An activity we do every year at the Tim Howard Leadership Academy is elevator pitches. An elevator pitch is a short, concise explanation meant to quickly explain something important. In this case, the pitch is about Tourette’s Syndrome. Learning how to give an elevator pitch is important for people with TS, as it helps you confidently explain your condition to others in a way that teaches them. This is helpful in all kinds of situations that come with varying levels of confusion and conflict.
As a group, we chose locations and scenarios for each pitch. An example is in a classroom working with other students. For the demonstration, two people take a role: one person has TS and the other is a classmate. The student with Tourette’s proceeds to make a noise, getting the attention of the classmate. The classmate gets annoyed by the sound and asks them to stop it. The student with TS proceeds to explain why they make the noise and tells the other to ignore it. In the end, the classmate understands how they have Tourette’s and can’t control the noises, ignoring the noise moving forward.
These scenarios can vary, and the outcome is different with different people. If you have Tourette’s and want to learn how to better explain and come across when dealing with others, grab a friend, parent, or anyone you feel comfortable with, and practice different elevator pitches with them.
Ari Bramson is a member of the NJCTS Youth Council, a TS Advocate and mentor and a participant at the Tim Howard Leadership Academy.