Cool Kid Corie Yaguchi helps students with disabilities

LA CRESCENTA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Our ABC7 Cool Kid for Thursday, Oct. 30, is Corie Yaguchi, who helps children with sensory integration disorders find a way to deal with difficult situations.

"When they go out into the environment, there's so much stimulation and so many things going on that they can't process it," Yaguchi said. "Taking them and getting them used to those situations where they're overwhelmed or not sure what's going on really helps them develop their social skills."

The high school senior's latest project is a tent at Glendale Adventist Hospital's Play to Learn Pediatric Therapy Center. Yaguchi hopes the specially equipped play area will help the kids cope with different environments.

"I'm using some crinkle and some feel different, like sand papery stuff. When they're out there, they feel these things and it freaks them out," Yaguchi said.

Within the safe sensory space that she's made, the kids can take their time to look at all the stuff inside.

"The tent is going to provide so much stimulation for them that they're going to have to learn and adjust in this safe environment how to single in on one thing that they want to focus on and tune the other stuff out," Yaguchi said.

Corie is inspired to action by her sister Caryn, who has cerebral palsy.

"I want my sister to have all these things, and therefore I think about these kids. I want them all to have it too," Yaguchi said.

For some children on the autism spectrum, life can be overwhelming at times. Yaguchi is trying to help make things just a little bit better for them.