The winner of this year’s Larry Wood Scholarship is Patrice Woods. Patrice has been an employee of Benhaven School for over three years and now serves as a Floater, working with students in a number of different classrooms. Patrice joined Benhaven with much experience working in the field of intellectual disabilities. She has worked in residential services and helped people secure rewarding employment. She is known for her personal drive for success and her positive energy. She engages enthusiastically with our students and teaches them the skills they need to have in their own successful lives.
Her supervisors find working with Patrice to be a joy. She has wonderful, sincere relationships with students, many of whom seek her out. She is invested in the success of her students and knows how to challenge them while offering support. Her co-workers know her to be an enthusiastic team player. Patrice is always willing to take on extra assignments. She has taught cooking lessons; trained new staff; contributed to staff communication; and served on the Safe School Climate Committee.
Patrice tells us that she “would like to continue learning, teaching and becoming a better employee here at Benhaven. I would like to present more trainings, assist with goals for current and future students and create more new and exciting lessons for the students. I would also eventually like to become a classroom coordinator. I feel I have the leadership qualities, patience and determination to reach that goal.”
Patrice has chosen to attend the upcoming National Converge Autism Summit offered this April in Greenville SC. Her participation in a national conference will certainly help her to achieve her personal goals.
Please join me in congratulating Patrice as the Larry Wood Scholar for 2021!
Kathryn duPree