Jesse
Jesse is a 21 year-old diagnosed with mild mental retardation and autism spectrum disorder. In less than fourteen months at Woods, he has learned to initiate conversations, become more out-going, and respond in sentences.
Challenges
Jesse was enrolled at Woods in September 2005 because he needed to develop vocational and communication skills that would enable him to become more self-sufficient. “Jesse was very quiet when he first came to Woods,” said his Residential Manager, Erin Drummond. “He never initiated a conversation and only answered questions with one-word answers. Now, Jesse is singing in the halls and interacting with others.”
Always a good student, Jesse had trouble transferring what he learned in class over to real life situations. “Jesse was used to being prompted for answers so we had to help him become more proactive in his communications and actions,” explained his teacher and vocational instructor, Shawn O’Keefe. To help him develop better communication skills, Jesse was assigned to on-campus jobs that required him to interact with people. He was assigned to check ID badges and deliver materials to classrooms.
Accomplishments
Jesse loves to work. He has been so successful at his job in the Gardner Education cafeteria, he will soon go with another student to volunteer in the cafeteria of St. Mary Medical Center near Woods’ campus. This will enable him to gain experience that will hopefully lead to a job placement in the community.
Jesse is good-natured and hard working. He was recently moved from a highly structured residence on Woods’ campus to a less structured home in the community. There he continues to thrive. After working, his second favorite activity is singing. He performs with the school choir and has had several solos - surprising for someone who had little to say when he arrived. He covets the electric guitar his parents gave him for Christmas and will perform for anyone who asks. Staff are certain that they have helped Jesse gain self-confidence and greater independence, and have given him the tools he needs to be successful.
