Our journey with ACCESS started early. As a baby, Sam received language and feeding therapy at ACCESS. His therapist worked closely with us in order to help him thrive and overcome his feeding obstacles , as well as become a very talkative toddler!
“I don’t have to listen!” my four-year-old Charles says to me with a big grin as he dashes away from me trying to hand him his shoes to put on one morning. While this would normally be a moment for discipline, I can’t help but try to stifle my smile. Even when they aren’t words I love hearing, a five-word sentence from this sweet, silly boy is something I will never take for granted. That sentence, and so many more, have been made possible by the Early Childhood program at ACCESS.
After graduating college with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and ample experience working with children, I was eager to put my education into action with the students at ACCESS. Little did I know that this place would be the formative framework for my career with special needs.
Claire’s time at ACCESS Academy set her up for success and gave her the confidence to achieve her goals. When Claire started receiving therapy at ACCESS, she was three years old and had a very limited vocabulary.
At 15 years old, I began working at a local camp for children and young adults with disabilities. My experiences there were truly life-changing for me. I quickly fell in love with this field and knew exactly what my future would hold.
In 2019, Betty Caughron’s daughter Katie began the St. Bernards Project SEARCH program in Jonesboro, Arkansas, one of seven host business sites for Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative in partnership with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. “In high school, Katie was shy and struggled with a speech impairment that made it difficult to converse with others,” explained Betty. “When Katie learned about Project SEARCH, she was excited about meeting other young adults like her and developing essential job skills for the future.”
Lori Roberts, or “Mrs. Lo” as most know her, has been working with kids in some capacity since 1986. But her last six years as a two-year-old teacher at Early Childhood has brought about a purpose for which she never knew she was searching
Early intervention is crucial in helping young children find the skills and confidence they need to be successful later in life. Hannah Fulks shares Max's story and how ACCESS helped to give him the foundation he needed to grow into the confident and thriving student he is today.
As a young adult, the ACCESS Life program gives Becky Carter the opportunity for community and happiness she needs to thrive.
Warren's journey at ACCESS started in preschool with intense early intervention and therapy. As Warren got older, his needs evolved, but ACCESS was there to give Warren and his family the tools they needed for Warren to find success. Read more about Warren's journey.
The Family and Consumer Science classroom is a lab for independent living designed to teach essential life skills. This program allows Academy students to develop skills that enable them to become critical thinkers and enhances their capacity to meet personal, family, career, and community challenges they will face in adult life.
Therapy is the heart of what we do at ACCESS and the foundation upon which our mission was founded 27 years ago. Our team of therapists are more than just experts. They go above and beyond everyday to help each client unlock potential within themselves. We caught up with Molly Ramsey, ACCESS Speech-Language Pathologist and Early Childhood Speech Therapy Team Leader, to learn more about what drives success for our therapy programs.