Man with Developmental Disability Honored for His Work

The American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), which represents more than 850 providers of supports and services to more than 385,000 individuals with disabilities across the nation, recently honored Longmont resident Kyle Sanchez as its 2009 Colorado Direct Support Professional (DSP) of the Year.

Kyle is an outstanding young man who was born with a developmental disability and who receives support services from Imagine!, an organization that serves more than 2,500 Boulder and Broomfield County residents of all ages with developmental delays and cognitive disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and mental retardation. Kyle is also a Direct Support Professional at Imagine!, working as an Assistant Recreation Instructor for Imagine!’s Therapeutic Recreation department, Out & About.

Last summer, after completing the online application for employment at Out & About and interviewing for the job, Kyle was hired. In August of 2008, he was one of fourteen people, out of 400 submissions, selected as an award recipient for the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Award.

Through hard work and an unbelievably positive attitude, Kyle is excelling as an instructor at the same camp he used to attend as a participant! Kyle’s job requires him to provide participants with the opportunity to successfully and safely access and participate in activities in their communities while learning new skills. Kyle’s job is no small task, and he has proven himself to be an independent, high achieving, and determined member of Out & About’s staff.

Kyle is a role model for many of the participants at Out & About. They look to him for guidance, comfort, and instruction. Kyle has taken on many new responsibilities that come with the job, and has done so graciously and with a smile. He asks meaningful questions, is always on time, and has learned how to ride the bus to work.

Over the past few years he and his family have experienced great loss. His father passed away, his mother was diagnosed with progressive MS, and his younger brother was also diagnosed with a disability. While maturing into a young man, Kyle has overcome many of his challenges while helping at home. Kyle feels very strongly that he needs to contribute financially to his family, and gaining paid employment helped him to achieve this goal.

“Kyle is deserving of the recognition he’s received. He has tried so hard to be an excellent employee and to set a good example, and he consistently makes a point of paying attention to the details that matter,” said Colette Marie, Out & About’s Director. Kyle is a true success story.