Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #24: Jeffrey C.

When initially sitting down to select his classes at CAA, Jeffrey Czarnik was so eager that he wanted to enroll in 25 different courses. His mother, Becky, convinced him to whittle it down and he is currently signed up for 12 classes.

Jeffrey uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device, which is a tool that supports or replaces speech for individuals with difficulty communicating verbally, and he is also a wheelchair user. 

Once he aged out of his postsecondary program, Jeffrey's mom Becky searched for a day program which promised to teach life skills, community integration and provide activities for Jeffrey. Finding no options available to accommodate Jeffrey, Becky turned to CAA. 

Some of his favorite classes are theater games, reading partners, on-camera acting, and adaptive guitar. He also enjoys participating in the school’s extracurricular activities including lounge nights and CAA’s bowling club. 

When Jeffrey is not in class, he likes traveling, adaptive swimming, performing in the “Angels on Stage” productions, and anything related to Disney. 

In his downtime, Jeffrey loves watching his favorite show “The Amazing Race”, hanging out with his dog Mushu, playing Empire Monopoly, and enjoying some of his favorite foods like pizza, grapes and burritos.