CLEARWATER, Fla. — For kids with autism, special needs and ADHD, LiFT Academy is a school designed to help.

What You Need To Know

  • LiFT Academy serves kindergarten through 12th grade, specifically helping neurodiverse kids and young adults

  • Its transition program is a four-year post-secondary transition program for students who have transitioned out of high school, but desire continued academics

  • Its Adult Training Program offers continued learning and employment skills for adults of all ages while promoting social enterprise

  • The school’s LiFTing OUR FUTURE Capital Campaign has already raised 50% of its $16M goal. To learn more and make a donation, click here

This week it celebrated the opening of its newest school building. The school helps neurodiverse children.

“Currently it is under construction, but once it is done this will be the main entrance of LiFT Academy," said John Oureilidis, as he gave a tour around the new building.

He is a 10th grader.

“Now we will be checking out the academy. This is open to grades kindergarten through sixth grade," he said proudly.

LiFT stands for "Learning Independence for Tomorrow" and describes itself as a bully-free place.

“I was diagnosed with autism, and my opinion on neurodiversity is that, it is a gift," Oureilidis said.

The school’s LiFTing OUR FUTURE Capital Campaign has already raised 50% of its $16M goal. To learn more and make a donation, click here

At the ribbon cutting this week, many from the Clearwater community came to support the mission.

“We really wanted them to embrace who they are, to become advocates for themselves, and they are. They are doing just that," said Kim Kuruzovich, co-founder of LiFT Academy. "They are making changes in the world. It is not us changing, it’s them going out and changing the world."

Kuruzovich founded the school with Keli Mondello 10 years ago. They both are mothers to neurodiverse children.

“It’s very overwhelming. It’s very gratifying, it’s very humbling, that our students needs are getting served," Kuruzovich said. "That was really the most important thing to Kelly and I, that we would be able to, not only get the help our daughter’s needed, and have them get the opportunities we felt like they deserved, but also reach other students and families as well.”

The new building will allow for the school's enrollment to double. Currently it has 166 students, but it could now help just over 400.