STUDENT STORIES
AARUSHI PRATAP
CRAFTED TO CREATE At a young age, Aarushi Pratap was diagnosed with autism, and this became a catalyst as she began to display her thoughts and emotions through works of art. Since her early beginnings, Aarushi has designed clothes for a school fashion show, started selling her own handmade accessories and was on the small select team of artists who made the new Special Olympics logo for the 2022 games. “I think autism is my superpower and that it has a talent within it. I think God has given me talent through my autism,” said Aarushi. Shortly after her diagnosis, Aarushi’s parents began to see her love for the arts. For Aarushi, drawing was not just a
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form of artistic expression, but a way to communicate. Eventually, Aarushi was drawn to the world of fashion. At the age of thirteen, Aarushi designed dresses for her first fashion show. Though she was quite young for this endeavor, she received wonderful and positive feedback from the crowd, inspiring her to continue designing and creating clothes. Her parents then bought her first sewing machine and she taught herself to sew. She has gone on to create many beautiful pieces of clothing for herself and her customers. Notable amongst them are her creations which were auctioned at fundraisers to benefit the Special Olympics.
Alongside her artistic endeavors, Aarushi has a passion for sports and the Special Olympics. She has competed in many different categories, including bocce ball, swimming, cheerleading, basketball and stand-up paddleboarding. Aarushi had the incredible opportunity to combine her love of art with the Special Olympics when she was selected to contribute to the 2022 games logo. She was chosen as spokesperson for the logo and traveled to New York to do a live interview with Fox News. “Special Olympics Florida nominated me for the design team. Nine athlete artists from all over the United States were picked to design the logo for the 2022 USA games, and I was one of them,” says Aarushi.
