Teodoro began school quite early, just a few days after he turned 2 years old. We had not intended to put him to school early but we thought that his lack of verbal skills and play skills was because we were boring parents. This isn’t a joke, funnily enough. It was a summer class, and like a story all familiar to you, the School Director put me aside on the last day of class to let me know that she thought it best if I had Teodoro checked for developmental delay. “Early intervention is key, Mommy,” she seriously intoned to me. So Teodoro, or Teej, as he is fondly called, was placed in the school system and began therapy right away. Even from the get-go, he never “succeeded” in school, or in therapy. Year after year, in spite the different permutations and variations, he was just never happy. The schools, together with his family, would constantly meet and adjust and adapt, but Teodoro just wouldn’t thrive no matter how creative we were and no matter how well meaning we all were. Finally, when he was 12, and it had become impossible to physically force him to go to school, we just stopped. We call these years our dark ages. Unhappy in school, Teodoro didn’t seem any happier at home. He had periods of happiness, far longer, of course with this new set-up, but it was a tenuous position and we lived in this kind of uncertainty until finding ILLC. Today, in what could only be called a Miracle story, Teodoro is not only thriving in ILLC, he is happy. And we all know how elusive that word can be to parents like us. Teodoro absolutely loves school. His vocabulary has grown, his social skills are wider, and his days are full of stories of his teachers and classmates. Every day he faces so many challenges but he faces them all because he wants to make his teachers proud. I don’t mind as his mother, because I am grateful that Teej has many mothers and many fathers to spare.

It is such a fulfillment for a parent to see her child grow maturely and independently in a very short period of time. A dream come true for us to see our own kid performing in front of an audience, showing her talent that we thought cannot be seen by others aside from us. Allow us to share our “Beautiful Firsts” to you: – First time we witnessed how Sophie reads and writes with minimal instructions given. – First time we experienced that there are so many people working hard for special kids like our daughter. – First time we attended a school activity watching the program not knowing that we are already crying. – First time that we felt inspired with the people working for others especially the teachers. – First time we saw our daughter performing live in front of an audience with so much joy in her eyes. – First time we experienced how teachers and colleagues joined their students perform. – Above all, our dream for Sophie to sing came into reality which we appreciate so much. From our family to the ILLC Family: Thank you so much for an excellent job you’re extending to our daughter. Thank you so much for the care, understanding, patience and especially for the LOVE. ILLC, you are God’s gift to all of us. You give light and hope that when we retire, there’s a bright future for our kids. ILLC, you really are a living testament of your vision. KUDOS TO ILLC! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

When we started looking for alternatives to traditional schools, we were so pleased to have found ILLC. It allows children the opportunity to learn through experiencing the world around them, versus solely through textbooks and lectures. It focuses on experiential learning and life skills which is a perfect fit for my son diagnosed with ASD. Leisure and Recreation, Pre-Vocational Skills, Values, Community Living are just a taste of the integrated and flexible nature of their curriculum. Finn’s love of learning continues to be nurtured here. ILLC is an unbelievable learning environment for kids that promote creative movement, and have amazing performances in events like the Valentine’s Ball. The Friendship Cup, and CL Field Trips help build personality traits and character in our child that we believe will take him far. My son is currently in his first year here and is thriving emotionally and physically. He learns to perform with confidence, manage his school works, advocate for himself, develop a love for singing and be a leader. This is over and above the strong academic environment which will set him up for success. Like any school, it is not for everyone, but we have found an incredible community of students, educators and families that we are so grateful for here. We love the teachers. They challenge, encourage, support and love my child. With all that, your child will surely take a sense of self and community, respect and passion for education.

Seeing my son Patrick, better known in school as “PK,” performing at the Valentine’s Ball was a beautiful revelation and surprise for me and his dad. We never knew our son could sing, and with so much passion and concentration! And, we’re even more surprised now that he’s part of the school band, practicing for their forthcoming performances. His gifts continue to unravel, we are very happy and look forward to him developing to his best potential. Joining ILLC just this school year, we have seen our son evolve into a joyful boy, eager to go to school every day. Patrick is slowly coming out of his shell, this we believe is indicative of how ILLC values the development of our special child. The school’s focus on discovering his hidden gifts and empowering him with skills so he can be independent when he’s older is highly comforting. I hope ILLC perseveres in its mission to bring hope and give special children a chance to be integrated into society so they can live productive, happy lives.