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Meet Elizabeth
Elizabeth came to the Iris Network in January of this year on the recommendation of her high school guidance counselor. She wanted to attend college, and knew she needed more independent living skills to adapt to dorm life. Elizabeth applied to the Empower ME Transitions program at The Iris Network and was thrilled to be accepted.
Hailing from Queens, NY, Elizabeth came to the Iris Network dormitory and met the other students in the program, who all quickly became some of her closest friends. “It was amazing to have others like me striving to live independently and working hard towards their goals.”
Elizabeth has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy; this is something that her family knew about before she was born. The vision diagnosis of CVI (Cerebral Visual Impairment) was not detected until she was 7 years old.
“I just thought the way I saw was normal,” she states. “And I adapted every day.”
Elizabeth said it was not always easy being away from home, but the staff and her roommates made everything work out. She loves Portland and has discovered both Hot Topic at the Maine Mall and Bull Moose Music (she is a vinyl record collector). Elizabeth received help from The Iris Network staff and applied to her “dream” college. While here, she learned she was accepted to Queens College for the Fall of 2024.
“That motivated me even more to work hard and learn as much as I could in the five months I was here."
"I want to study Early Childhood Education, because I want to make a difference in the way children see and accept disabilities in others. There is no better way to do this than when they are young.”
While she was at The Iris Network, Elizabeth says she learned so much from the staff.
“I am so much more confident in EVERYTHING,” she says. “I have learned PowerPoint, cooking, home maintenance, navigation, mobility, computers and lots of study skills using specialized adaptive equipment to help me succeed and live independently. There is no way I would be prepared for my future without my time here.”
Elizabeth was able to practice and have a “mock” job interview with the agency’s HR Director, Kristen Colern, which she said prepared her to succeed at a “real” interview with a summer camp. She landed the job and was able to start in July.
Elizabeth explained she has been asked many times if she would rather be a completely sighted person, and her answer is a resounding NO! “Why would I want that? - I would never have had these experiences or met the people I now call my friends.”
Some of the lessons Elizabeth would like us to all remember:
- It is okay to be different.
- It is okay to adapt.
- You are no less valuable.
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