Staff photo / Bob Coupland A ribbon cutting took place Friday for the new sensory suite for children on the autism spectrum on the upper floor of Eastwood Field in Niles. Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson, center, cut the ribbon. Front row, from left, are state Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland; Phyllis Ricchiuti, a founding member of the Rich Center for Autism; Johnson; and first lady LeeAnn Johnson. Others taking part are Mike Latessa, center, executive director of the Rich Center for Autism, and Geri Kosar, founding member of the center.

NILES — Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson cut the ribbon Friday for the new sensory suite for children on the autism spectrum on the upper level of Eastwood Field.

The room was made possible by the Rich Center for Autism and Eastwood Field to provide a place where individuals of the autism community could attend a Scrappers game with family members.

Johnson said it is a great partnership between the Rich Center for Autism and the Scrappers to provide a room for children diagnosed with some form of autism.

“It is so vitally important that we give those children an opportunity to participate and be at events like sports. The sensory suite that we have here at the Scrappers Field is a great opportunity,” Johnson said.

Johnson also had the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the game.

Phyllis Ricchiuti and Geri Kosar, founding members of the Rich Center for Autism at YSU, said the room provides a wonderful opportunity for the children.

“It is great for the children and also for the parents who will be able to go outside and watch the game. The children can stay inside and play with all the sensory toys. It provides a nice place for them to relax,” Ricchiuti said.

Kosar said the room is a dream that will benefit local families and was made possible by different groups working together.

“The room provides a wonderful opportunity for the children,” she said.

Charles Howell, YSU dean of the Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education, which includes the Rich Center, said is amazing to have a room like this for families to use,

“This is a fantastic culmination for what we were hoping for. I hope this is the first of many sensory rooms throughout the area,” Howell said.

Mike Latessa, executive director of the Rich Center, said families in the entire Mahoning Valley will have the opportunity to sign up and use the room.

“They can enjoy a baseball game in a sensory friendly environment,” he said.

Latessa said the room was launched in the spring and will be used for the rest of the season.

“It has been used for almost every game,” he said.

State Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland, said he was glad to be part of the ribbon cutting for the sensory suite. He said he learned that more than 50 families have already reserved and used the room since it became available last spring,

“That shows that there is definitely a need for this room. Sensory suites and rooms like this are really good opportunities to be as inclusive as possible for those individuals on the spectrum,” he said.

Santucci said statistics show that one in 36 children are diagnosed with some form of autism.