Friday, February 3, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar
Arlington Today Magazine
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • People
    • Community
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
    • Uncategorized
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Arlington Today Magazine

A Truly Special Education

Bill Lace by Bill Lace
July 26, 2016
in Business and Education, People
0 0
0
A Truly Special Education

Chef Rex Allen and student Brandon Borden part of Tarrant County College Southeast Campus First Choice Program photographed Tuesday, February 02, 2016. Photography by Bruce E. Maxwell.

0
SHARES
360
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Wade Family Funeral Home Oct 2020
Chef Rex Allen and student Brandon Borden part of Tarrant County College Southeast Campus First Choice Program photographed Tuesday, February 02, 2016. Photography by Bruce E. Maxwell.
Chef Rex Allen and student Brandon Borden part of Tarrant County College Southeast Campus First Choice Program photographed Tuesday, February 02, 2016. Photography by Bruce E. Maxwell.
Brandon Borden, like most students

at Tarrant County College’s Arlington campus, gets himself to school in the mornings, goes to his classes and goes home afterward. Brandon, however, is a special student in a special program – First Choice.

  Now in its 19th year at Southeast Campus, First Choice offers mentally challenged young adults a curriculum that, depending on their needs and abilities, helps develop life skills, prepares them for employment and readies them for transition into the regular college program.

Related posts

February 2, 2023

February 2, 2023

  First Choice began after Dr. Carrie Tunson, Southeast Campus vice president for community and industry education, was approached by a group of parents whose special-needs children had few options after graduating from high school. One parent, Lawrence Odom, said that were are no jobs or social activities available and a long waiting list for state agency workshops.

  “They don’t seem to fit in with any group and we wondered, ‘Now what?’ So when Ms. Tunson listened to us with such caring and so enthusiastically, we felt we finally had hopes for some help.”

Tunson took the challenge in stride,

but it wasn’t always easy. “When I first developed this program I often thought I had made a mistake,” she says. “It was a lot of hard work, and many people did not understand why I was helping this population. However, when you are committed to doing what is right you just move on.”

  More than 1,500 students have participated since, and Brandon and his parents are happy for him to be one of them. After graduation from Mansfield Timberview High School in 2012, there was nothing to do but sit at home … bored. “He’s very social, very interactive,” says his mother, Therese, who teaches in Mansfield. “So keeping him social, keeping him outgoing, keeping him thinking and using his mind is the thing we like.”

“He gets up in the morning, rides Handitran to school and pays the driver. He goes into the building, knowing where he’s supposed to be,” says John, his father. “So independence is the biggest thing. That, and the things he gets to cook in class.”

Brandon is in the vocational preparation module

of the program and considers himself a budding chef. He loves to cook, he says, “because I like food. I like to cook casseroles, especially Mexican, and I like to cook lasagna.”

Because of his physical limitations, a job in the food service industry is unlikely. “But my mom and me have talked about having our own take-out business after she retires,” he says.

His teacher, Rex Allen, has been with the program since its inception. “These students really want to learn,” he says, “and that’s what inspires me about this program. I learn more from them than I’ll ever be able to teach them.”

Besides cooking, Brandon takes choir. His favorite song, R. Kelley’s “I Believe I Can Fly,” has lyrics very appropriate to First Choice students:

“There are miracles in life I must achieve,
But first I know it starts inside of me.
If I can see it, then I can be it.
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it.
I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky.”

Related Posts

  • Arlington Entrepreneurs

    A spotlight on Arlington business owners and what makes them unique.

  • Exit Stage Left

    'It's a wrap' for Larry Cure, after 40 year as Martin's Theatre Director

  • The Family Practice

    For the past 26 years, dentist Atul Masters has made patients and staff feel at…

Tags: Brandon BordenFirst ChoiceTCCVocational
Arlington Parks & Rec Oct 2020

Follow Us

  • But first   coffee    The Arlington Dunkin    located at 5801 Office Park Dr  today announced it will help keep the community running with a happy hour celebration offer throughout the remainder of August  Every day beginning now through Monday  August 31  guests can power through the rest of the month and receive a FREE  Medium Hot or Iced Coffee with any purchase from 2-6 PM   On behalf of local Arlington Dunkin    franchisee  Hiren Patel  Dunkin    is proud to keep Arlington running throughout the month of August
  • Nothing soothes the soul like a trip to the Majestic Smoky Mountains  Read all about the Greene family   s    COVID-cation    and travel safety in the link in our bio
  • Read the latest message from UTA   s interim president  Teik C  Lim  by clicking the link in our bio
  • The City of Arlington announces Unity Council  Read all about this positive way for the city in the link in our bio
  • Here   s to the All Stars  Click the link in our bio to find the complete list of Arlington Today   s 2020 All Star businesses in over 160 categories
  • Put DFW Restaurant week on YOUR calendar  Support your favorite Arlington and local DFW restaurants this August 31-September 6 during restaurant week    For more info and participating restaurants  click the link in our bio
  • This Arlington radio station is making movie magic   Read all about Crystal Vasquez and her upcoming documentary about local radio station     The Ticket     by clicking the link in our bio
  • With the school year starting soon  it   s important to know what   s going on  Read all about AISD and MISD   s back to school plans in the link in our bio
  • August is for the All Stars        Click the link in our bio to read our latest edition of Arlington Today and check out your local All  Star businesses
  • 12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    12 Mighty Orphans: There’s a fascinating ‘story behind the story’ regarding this fine film

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • March Scene

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Visionary Who Didn’t Give Up

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Boot-scootin’ Boogie

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • In case of emergency: Mansfield Fire Department introduces the ‘Vial of Life’ initiative to keep residents on the ready

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Arlington Today Magazine

Arlington Texas Area News and Events Magazine

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • (no title)
  • (no title)
  • (no title)

Category

  • Arlington News
  • Business and Education
  • Commentary
  • Community
  • Design and Interiors
  • Featured
  • People
  • Scene
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Recent News

February 3, 2023

February 3, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Idea
  • Submit Event
  • Calendar

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Arlington News
    • Community
    • People
    • Commentary
    • Business and Education
    • Featured
    • Wellness
    • Scene
    • Design and Interiors
  • Digital Editions
  • Join the Newsletter
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Arlington Today - Designed by Advent Trinity Marketing Agency Web Design

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add Arlington Today Magazine to your Homescreen!

Add