Students with disabilities often face more challenges than others, but being disabled hasn’t slowed down 24-year-old Jacob Avila a bit.
Avila, who has cerebral palsy, has remained active in the community while attending college. He coaches a pee-wee football team and is an active member at his church, participating in retreats.
“I like to challenge myself here in college,” said Avila. “I have the drive to succeed, and I consider myself lucky to have the opportunities to succeed, because when I get the chance, I go for it and don’t take it for granted.”
At Cadwallader Elementary School, his teacher told him that he was too bright for the special education program. So he enrolled in regular classes at Tierra Del Sol Elementary School. Graduating from Hanks High School was, in his opinion, one of the biggest achievements he made, because he never pictured himself graduating with all the challenges he faced.
While in high school, he participated in the Interact Club, a community service that fundraises for the Battered Women Shelter.
He also helped with his high school’s football team through a booster club.
Now, with just two more semesters ahead of him, Avila said his main goal is to start the driver’s education program for people with disabilities at
Valle Verde. Jacob then plans on heading to Park
University on Ft. Bliss to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He wants to work in the intelligence field with the federal government or become a juvenile probation officer.
Avila plans to provide for himself in the future, have a family and continue achieving his goals.
