Supporting role
At University High School, Kayli Pilgrim made her mark in several ways. Her accomplishments in choir, theater and art all rank high.
Yet her quieter role supporting her family – especially her brother – made others take notice in nominating her as a notable 2008 student. Pilgrim learned early about responsibility and helping others after her dad, Gary, was seriously injured in a helicopter crash in 1996.
Pilgrim was only 6 at the time but she soon took to watching over her autistic brother, Lorne, 19 months younger and now also a University High student. She and her mom, Carolyn, kept her dad at home and cared for him. Over the years as her mom has worked, Pilgrim also took on a sort of caretaker role for her brother.
These days her dad is doing better, although his disability prevents him from working.
“I mostly looked after my brother to make sure he was OK and entertained because he was 5,” Pilgrim, now 18, recalled. “Now he kind of takes care of himself. I was the typical big sister and I’d do my best to explain to people if they looked at him strange and made them more aware about autism. I could calm him down.”
In fact, Pilgrim has learned as much as she can about autism, studying it in school and as the topic for her senior project. She completed 15 hours of research field work on autism as it affects children for a PowerPoint presentation.
“People often don’t understand it’s a spectrum disorder. Its severity varies.”
“I explained some of the therapies and treatments because there’s no cure. It affects communication. I learned some things I didn’t know. I just wanted to inform people because it is a growing epidemic.”
Pilgrim listed common ways to help autistic people through communication and allowing them to choose an order, such as events for the day.
Her other interests while at University High have included choir, calligraphy and drawing classes. She enjoys cartooning and especially Japanese Anime style art. Last month, Pilgrim displayed work in the Senior Art Night.
In her other great interest – theater – she has starred in such roles as Tituba in “The Crucible,” Bev in “Graceland,” and Ms. Lynch in “Grease.”
She enjoys theater for a number of reasons.
“I had grown up with show tunes and watching theater. You get to pretend to be someone else yet you still share yourself with the audience. Every night is different. It’s unpredictable and a thrill and you get to meet lots of people you get close to because you’re like a family. Choir is the same way. You have to give of yourself because it’s all for the audience to give them a good show.”
In choir over the years, she made friends with a couple of Japanese exchange students which helped spur on another interest – studies in Japanese culture.
In fact, her career plans have Japan in mind. Enrolled at Spokane Falls Community College this fall, she will study Japanese language and culture as well as education with the ultimate goal to move to Japan and teach English to Japanese students.
Considering her track record in seeking to understand and support others, Pilgrim should go far – whether here or in another country.
“I’ve always been interested in Japan. I thought it would be an interesting career to teach English as a second language in Japan or South Korea. I love to travel and see new cultures.”
Inside
A list of U-niversity High graduates./16