Ryan Malhotra and his educational assistant Elise Pastro are frequent flyers of the multitude of car dealerships on the West Shore.

Malhotra, an 11-year-old Lakewood elementary school student, has a passion for cars, something his educational assistant utilizes to develop new social skills.

B次元官网网址淗e has always loved cars,B次元官网网址� Pastro said. B次元官网网址淚 am just helping him learn by feeding his passion.B次元官网网址�

For three years Pastro has worked with Malhotra, a boy she describes as special needs with behaviour interventions. The two also worked together three days a week during summer break.

She helps him with his school work and with socializing: helping read social cues and practising making eye contact when he speaks to others.

B次元官网网址淥ne of my goals with Ryan is to work myself out of a job,B次元官网网址� Pastro said. During the summer she would get Ryan and take him around to pick up his friends. B次元官网网址淚 would wait in the car and he would go up to the friendB次元官网网址檚 house, ring the bell and bring them back to the car,B次元官网网址� Pastro explained.

Then they would drive to a dealership and Malhotra would approach a salesperson, introduce himself and his friends and ask to sit in vehicles. They also liked to pretend to race.

B次元官网网址淲e never called ahead, weB次元官网网址檇 just show up,B次元官网网址� Pastro said, adding most businesses were happy to show Ryan and his friends around. Harold Youland, owner of Gold Star Auto Sales was pleased to see MalhotraB次元官网网址檚 passion for cars at such a young age.

B次元官网网址淗e asked if he could look inside the cars. They are all unlocked and I let him,B次元官网网址� Youland said. B次元官网网址淲e have 50 cars on the lot and I think he sat in every one.B次元官网网址�

Youland explained there is another special needs man in his 20s who frequents his business to sit in the cars.

B次元官网网址淚f a special needs kid has a passion for music youB次元官网网址檇 take them to a music store or a concert,B次元官网网址� Youland said. B次元官网网址淭aking Ryan to the dealership is the same thing.B次元官网网址�

Before leaving each business Malhotra would thank the salesperson and ask for a business card. He remembers each of them by name. TheyB次元官网网址檙e keen on him too.

Alpine Auto donated a party bus ride as a birthday surprise for the businessB次元官网网址檚 most frequent young visitor last week.

B次元官网网址淚 like to do stuff like this,B次元官网网址� said Trevere Lefeuvre, an Alpine employee who volunteered to drive the bus. B次元官网网址淩yan loves cars and heB次元官网网址檚 a special kid. IB次元官网网址檝e seen him at the lot two or three times. Most kids only come when their parents are buying a car.B次元官网网址�