Zach finds his voice at the Sarah Dooley Center for Autism at St. Joseph’s Villa – CVC Code #03125
Zach loves going to school.
Unlike many kids his age, he is not praying for a snow day that will keep him from riding the bus and seeing his teachers and friends. As a child with autism, school was not always such a happy place for Zach. His mother Jessicah used to face a battle every morning to get him out of the door. As Zach’s meltdowns and self-injuries became more frequent and severe, she realized his needs could not be met by his public elementary school.
Zach’s life made a 180-degree turn when Jessicah found the St. Joseph’s Villa Sarah Dooley Center for Autism.
The Villa’s Sarah Dooley Center for Autism (SDCA) focuses on equipping students with communication, social and life skills to help them engage with their community and live as independently as possible. Jessicah attributes Zach’s remarkable turnaround to the connection he shares with his teachers and peers. Zach has learned to communicate effectively at school and at home through a mobile tablet. He also uses it to learn the meaning of new words and phrases and to ask for what he needs. Meltdowns and self-injuries happen far less often now that he has a means to express himself.
Jessicah went from feeling frustrated and hopeless about Zach’s education to feeling optimistic about his future. “My experience with SDCA has been nothing short of exceptional. The staff sincerely loves Zach. They have helped him come a long way.”
St. Joseph’s Villa is the longest continuously operating children’s nonprofit in the country. For 180 years, St. Joseph’s Villa has helped children with special needs and their families achieve brighter futures through effective and innovative programs. Today the Villa impacts 2,800 lives each year. To learn more about the Villa’s services in education, mental health, developmental disabilities and homelessness, please visit www.neverstopbelieving.org.
