 This is Micah. Micah is five and a half years old and has been diagnosed with autism. Micah works with Boston University Rowers Brin and Nicole in a program called Athletes for Autism. A for A pairs autistic children with Division I athletes to work on their motor skills. We've been focusing on little stuff like dribbling or kicking a soccer ball, but it's really transcends to real world things. We teach them eye contact, we teach them how to listen, it helps him in a classroom in a few years. Recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that one in 68 children is on the autism spectrum. A for A understands that disorders like autism can make it difficult for kids like Micah to fit in. It is their mission to create an environment where these kids can learn to work on coordination, make friends and listen to coaches in an individualized and controlled manner. What I appreciate most about the program is the individual attention that he receives and which he really needs in order to partake. And the ladies have been wonderful with him and they've tried to broaden his interest a little bit in terms of having him play with peers. But he needs constant facilitating on the part of an adult. What kind of improvement have you seen in him in just these past few weeks? He looks forward to playing sports more. We've tried karate before and mainstream sports. And he was just never interested because he can't keep up with the other children. But by being involved in this program, I see that he's more interested. He's always very joyous on Sunday morning and he looks forward to coming to the program. Honestly, he has the biggest smile on his face when he walks in. I think he's learning how to interact with other kids better, which is great. We're definitely giving him some new friends. I just think he likes having someone who will be patient with him. A for A is a free program that offers the means for children like Micah to build strong relationships with their mentor. These athletes feel that their connection to the child is just as strong as the child's is to them. Micah the little boy I've been working with knows three languages. I only know one and a half. So he's been able to teach me a lot as well as me being able to teach him. I'm a freshman, but I would hope to stay with Micah for the next four years. Hopefully teach him new things, he'll teach me. I think that's a great part of the program. Athletes for autism is still a relatively new organization. They hope that with increased funding they can expand to include a wider variety of collegiate and professional athletes to help even more kids like Micah. Reporting for the Boston University News Service on Katerina Looptich.