Darrin C. came to The Calais School when he was just four years old and had difficulty paying attention and making the right choices. The Calais School enabled Darrin to gain confidence in himself and skills he needed to succeed in the world.

“It has really paid off,” Darrin said of his time at The Calais School. “I learned different things from different people. Mr. Vitaletti taught me about making good decisions. Ms. Territo helped me through tough times and was always there to get me back on track whenever I lost my way and Mrs. Braen has been my biggest cheerleader and coach through my time in the program.”

While he was a student at Calais, Darrin joined the school’s basketball team where Coach Femia and Coach Amaya encouraged him and made a big difference in his life, he said. “They have been with me throughout all my highs and lows and have seen me through it all,” he said. “While on the team, I learned a lot about leadership and stepping up to meet the challenges ahead.”

“The Calais School has helped me tremendously to get where I am today,” Darrin said. “I have reached goals that I have only dreamed about. I have also made some many friends at Calais, some of whom I will always be in contact with.”

In his 10 years at The Calais School, Darrin has created many amazing memories. “Too many to really count,” he said. “I am very thankful for all the people at Calais-it’s more than a school, it’s a family. Thank you to all who helped me on my journey.”

Today Darrin is a sophomore in the Edison School District. “Things are going great,” he said, adding he still plays basketball and enjoys music and working out and his job as a runner at a local diner. “I love working as I learn a lot how to handle different situations and deal with certain people.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mission:

The Calais School nurtures and empowers at risk students and young adults with multiple learning disabilities to become gainfully employed and socially engaged.