Limitless, from East Hills Boys High School (Australia, 2023), is a short film that explores themes of ADHD, autism and cognitive processing disability through art, music and personal viewpoint. The work considers the transition from school to work, with reflections on motivation, perception and work experience. Scenes emphasise visual style and young perspectives rather than diagnosis or labels. As part of the Focus on Ability festival, Limitless highlights the abilities and creativity of young people navigating mental health and employment-related challenges. It is a thoughtful, optimistic contribution that invites viewers to consider how talent and different ways of thinking shape opportunity and identity.
It's astonishing how our perception can limit us. When you think about the word disability, what often comes to mind is a physical limitation, an obstacle that can be seen and measured. But what if I told you that disability extends far beyond the realm of the physical? My name is Sam and I'm in East York Boys High School and I'm in the final year and I also have ADHD and Autism. So I first met Sam in 2018 when he started at East Hills in Year 7. He was placed in the Autism Unit by a panel who felt that this was the best setting for him. Initially his behaviour was quite a problem. He didn't like routines and preferred to just be drawing or playing on his iPad. Sam follows the LifeSchools curriculum and he performs quite well at this level. He struggles with comprehension and often needs additional time to process things. Any instructions that we give him need to be broken down into simpler steps. We have a lot of visuals to help keep him on track in regards to the daily routine and expectations, visual timetables and social stories when he requires them. He started participating in work experience last year at the DSA, which is Disability Services Australia, which is a supported workplace. He enjoys this work and he takes pride in completing the task efficiently and to the best of his ability. My name is Alana Edwards and I'm the Headteacher of Seth at East Hills Boys High School. I've been working with students with Autism and other disabilities for over 16 years. So Autism is a condition which affects the way a person has relationships with others and perceives the environment around them. So it's really important in a high school setting that we're able to support students to be able to manage those differences in the way they see things and help them to plan for the future. So one of our biggest roles working in high school is transition planning and preparing students for life after school. This is particularly important because students with Autism don't often have the ability of being able to project into the future and be able to see what that might be like for them. So approximately 1 in 150 people have Autism Spectrum Disorder. Males have a higher rate of Autism compared to females. From an employment perspective, just over 50% of people who have a job or are actively looking for employment have a disability compared to just over 80% of people who don't have a disability. And that really highlights the importance of our transition program so that we can increase the rate of people with a disability actively looking for employment or even more. Although my disability may be seen as a barrier, it does not define my abilities. Through art and music, I speak a language that surpasses words, unveiling the depths of my talent. So Sam's well known around the school for his music and for his artwork. At lunchtime and at recess, he can often be heard singing quite loudly around the school to some of his favourite heavy metal bands. Sam actually enjoys writing music and composing, recording and doing the album artworks as well. Once I find my way out of the dark Being limitless, to me, is not about escaping limitation but embracing endless possibilities. I have finally learned to fully embrace my passion. By pursuing my passion, I have discovered the satisfaction of unlocking my own potential and proving that limitation exists only if we allow them to. I will see, and I will be with you real soon.
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Limitless by East Hills Boys High School (2023)
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Limitless
by East Hills Boys High School - SCHOOL DOCUMENTARIES
