SuCCESS STORIES

Meet Nereida, Arc Works Alum

• Alum of Arc Works Program
• Hired at Fresh Market Pembroke Pines
• Handles baking/decorating of all specialty cupcakes

An Alum of our Arc Works program, Nereida is on the right track to fulfilling her professional aspirations. She was recently hired at Fresh Market Pembroke Pines, an opportunity she was able to secure after receiving the occupational training she needed to impress her hiring manager.

Within one month of being hired, Nereida has become a highly regarded member of the stores bakery department, where she handles the baking of all specialty cupcakes sold daily. Her training empowered her to negotiate competitive pay and to carry herself confidently every day.

Meet Dylan, ABLE Program Participant

• Dylan is 12 years old and participates in the ABLE program at Arc Broward.
• Before attending Arc Broward, identifying programs to support his needs outside of school and summer has always been challenging until his family found our ABLE program.
• Our ABLE program helped prepare him for a smooth transition from elementary school to the new environments and expectations of middle school.

A participant of our ABLE program, the Alternative, Behavioral Learning Environment program that provides an enriched and specialized afterschool program for children with developmental

disabilities and behavioral challenges, Dylan follows an individual behavior plan as his needs change over time. His participation in our program allows him to positively shape his choices and behaviors. Coming to this program each day has had a positive impact on him and his entire family.

As a 12-year-old boy having Autism, Dylan requires a very structured environment, and consistent daily routines, involving engaging activities with our caring and professional support staff to maintain his positive engagement and safety, while positively shaping his choices, actions, and behaviors.

Dylan enjoys coming to our campus each day and being a part of the ABLE program. Not only is he safe, and appropriately engaged, but it also provides him with opportunities each day to practice appropriate choices, actions, behaviors, communication, and socialization. Through daily words and actions each day, our caring ABLE staff have gained Dylan’s trust and friendship, while establishing authority and expectations which are life skills and social skills essential for Dylan’s growth and development. The positive impact our ABLE program has made upon Dylan will continue to support him as he grows and will generalize to other environments such as school, home, and the community.

Meet Willie of our Adult Day Program

A participant of our Adult Day Program, Willie is living his most fulfilling, social and active life yet. He receives individualized support to match his unique learning needs, enjoys quality time with peers, and participates in a wide array of community activities that sharpen his talents daily.

Willie was born in Colombia, where quality services for adults living with developmental disabilities are limited. Thanks to the support of people like you, he’s now building confidence and

increasing his self-sufficiency under the guidance of caring professionals. He’s joyful and optimistic about his future.

Meet Ewan, Arc Broward Preschooler 

Ewan, a four-year-old boy with a rare genetic disorder, has recently had a whole new world of communication and interaction open up to him thanks to the determination of his family, the therapy team at Arc Broward, and the generosity of a Make-A-Wish Foundation donor. Ewan has Freeman Sheldon Syndrome, a rare disorder that causes severe muscle weakness and malformation of his face, arms and legs. Because of his disability, Ewan requires a tracheotomy tube to breathe, is unable to move his head or neck in any direction, and has limited movement of his arms and legs. He also cannot speak, point, gesture, write, type or indicate if he is happy, sad, in pain, cannot call his mother, interact with his parents or sibling, indicate a need, make a request, ask a question or make a comment. 

Ewan's team at Arc Broward was convinced that he has abilities and understanding that he is not able to demonstrate since he is trapped in a body that hinders his ability to communicate or interact with the world. Ewan's Speech/Language Pathologist learned about a highly specialized assistive technology device, which uses an eye-gaze system as a means of communication. Then Arc Broward was able to acquire one of these devices on loan in order to do trials. After special calibration for Ewan's eyes and only a brief introduction, Ewan seemed to immediately be able to follow directions to make a choice or activate a cause/effect reaction simply by moving his eyes. He appeared to understand and reveal true potential to functionally use his device for nearly an hour! Therapists believed that the device would also allow him to demonstrate his full cognitive potential. This was the first time that any of the therapists, classroom staff, nurses, or the family had seen such a high level of engagement in activities.

On April 8, 2015, Ewan was presented with the $20,000 device by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the generous donor who sponsored the wish.Arc Broward staff and Ewan's family held a small celebration at the preschool for the donor, and Ewan was able to demonstrate how he can now communicate through eye-gaze device.  

Meet Ciarah, Arc Broward School of Hire Education Student

Ciarah went through our School of Hire Education program. She selected to focus her studies on the child care career track, which is one of five career tracks offered at the school. As a result of the hands-on training she received, she was hired by Arc Broward's preschool to work as a teacher's assistant. She has maintained her employment on a part-time basis and continues her enrollment in school. Besides earning a paycheck and increasing her independence and self-sufficiency, Ciarah is learning important child care techniques and best practices. 

She has successfully passed the child care licensing module of child care facility rules and regulations and is currently studying the module for child growth and development. Ciarah is a role model to her peers and is blazing down the pathway to a successful future! 

Meet Dean, a 2013 graduate of Arc Culinary

The youngest foodie in his family, Dean came to Arc Culinary with affection for both food and cooking. Bubbling with personality, Dean works well independently and in a team. 

Taking his studies very seriously, Dean's dream was to work beside his brother, a professional chef in New York City. His dream came true when his brother relocated to South Florida and they both started working at Valentino Cucina Italina in Fort Lauderdale. Dean prepares the mise en place and labels containers with the contents, along with other important tasks for those he supports. Most recently, Dean worked alongside celebrity Chef Michelle Bernstein at a private dinner for 24 Arc Broward supporters.

Dean's is just one of the many students' lives who are constantly changed for the better through Arc Culinary. For more information about enrolling in Arc Broward's Entry-Level Culinary Arts Program, visit www.arcbrowardlearning.com and for catering information, visit www.arcbrowardculinary.com. 

Arc Culinary uses food as a tool to transform lives and build stronger communities. The nonprofit catering program creates outstanding culinary experiences and provides real-world job training for the graduates of the entry-level culinary arts certificate program.