome. A syndrome that requires Emily a certain strength.
“As he started moving through more complex grades, he needed more support, so he ended up in fourth grade here at Hamilton in the Autism program," Emily said.
Now entering sixth grade, Josh struggles with changes in his routine, a lot of stimulation at once and making friends — things that are synonymous with the middle school environment.
“It's hard to let a child who can't verbally tell you what happened, it's hard to put them on a bus or drop them off at a front door," she said.
She had no doubts of the hard that was to come. Principal Liz Morehouse was well aware.
“I've never seen him eat in the cafeteria before with his peers. Never in a gym full of peers during recess time," Liz explained.
But it seems the first day of school is perfect for some other firsts, too.
Liz saw one of her eighth grade students, Ben Grabinski, walking beside Josh in a crowded hallway. The two then sat and ate lunch together in a full cafeteria.
“It was the first time that I saw him walking in the hallway with all of the other students. And I just stopped," said Liz. "All I could do was smile, and somebody was like, 'are you okay?' And I was like, 'Yes, this is just awesome.'”
That's when Liz called Emily to share the good news.
“You get so used to getting phone calls that Josh ran away from school. Josh knocked over the classroom. And it was just nice to see him be so successful, and then see him come off the bus and say, 'I did it. I did it today,'" she said.
Ben, pitcher for the baseball team, also seems to be pitcher for team Josh.
"The principal came and told me that its first time, and I was just in shock," said Ben. “Because he did so good."
Josh has gone back to eat lunch in the cafeteria every day since.
"It just brings me joy that I'm able to help them put a difference in their lives," smiled Ben.
Ben and Josh met last year when they were placed in a 'Unified' program. This places students who struggle with social interaction with a buddy to walk down the hallway, eat lunch and even do classes together.
Ben and Josh, who bonded first on basketball, simply clicked.
“We were just like really good friends," said Ben.
“I'm impressed with Ben's ability to just go with what Josh is doing and stay in the minute with him," said Emily.
Josh and Ben spend most of their time together playing games: bottle flipping, basketball and target practice with a tennis ball. They don't play against one another, they just play — enjoying the little wins, and each other.
“All that we've gone through with him and to help him get to this point, it's great to celebrate," smiled Liz.
If you see two kids playing basketball in an empty gym at Hamilton Middle School during the school day, you might think they need to get going to their next lesson.
But for Josh Algera, that’s where he learns the biggest lesson — that he’s never really alone.
“He's had a lot of days where he's come home in tears, and so it's been good to see him come home and tell me ‘I had a good day,'" Emily smiled. “It kind of feeds the feeds the soul a little bit."