Wynston Browne flourishes with spelling board, transcends communication gap

Mia Bomback ‘25 Paper News Editor

Imagine what it would be like to have a thousand thoughts swarming around your head without the ability to voice them. For 14 years, this is what life was like for Wynston Browne ’25, the science-loving, basketball-playing boy with Apraxia and autism.

Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by an inability to speak or perform skilled movement despite having the desire and physical capacity to do so. Although little is known about this condition, it is estimated that as many as one to 10 children in every 1,000 suffer from Apraxia; for every 1000, one to 10 are trapped inside their own mind, with thousands of thoughts to express and no means to express them. Still, hope remains.

A world of communication recently opened at Browne’s fingertips. Up to a year ago, Browne was restricted in his ability to communicate. Much of his young life was spent in virtual isolation: observing, hearing and seeing so many goings-on in his life, but not being able to take part in any of it.

All of this changed for Browne when his family discovered a new device that could aid in speech disorder treatment: the spelling board, a piece of paper containing letters and numbers to which Browne points. In the spring of 2021, Browne began training on the spelling board under the tutelage of his longtime behavioral therapist Elisa Feinman, seeing astonishing results. Within months, the formerly non-speaking teen was finally able to lend his thoughts and ideas to the world. For the closeknit Browne family, this was transformative, emotional and overwhelming. To finally be able to communicate with Browne was a dream come true, one they never thought possible.

“Before I learned how to use the spelling board, I felt isolated because only a few people understood me,” Browne said, eagerly pointing to each letter of the phrase on his spelling board. “Now I am excited to use the board to talk to everybody.”

Browne’s communication journey began by answering basic multiple choice reading comprehension questions with the spelling board. In a matter of months, he could eloquently express complex open-ended dialogue. For years, Browne had longed to show his parents how much he truly loved them. On Father’s Day of 2021, he finally had the chance. He spelled out a card to his dad.

“I like to give my dad hugs,” the card reads. It remains proudly hung on the family’s refrigerator to this day.

Since learning to utilize the spelling board, Browne has taken classes, both in person at Staples and online independently. He has shown impressive development, picking up on sophisticated academic concepts. He finished with an A in his biology class and developed a love for science, a passion that inspired him to think about his future career.

“I want to be a neuroscientist so I can help other people like me,” he said.

For years, Browne has battled biting stigmas from class- mates who have struggled to look beyond his disability. As he reflects on his future at Staples, he wants nothing more than to connect with his peers, to feel as though he belongs and maybe even enjoy a lunch date or two.

While the spelling board has given him a means of communication with fellow students, he still feels like an outsider in his own community.

“I wish to be included more and make new friends,” he said.

Even before learning to use the spelling board, Browne has always had a built-in best friend in his brother, Harrison Browne ’24.

Harrison has supported his brother throughout his journey and is proud of all he has accomplished.

“He’s able to get his thoughts out more and he enjoys learning more,” he said.

Wynston enjoys going to the Y to play basketball with his brother nearly every day. With his older sister, Sevie Browne ’19, he enjoys listening to her sing and play guitar. Prior to last year, each song, meal, hug and high-five was his only means of communicating to his siblings what he couldn’t actually say: “I love you.”

Now, he can.