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Roma ISD hosted a ribbon cutting Tuesday for a new center aimed at helping special education students transition from high school to the real world.
The LIFE Center will serve students 18 to 21 years old after their graduation from Roma High School, a release says, teaching them life skills meant to make grads empowered and successful.
“This is a very exciting new venture for our district to really serve the full needs of our special education population,” Roma ISD Special Education Department Director Dr. Adrian Guerra wrote in the release. “In the past there has been no next step for our high school graduates in our program, so they usually have gone back to the high school.
“Now, this center will provide a real path to transition into adulthood for the graduates. They needed a calm environment totally focused on their needs, and that is exactly what this center provides.”
According to the release, the center is set up to provide a welcoming, peaceful environment for students to learn life skills like cooking, cleaning and doing laundry.
The center is also meant to provide training on career skills, such as baking, gardening and carpentry, along with therapeutic activities like art and music.
“It was thrilling to see the joy and smiles of our future center students as they toured the facility, which we made just for them,” Superintendent Carlos M. Gonzalez Jr. wrote. “These young women and men are excited about their future, and we want to ensure we give them every tool possible to make their lives richer and more enjoyable.”
The Life Center will begin serving students on Aug. 14 — something Gonzalez said was made possible by the support of district leadership, employees, Region One and the community.
“We will continue to do everything we can to provide the tools and pathways for all our students to have the brightest futures possible,” he wrote.
