ACBDD Special Edition: Building friendship and confidence through Teen Time
Below is an excerpt from the ACBDD’s 2026 Special Edition, which is produced in partnership with Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and The Post. The full edition can be found here.
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Since arriving in Athens more than two years ago, Gwen and her mom, Jennifer Mouat, have been heavily involved with the services and activities provided by the ACBDD, specifically Teen Time.
“She’s so much more mature and independent,” Mouat said about the changes she’s seen in her daughter since starting Teen Time. “She wants independence.”
Teen Time is a social club created by the ACBDD for people with developmental disabilities who are 13 to 21 years old. The program is intended to help participants have fun while developing their social skills through organized activities and outings. It is also designed to help this age group experience something new in a safe space.
Gwen, 19, said that her favorite things to do during Teen Time are to hang out with her friends Fiona, Jules and Kyle. Gwen said she has enjoyed her experience with Teen Time and having the opportunity to make close friends.
Heather Clemons, an ACBDD Community Inclusion Specialist, plans and organizes Teen Time events. Activities include arts and crafts nights, karaoke, hiking, pumpkin painting, and build-your-own pizza nights. For each event, Clemons looks for new and engaging activities that encourage participants to step outside their comfort zones and continue to grow.
On any given night, Teen Time can have about 10 to 15 participants who want to try something new and build connections. With that goal in mind, Clemons plans activities to engage everyone involved, with the goal of building confidence, connection and fun.
Her favorite part? “The kids,” Clemons said. “I love working with them. It is really fun to watch them find a new activity they love, make a new friend, or experience something they have never done before.”
Mouat talked about how her daughter has blossomed into a young woman after making friends through Teen Time. Gwen has recruited many of the friends she made at Teen Time to join the Ohio University Sparkles, an all-inclusive cheerleading group started in 2018 that supports Ohio’s athletics teams during competitions on campus.
Gwen says her favorite thing about both Teen Time and the Sparkles is simple: “Just hanging out with friends.” For both the teens and their parents, the friendships they’ve made through the program have become an important aspect of their lives.
“It’s really nice to watch them interact and become friends with each other so they have another resource and someone to do things with,” Clemons said.
Edited by doctoral student Khaja Aziz Azizuddin.