Welcome To College Of Adaptive Arts

Great mission.
Good people.
Paying it back.

- Richard Hermerding

After my experience at the Paypal facility, I felt I needed to express my appreciation for the positive force you are in the lives of those wonderful young people.

- Walt Coleman, Advisory Board

CAA is opening so many doors for them, it’s magical; the possibilities are dazzling and endless.

- Laura C. - parent

The Showboaters and CAA speeches were amazing, just such a great day. Thank you or all your and Pam’s dedication for this very much needed service for our adults with differing abilities.

- Neva, supporter

CAA provides opportunities to students of all abilities. I am so proud to be part of such a wonderful and inspiring organization.

- Loni Spratt, Board Member

About a year-and-a half ago, on her monthly visit to UCSF, my daughter Aine’s oncologist asked her how she was doing. She looked puzzled and asked what he meant. He said, “well…..your cancer.” She responded by saying, “Oh! You know, I really don’t have time for cancer anymore now that I’m going to the College of Adaptive Arts.” The doctor laughed out loud as this confirmed the very real success of the new drugs she was on but, for me, it was the Eureka moment when I knew the door had been opened on the rest of her life.

Aine was diagnosed as having a non-verbal learning disability when she was nine years old. She loves interacting with people but has difficulty understanding the nuances of speech and facial expressions. This made school very difficult and she wandered like a ghost on the periphery of the action. No one wanted to partner with her on a project and at recess she would walk from group to group trying to engage the other kids, but they usually ignored her. She walked to and from school by herself, went to dances by herself, and never got to just hang out with friends. With the help of some great teachers, she managed to graduate from high school, and began attending a local junior college.

As if she hadn’t enough challenges, when Aine was 16 and a sophomore in high school, she was diagnosed with Stage II melanoma, and had surgery. In less than a year, it had metastasized and progressed to Stage IV. However, because of her many medical appointments, coupled with side effects from her drugs, her attendance at college was sporadic and she was forced to drop out at the end of her first quarter. She spent a year just hanging out, dealing with her disease, and Facebook-watching her ex-classmates move on to the next exciting stage of their lives. She was lonely, sick, and the only direction her life seemed to be taking was towards a sad end until, (drum roll, please) a friend told us about the College of Adaptive Arts (CAA). The CAA is a performing arts college that caters to adults with differing abilities. Aine has always loved anything to do with theater – choir, acting, and dance but because of her social problems, she rarely took a leading role in any activity at school and, quite frankly, very few of her teachers encouraged her to do so. With the support and faith of her professors at CAA, she is now President of the Student Council and Manager-in-Training of their dance school. She steps out of her comfort zone and participates in sporting activities and art classes – things she wouldn’t have considered previously. She has non-judgmental friends and a real social life.

Aine is now entering her third cancer-free year on a clinical trial at UCSF. While I give thanks for the trial and I don’t, for one moment, take for granted the fact that the drugs are extending her life beyond all the statistics I try not to look at, the much bigger deal for us is how the quality of her life has improved since we discovered the College of Adaptive Arts. I don’t know how long my daughter’s life is going to be but I do know that, thanks to this awesome college, she is living to the fullest the life she was meant to live and, as her mom, this is the greatest gift I could ask for.

- Mary Kline, Parent

My name is Lisa Henderson. My Daughter Rachael and I are so Grateful that we found the College Of Adaptive Arts at a very stressful time for our family. Rachael and her Sister had just graduated from High School in 2012.
I began the process of searching for the best program/College that would best fit Rachaels needs.
I had only looked at a few places and then my world was flipped upside down. I was diagnosed with cancer and told I needed emergency surgery/treatment and if the cancer had spread I had about a year and a half left to live. I was so frightened and just started praying. I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be so I started getting things in order. I had my surgery and thank God my prayers were answered and with my families love and care I healed and am still cancer free today.
When I healed, I checked out several more programs for Rachael and was getting very discouraged. Rachael had such a love for music, dance and theatre and really enjoyed being on stage. The places that were being suggested for her were just not a good fit for Rachael and didn’t offer any dance or theater.
One day I was searching on the internet and up popped The College Of Adaptive Arts. I remember running out to my Mom and Rachael super excited.
I called immediately and spoke with DeAnna Pursai one of the executive directors of CAA.
We were invited to come to visit the college and meet DeAnna. We were welcomed with open arms and it was a great feeling.
Rachael was so excited! We enrolled her immediately and she couldn’t wait to get started. Rachael began taking two classes called Showboaters which was a performing dance class and she loved it! It didn’t take her long at all to have a bunch of awesome new friends too.
One day she was watching the Latizmo Class and asked me… Mom I wish I could do that but how can I? I’m on wheels! After class we went up and met the teacher.
Professor Torres was awesome and immediately told Rachael of course you can dance Latizmo and anything else you want to do in life as long as you believe you can.
Professor Torres invited Rachael to come take a Latizmo class. After thinking about it Rachael decided to give the class a try and the rest is history. Rachael fell in love with Latizmo and has signed up for Latizmo every quarter at the college since.
Jay Torres is also the sole entrepreneur of Latizmo Hip Hop Productions which offers all kinds of different classes and services to people of all abilities. Rachael is involved in several of these Classes as well.
As for me…. I have been Rachael’s 1.1 Aide now for the last four years which has been total blessing in disguise. I take all classes with Rachael as well as perform.
I have lost a lot of weight and built muscle doing Latizmo Fitness and am the Latizmo Tumbling Instructor.
We are very Grateful to be part of the CAA family.
Thank you CAA and
LATIZMO HIP HOP PRODUCTIONS.
We love you!!!!!!

- Lisa Henderson