May is a month of celebration. We celebrate mothers. We celebrate warmth and sunshine after a frigid and relentless winter.
We also celebrate rebirth – the tree that shed its leaves for months looking hopeless and barren, only to come back taller and stronger. The flowers thought to have withered and died yet somehow withstood the cold, dark winter to bloom again in all of their glory. In doing so, they demonstrate their resilience and perseverance in the face of seasonal adversity.
Each and every one of us experience our own “seasonal adversity.” Those on the autism spectrum, though, often experience a greater level of adversity that is hard for most of us to understand. What makes us all alike however, whatever our challenges may be, is the possibility of overcoming the adversity to emerge a stronger, more brilliant person than before. This capacity is what makes us all capable of reaching our true potential if we only embrace the hard work in getting there.
This May at Turning Pointe we are celebrating the achievements of our Career College graduates who have overcome their own challenges and personal obstacles that now allow them to finally see a future of opportunity and possibilities they never otherwise imagined. From adversity and perseverance emerges not only a belief in one’s self but a belief that success is possible. A belief that anything is possible.
On May 15 our Career College students will celebrate the incredible accomplishments they have achieved during their time at Turning Pointe. The original goal of TPCC, developed in 2012, was to prepare post high school students on the autism spectrum for a meaningful and productive future. Through best practices and community-based instruction, our mission is to improve life skills, communication skills, increase independence and create opportunity to secure a career that each individual is passionate about; to develop lifelong, meaningful relationships and an overall better quality of life. We are so grateful to our staff and employment partners who have worked passionately with us to make all of this possible.
In Career College, often students experience breakthroughs like receiving their first paycheck, cooking their first meal or meeting their first friends. These are important hallmarks of independence. When asked directly what their goals were upon graduation, one student, Megan, shared that her goal is to “work at Walgreens forever.” She was officially hired two weeks ago.
Jacob is “going to take online classes for a year at BYU, then hopefully head out there for college. Hopefully one day I can be a sports broadcaster.” We know their futures are bright and I look forward to seeing Jacob on ESPN one day.
This summer, Turning Pointe is also excited to launch our enhanced summer offering for adults called Career Development Camp. This six-week program is broken up into three sessions and students may enroll and participate in any or all courses in the areas of independent living, social communication, and employability. Visit www.turningpointeaf.org for more information.
May is a month of celebration, and there is much to celebrate at Turning Pointe this May.
In closing, as co-founder, parent and a passionate advocate for all individuals with unique challenges, being able to see the amazing growth, accomplishments and rebirth of our Turning Pointe students gives me an abundance of humble rewards. I knew it was possible. I believed in every one of them with all of my heart and soul, but to see them grow and to actually witness the change in their lives, confidence and independence year after year, and for others to see the limitless possibilities, continues to push myself and those at Turning Pointe with the same hope and dream of a better future for all.
