De Anza’s Community Options

Not many people come to De Anza College everyday unless they’re receiving either grades or a paycheck. But there are some that feel other things are worth while as well. Patricia Ignaitis, a thirty-something with a big heart, shows up bright and early to help people with developmental disabilities work on their physical education in the adapted PE programs here on campus. Ignaitis can be seen helping here group get to and from these programs, designed specifically for students with proven disabilities, at least four days a week. She first heard about the work through her brother and has been working here for the last year and a half. Ignaitis had some previous experience before she started helping out here. “I worked with autistic children in the past, and I enjoy it a lot.” Said Ignaitis, as she stood with her group and waited for the bus to pick them up. The group of energetic and friendly students that Ignaitis works with is part of an organization called Community Options, who help disadvantaged people of all kinds. Community Options provides needed opportunities for disadvantaged people by hiring leaders like Ignaitis to supervise different services and programs that reach out to those who have few other options. These services range from physical fitness to job placement to mobility training, which teaches people how to navigate the public transit. All these programs are based on the organization’s belief that “having a disability is neither a stigma nor a barrier.” Based out of San Diego, Community Options and serves thousands of people with disabilities in five counties throughout northern and southern California. Ignaitis says the organization was originally founded by a student at San Diego University. For a student project, Community Options has a wise idea about what a community is. For more information check out CommunityOptions.org

John Ellis