RAMP Site: Ability Connection Colorado

Gavin was a mentee enrolled in the RAMP Denver site. Gavin has Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), and it was difficult for him to keep up in school. His school counselor referred him to RAMP.

Since Gavin’s passion is swimming, he always wanted to become a professional swimmer. Throughout his time with RAMP, Gavin worked with his mentor, and the RAMP coordinator to plan his swimming activities around his school schedule. Meanwhile, he also learned some necessary social and advocacy skills from his mentor and the RAMP coordinator, which are also essential for his pathway to becoming a professional swimmer. In addition to weekly mentoring and support, the RAMP mentor and coordinator also helped Gavin to get on a swim team for the Special Olympics and provided him with financial support. Gavin successfully graduated from the RAMP program several years ago, and he recently contacted his former RAMP mentor and coordinator to share a piece of great news: Gavin is qualified for USA Down Syndrome Swim Team and would travel to Portugal to compete!  

Quotes from other Ability Connection Colorado mentees:  

“In RAMP, we play get-to-know-you games and have fun together. We also talk about goals and how to get ready to have a job.” – Coraline Gonzales  

“RAMP is like a big family, and we can talk about things that are bothering us, and they can help us work through some hard things.” – Celina Williams  

“The mentor is nice to talk to and doesn’t judge me when I am not being my best.” – Samuel John 

“I like being in RAMP because they listen to you if you had a bad day and talk to you about jobs” –Nigel Glasgow  

“RAMP is cool because we got to make our own rules at the beginning.” –Sebastian Williams