Thankful & Thriving

It’s beautiful to see our students’ unique personalities, their compassion for others, their intelligence, and their strength. Much of the world may think they can’t do or think for themselves, but every day, they prove it’s not true through their hard work and dedication to applying what they are learning. Through our vision for each of our students to achieve emotional, cognitive, physical, social, and spiritual growth to their fullest potential, we have seen what they are capable of. We celebrate their milestones, from our students learning how to read to kitchen independence, money management, applying for jobs, and so much more.

Each student and parent have a story to share about their journey to independence, and we are so grateful to be able to share it with you. Lynda, a Pathways parent, recently shared with us that when she found out her daughter, Sara, had Down Syndrome, her heart was broken because she knew Sara’s life would be harder due to people not always being kind to the disabled. With tears in her eyes, while she was pregnant, the doctor looked at her and said, “I know your heart is broken, but one day you will wonder why you ever cried a tear.”

Along the way, there have been tears and fighting for Sara to be treated like everyone else, but there has also been so much grace and hope. Today, Sara is a Pathways student, the place her mom knows she loves every minute and where she is loved. She has gained independence in math, reading, and life skills. As each of our students, Sara is a delight to be around and get to know. She is constantly growing, learning, and thanking us for the help we provide her with. She is also grateful that thanks to our program, she has a best friend named Rachel.

We are eternally grateful for our students and grateful to be an important part of their stories.