Villa Esperanza Services School celebrates the graduation of 7 students this past June. “We congratulate all of our students completing high school and preparing to move on to the next chapter of their lives,” shares Casey Gregg, Villa’s Vice President of Children and Youth Programs. Villa Esperanza’s School serves 86 children, ages 5-22, with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, seizure disorders and other special needs.

“It is an honor and a privilege to share this milestone with these students,” Gregg adds. “We are very proud of all they have achieved.” All seven students received Certificates of Completion for their years of schooling with Villa Esperanza. Some of the students attended Villa for over 10 years. The ceremony was very emotional for all involved. One teacher sharing that, “He (the student) was my most difficult and challenging student but one of my most rewarding. We are all extremely proud of the young man he has become.”

Villa’s students have a wide range of developmental and physical disabilities, many with little or no verbal communication skills, limited motor skills and other physical challenges. Some students use wheelchairs or need support to walk, while others, who are on the autism spectrum, are faced with social and behavioral challenges. Some of the graduates will transition to Villa’s Community Integration Program (CIP), a community based activities program focused on employment skills training through volunteerism in the community. Others will transition into Villa’s two other adult day programs.

Villa Esperanza Services is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the care and education of children, adults and seniors with developmental, intellectual and other disabilities. Villa offers nine programs including a school for children up to the age of 22 years; a Speech and Language Center and Occupational Therapy Clinic providing children, adults and seniors with comprehensive therapies; employment services; day programs for adults, including the CIP; and adult residences in Pasadena and Thousand Oaks. To learn more about Villa’s collaborative approach, log on to www.VillaEsperanzaServices.org.