He was assigned a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) to help him manage his challenges and succeed in the classroom. “911�Թ� helped reinforce my goals and keep me on track when I was going through a difficult time,” he said. “My PCAs met me where I was and helped me work through struggles I was facing at the time.”

The staff at 911�Թ� recognized Connor’s potential in the classroom: “Mrs. Prestia and Mrs. Antinucci took me seriously, pushed me, and saw the good in me. They gave me extra work so I could continue to grow academically,” he shared. The encouragement he received from staff helped him gain confidence and discover his strengths.

Building Friendships and Gaining Confidence

During his three years at 911�Թ�, Connor did not just grow academically – he made strong friendships that continue to this day. His favorite memory? Meeting friends that he is still in touch with today.

This connection to others and sense of belonging gave him the boost he needed to return to his home school district in 2020. This is a goal of 911�Թ� – to ensure that students learn the skills they need to succeed in their next phase of life.

Reaching New Heights

Once back in his district, Connor dual-enrolled at a technical school for Computer Networking and Cybersecurity. He earned college credits while gaining hands-on experience. At the same time, he worked in his family business as an IT Support Technician, putting his skills to use right away.

Now a student at Champlain College, Connor is majoring in Computer Networking and Cybersecurity. His hard work is paying off: he was previously promoted to Team Lead while working as a Network Systems Engineer and now works as a Junior Solutions Engineer at Simple Route, an IT service provider. He enjoys working directly with clients and solving problems.

“One thing I learned during my education at 911�Թ� and Champlain College is that when someone can be technical and also work as a people person, they will be successful,” he said.

Looking to the Future

Connor is on track to graduate a year early and is currently pursuing his Cisco CCNP certification. He credits much of his success to the support he received at 911�Թ�.

“I am very grateful for my time at 911�Թ�,” he said. “It provided me with a strong foundation to become the best version of myself and pursue my dreams.”

911�Թ� is more than a school – it’s a gateway for students to discover their strengths and follow their dreams. We are so proud of Connor and cannot wait to see what his future holds.

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Emryk’s journey began with a week-long training event, where he immersed himself in learning about PECO through shadowing the program’s coordinators. Throughout this week, he gained knowledge about the expectations of the program, electrical information, and PECO’s operations. Emryk is required to attend a minimum of 12 events and is given a financial stipend for his contributions at work.

“My favorite event this year was at Penn’s Landing,” Emryk shared. “I like talking to people, and I recommend this program to other 911�Թ� students in the future.”

Emryk’s experience as a PECO Energy Ambassador offers more than just work experience. As part of 911�Թ�’s Career Education Services, this initiative provides him with an invaluable off-campus opportunity to hone his leadership and speaking skills. The program not only equips Emryk with practical knowledge but also instills in him a sense of purpose as he actively contributes to the community. As Emryk continues to shine brightly in this role, his story serves as an inspiration for others to follow their passions, make a difference, and illuminate the path to a brighter, more inclusive future.

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Matt was a very engaged 911�Թ� student for the nearly 8 years that he attended school here. However, when Matt first arrived at 911�Թ�, he said it was a bit of a shaky start. He settled in quickly, though, made friends with many other kids he felt were like him, and he also felt more socially accepted without feeling judged for being different. He also quickly came to appreciate how caring and supportive the teachers and staff were for all the students. He said that they were like “guiding lights and role models” for him. His favorite classes were in the sciences – such as biology and physics, with Mr. Stratz. He also really enjoyed history and social studies with Mrs. Harper including all the really interesting field trips. Last, but not least, he loved participating in the 911�Թ� Players Theatre Arts program with program coordinator, Mr. Pryor. Matt had starring roles in The Lion King and Shrek, the Musical.

When Matt graduated, he went straight to work at his first job for Harbor Freight in Norristown. His job was Floor Associate, which means working the cash register, setting products out on the shelves, helping customers get their purchases to their cars, and more. He worked there for over a year and a half and says that 911�Թ�’s Career Education Program helped him tremendously in understanding how to operate in a workplace environment and how to focus on always doing your best on the job.

In March of 2022, Matt’s dream job materialized, and he now works as a Pre-K Teacher’s Assistant at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. Matt always wanted to work with children because, in his words, “They are the future.” He wants to be a positive influence in their lives and a role model for them like the staff role models he was fortunate to have at 911�Թ�. Matt says about the kids he works with now, “They are the funniest and most adorable kids on the planet!”

Matt does not view his autism in a negative light. In fact, he views that aspect of him as a gift because it allows him to have his own unique perspective on the world. He also thinks that his autism makes him uniquely qualified to work with kids who may also learn differently. He said, “I know how important it is to treat others as you want to be treated.”

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Rookie of the Year Award Winner

Our Annual Rookie of the Year Award is given to a recently hired staff member and this year’s recipient is Ms. Bennett (pictured to the left above). We are so grateful for the work that you do and to have you on our team!

Outstanding Service Award Winner

Ms. Dobbins (pictured to the right above) is this year’s Outstanding Service Award winner! A colleague of hers stated “she is a natural leader. She always wants to learn more and do more for the Emotional Support program and her students. Her peers look to her for help and she is always willing to lend a hand!” Ms. Dobbins, thank you for your hard work and dedication to our students! We are so thankful to have you on our team.

Congratulations to our staff members and a huge thank you to all 911�Թ� staff for your dedication and hard work this past year.

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For over 10 years, 911�Թ� has worked with Chick-fil-A in Audubon, PA for our careers program. Each year, 911�Թ� has anywhere from 10-15 students who have work experiences in this environment. Our students participate in utilitarian-type work, as they use the technologies provided to assist the team and perform a variety of jobs in and around the dining room. They are supported by 911�Թ�’s job coach, Alan Hallman. The students have the opportunity to use new technology by utilizing tablets on the work site. It has been a great way to expand the students’ knowledge and prepare them for employment in a very competitive job market.

Another career growing opportunity 911�Թ� students have had this year, is being offered the chance to train at the actual training center for Chick-fil-A employees, in Eagleville, PA. Students work directly with the Training Center Coordinator, and experience the real-life preparations that Chick-fil-A employees must obtain.

“We are so happy to have the students from 911�Թ� at our restaurant, five days a week. Not only are the students learning valuable social and technical skills but our staff is learning from them as well. My staff finds joy working with the students and helping them reach their full potential as they grow as individuals in the community.” — Sam Class, Owner/Operator, Chick-fil-A Audubon.

911�Թ� is thankful for Chick-fil-A Audubon and owner Sam Class’ continued support in the careers program and beyond, including food donations at 911�Թ� events, sponsorship donations, and much more!

This article was originally included in our 2018-2019 Annual Report.

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Innovation remains central at 911�Թ� enabling us to better serve students with special needs. Years of visioning, planning, and research by administrators and board members culminated in a two-phase plan to expand our student body and revitalize our campus. The Innovation Center, our new flagship building, opened in time for the 2019-2020 school year. 911�Թ�’s President and CEO David Schultheis says, “No other school does what we do.”

That was true before work began on the Innovation Center. It is more true now. The center itself is an innovative concept, designed, built, and equipped to support ongoing innovation by and for 911�Թ� students. In every way possible, the center provides an environment that is conducive to learning, accommodates special needs, and encourages teamwork. Principal Nina Prestia is excited that the facility can extend existing programs from STEM to life skills, job skills, and entrepreneurial thinking. We are able to provide students with hands-on, experiential learning, as well as the tools and resources, to learn creative problem-solving and to be successful in the 21st century world in which they live.

The Innovation Center features a maker space for creating and learning using technology; a media center for video production; an eSports lab for competitive e-gaming; an engineering, tools and tech space; a classroom focused on the sciences; a culinary arts room with a student-run café; an interactive energy corridor with Pavegen™ flooring; and a multi-use dining and presentation space.

Our long-range plan also includes renovating additional buildings and addressing other improvements campus-wide. Stay tuned for more exciting news about 911�Թ�’s growth as we continue to focus on helping our students achieve their full potential.

This article was originally included in our 2018-2019 Annual Report.

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