Dominic Found His Place

February 5, 2024

If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Dominic, you will find him to be an easy-going, laid-back, and affectionate boy who is always happy to be with his family, and ready to dance around his classroom to the Jackson 5 hit song “ABC.” Going on road trips, hanging out with his three older siblings, and being read to are among his favorite things – and after spending five years and counting at Elim, his family is excited to see how he will continue to thrive.

Choosing Elim

In 2019, Dominic’s family needed to leave the therapy center he had been attending for several years and needed to find a suitable replacement that would fit his needs.

“We found Elim because we were at the right place at the right time and spoke to the right people,” his mother, Monica, explained.

Another reason his family chose Elim was because of the Christian values that are held within the organization. Since Elim knows and follows Jesus as their family does, Dominic’s parents knew it would be the best place to enroll their son.

This was visibly proven to his family, too. During 2020, when classes were held on Zoom, his family saw first-hand the personalized instruction that the Elim staff gave him. Seeing how his gifts were elevated and nourished, his family remained confident that Elim was where Dominic needed to be.

Growing His Skills

Since Dominic is nonverbal, he relies on different communication devices to interact with his family and staff at Elim. During quarantine, he relied on his PODD Communication Book during classroom instruction and family time. But now, he uses an iPad to practice his communication skills, and Monica has seen significant improvement in how he interacts with people around him.

He has also been working hard to improve his focusing skills, such as maintaining eye contact with those he is communicating with and advocating for his needs and wants. For example, if Dominic is shown two options of toys he might want, he focuses on the object he would prefer more. Then, he chooses the corresponding picture of the object to communicate his choice with an Elim staff member or his family. This exercise not only promotes focusing skills but also allows Dominic the opportunity to voice his choices to those around him.

“One of the areas I can really see his focus is when I read to him,” Monica tells us. He can sit for extended periods and engage with the stories and pictures in the books he reads.

In the future, Dominic’s family wants to see his focusing skills and communication continue to flourish at Elim, and additionally, they hope that he will learn to become more independent.

“Dominic is trying things he has never tried before,” Monica shares. “I am just so grateful to everyone at Elim.”

Because of your generosity, students like Dominic receive the tools and resources that they need to thrive. Can you give today and equip over 400 students and adults at Elim to pursue their God-given potential?