In December 2015, Christopher Rogers-Pilla...
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In December 2015, Christopher Rogers-Pilla successfully graduated from the La Sa Quik program. Chris’ graduation was not just an achievement for him but for multiple people and organizations that came together to provide Chris with this opportunity. Chris’ journey was a unique experience because he was the first visually impaired youth to attend and graduate from the La Sa Quik program. Chris and his twin brother both became blind due to complications shortly after birth. Throughout his life Chris made a commitment to never let his visual impairment hold him back. His family described him as an “Ambassador to the Seeing World” as he often gave talks about the challenges and triumphs that so many people were unaware of. Chris stated that he really wanted to help other have a greater awareness and understanding of individuals with visual disabilities. Like many teens however, Chris experienced bumps in the road with his adolescent development and made unhealthy choices that led to his need for specialized residential placement and treatment. When Chris was first admitted, his future and the ability to provide him the appropriate treatment was uncertain. With the help from Montgomery County JPO, The Sierra group case management, the Connections Academy Cyber School, the BLaST IU# 17 on-site classroom, the staff and peers at La Sa Quik, the loving support of his family and Chris’ own unwavering determination; he was able to fully participate in all the services offered in the program. During his placement a La Sa Quik, Chris was able to benefit from state of the art tools. He had the assistance of a specialized publishing company that transcribed all of Chris’ treatment texts into Braille. Most helpful was Chris’ “Braille Note”. Similar to a laptop computer, the machine was able to convert anything Chris wrote in Braille to the Microsoft Word format and vice versa. With time and support Chris was able to navigate the entire facility independently with the use of his cane and also participated in the Adventure Based Ropes Course over the summer. During the fall, with the help of a tandem bike, Chris was able to participate in the annual LSQ Bike Trip. Chris developed a number of meaningful bonds with the peers and staff and with the help of his Case Worker James Lovcik he completed all of the clinical requirements necessary to finish the program. Chris is such a remarkable young man and shared so many talents while at La Sa Quik. He served as an upper level in assisting other youth new to the program, sharpened his guitar and piano playing skills and supported a healthy treatment community by parcipating in the Sanctuary Model programing. Most evident was the positive example that Chris set for current and future youth in the program. He demonstrated that healing and recovery is possible no matter what challenges a person may face in life. We would like to congratulate Chris, his family and all the individuals that helped Chris with his treatment. We wish Chris and his family the very best as they embark on the next stage of his amazing journey.
Transcript of In December 2015, Christopher Rogers-Pilla...
InDecember2015,ChristopherRogers-PillasuccessfullygraduatedfromtheLaSaQuikprogram.Chris’graduationwasnotjustanachievementforhimbutformultiplepeopleandorganizationsthatcametogethertoprovideChriswiththisopportunity.Chris’journeywasauniqueexperiencebecausehewasthefirstvisuallyimpairedyouthtoattendandgraduatefromtheLaSaQuikprogram.
Chrisandhistwinbrotherbothbecameblindduetocomplicationsshortlyafterbirth.ThroughouthislifeChrismadeacommitmenttoneverlethisvisualimpairmentholdhimback.Hisfamilydescribedhimasan“AmbassadortotheSeeingWorld”asheoftengave
talksaboutthechallengesandtriumphsthatsomanypeoplewereunawareof.Chrisstatedthathereallywantedtohelpotherhaveagreaterawarenessandunderstandingofindividualswithvisualdisabilities.Likemanyteenshowever,Chrisexperiencedbumpsintheroadwithhisadolescentdevelopmentandmadeunhealthychoicesthatledtohisneedforspecializedresidentialplacementandtreatment.
WhenChriswasfirstadmitted,hisfutureandtheabilitytoprovidehimtheappropriatetreatmentwasuncertain.WiththehelpfromMontgomeryCountyJPO,TheSierragroupcasemanagement,theConnectionsAcademyCyberSchool,theBLaSTIU#17on-siteclassroom,thestaffandpeersatLaSaQuik,thelovingsupportofhisfamilyandChris’ownunwaveringdetermination;hewasabletofullyparticipateinalltheservicesofferedintheprogram.
DuringhisplacementaLaSaQuik,Chriswasabletobenefitfromstateofthearttools.HehadtheassistanceofaspecializedpublishingcompanythattranscribedallofChris’treatmenttextsintoBraille.MosthelpfulwasChris’“BrailleNote”.Similartoalaptopcomputer,themachinewasabletoconvertanythingChriswroteinBrailletotheMicrosoftWordformatandviceversa.
WithtimeandsupportChriswasabletonavigatetheentirefacilityindependentlywiththeuseofhiscaneandalsoparticipatedintheAdventureBasedRopesCourseoverthesummer.Duringthefall,withthehelpofatandembike,ChriswasabletoparticipateintheannualLSQBikeTrip.ChrisdevelopedanumberofmeaningfulbondswiththepeersandstaffandwiththehelpofhisCaseWorkerJamesLovcikhecompletedalloftheclinicalrequirementsnecessarytofinishtheprogram.
ChrisissucharemarkableyoungmanandsharedsomanytalentswhileatLaSaQuik.Heservedasanupperlevelinassistingotheryouthnewtotheprogram,sharpenedhisguitarandpianoplayingskillsandsupportedahealthytreatmentcommunitybyparcipatingintheSanctuaryModelprograming.MostevidentwasthepositiveexamplethatChrissetforcurrentandfutureyouthintheprogram.Hedemonstratedthathealingandrecoveryispossiblenomatterwhatchallengesapersonmayfaceinlife.
WewouldliketocongratulateChris,hisfamilyandalltheindividualsthathelpedChriswithhistreatment.WewishChrisandhisfamilytheverybestastheyembarkonthenextstageofhisamazingjourney.
