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CHARLOTTE – Matthew Benson, who is living with a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome, is finishing up his senior year at Independence High School.

He said he wanted to drop out because the other students picked on him until they learned about AS.

Benson exhibits some of the signs of autism, like poor social skills and, at times, eccentric behavior. But he’s getting help to live a more normal life.

“We were able to teach Matthew, you can do this, and you can overcome trials and situations,” his father, Jeff Benson, said. “You just have to apply yourself. And that’s carried through his high school years, too.”

Matthew was misdiagnosed when he was younger, but around the age of 10, the family learned he had Asperger’s.

“It was kind of hard at first, but then it got easier as I went along,” he said.

And now he has big dreams. He wants to be a writer, a radio broadcaster and an entrepreneur. Based on what his teachers say, nothing is out of the question for him.

“He’s one of the types of kids who, after I had him, I might as well still have him,” teacher Kristine Neale said. “Every time he still stops and speaks to me, so we’ve kept in touch all these years.”

Benson plans to take a summer vacation before looking for a part-time job and possibly enrolling at Central Piedmont Community College.