SA Life Academy
Doing Life Together
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The mission of SA Life Academy is to enrich the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through continuing education focused on intellectual, social, health, creative, and community involvement skills and opportunities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that persons with disabilities ages 3 to 21 be provided with a free and appropriate public education in the state of Texas. Once these individuals graduate from high school, however, their entitlement to a special education is gone. Individuals with IDD have the lowest rates of education, work, or work preparation after high school according to Think College, a national organization dedicated to developing, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disabilities. To provide an opportunity for individuals with IDD to further their education, connect with a community of peers and realize their full potential, SA Life Academy was founded.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Life Skills Training
SA Life Academy provides life skills training for students that enables them to deal effectively with the demands and the challenges of everyday life.
Ready to Work Program
SA Life Academy employs a Ready to Work Program that hones our students job skills and breaks down barriers to employment.
Community Outeach
Each week, our students perform volunteer work at local non-profits including Christian Assistance Ministries, Meals on Wheels, and the Children's Hunger Fund. Through these activities, students sharpen their life and job skills while giving back to their local community.
Recreational Therapy
SA Life Academy contracts with a recreational therapist that utilizes activity-based interventions as a means to achieving and/or improving the psychological and physical health of our students.
Art
SA Life Academy contracts with an Art Teachers who has an extensive background in Special Needs. Art classes are provided to our students each week.
Academics
A well-rounded curriculum is developed by certified Special Education Teachers who strive to meet the holistic needs of our students.
Health and Wellness
SA Life Academy students partake in cooking classes where they learn how to prepare and serve a meal. Students are also taught about the nutritional value of food and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of Adults Who Can Perform Job Tasks Independently (Without Prompts)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with intellectual disabilities
Related Program
Community Outeach
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students able to perform volunteer activities independently (Without Prompts)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with intellectual disabilities
Related Program
Community Outeach
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
.
Yearly community outreach hours performed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with intellectual disabilities
Related Program
Community Outeach
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of students who currently hold a job
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, People with intellectual disabilities
Related Program
Community Outeach
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Nine adults currently hold a job.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The purpose behind what we do is fourfold. First, through our day program, we want to create an environment in which our students can develop meaningful relationships. Research has shown that social inclusion enhances the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities (Hall, 2010). Individuals with intellectual disabilities, however, typically have fewer social networks and less genuine friendships than those without intellectual disabilities (Gilmore & Cuskelly 2014). To promote an environment of social inclusion for individuals with IDD, SA Life Academy students participate in weekly activities that foster relationship building such as cooking classes, art classes, fitness classes and group outings to local venues such as Morgan's Wonderland. Through these activities, strong relationships are formed.
Secondly, SA Life Academy advances the health and wellness of our students through recreational therapy, participation in the YMCA Health Matters Program, recreational outings, culinary classes, and specialized fitness classes such as yoga. The culmination of these programs significantly improves the emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual and social wellness of our students.
Thirdly, SA Life Academy promotes integration into the community through volunteerism and weekly outings. For example, SA Life Academy students regularly serve at non-profits such as Meals on Wheels, the San Antonio Food Bank and Children's Hunger Fund. Research has shown that volunteering encourages better community integration, builds self-esteem, improves health and well-being, and provides for skills development for individuals with IDD. (Brennan, 2015).
Lastly, SA Life Academy strives to combat the low rates of employment experienced by individuals with IDD. The IDEA requires schools to help students design “transition plans” and provide job training for their lives after graduation (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2018). Most individuals with IDD, however, are unemployed or underemployed, largely due to a lack of preparation and training according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Through life-skills and job-skills training, SA Life Academy strives to equip our students with the tools needed to achieve employment. In fact, one of our long-term program goals is to create a campus in which our students are employed to work.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
To achieve our goals, SA Life Academy employs certified Special Education Teachers who develop and facilitate a stimulating curriculum aimed at meeting the holistic need of our students. Our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and training to effectively lead a classroom and ensure students are maximizing their potential. In addition, SA Life Academy contracts with specialists throughout the city who teach classes such as recreational therapy, music therapy, yoga, zumba, and sign language.
Each month, teachers construct a strategic calendar to ensure that students participate in a wealth of activities that enable them to achieve our goals of relationship building, advancing health and wellness, integrating into the community and building skills to combat the low rates of employment amongst individuals with IDD.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our capabilities include a staff of three full-time certified Special Education teachers who collectively bear 75+years of experience. Each teacher, with the help of a qualified assistant, oversees a class of 12 students. As our classes our small, teachers are able to effectively manage the classroom and truly engage with each student. In addition, as previously mentioned, we contract with specialists throughout the community to ensure are students have top-notch classes to further facilitate their learning and growth. Our organization is also supported by our donors who equip us with the resources and funding to achieve our program goals.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since we opened our doors in July 2017, we have grown from one classroom serving 20 families to three classrooms serving 57 families. Throughout this time, we have developed a multitude of amazing programs centered around academics, art, community outreach, health and wellness, work readiness, life-skills and recreational therapy. We have begun tracking metrics across our programs and will soon be able to provide a clear picture of the impact our students are having throughout the community as a result of our Community Outreach.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
SA Life Academy
Board of directorsas of 09/05/2022
Ms. Kristine Clark
Bryan Boynton
Ameriprise
Susan Mengden
Esperanza EDC
John Vollmer
Vollmer Products International
Ryan LeBlanc
The Shirley Group
Michael Leonard
Alamo Neurological Institute
Nico Lahood
Norton Lahood Law Group
Bill Kingman
Kingman Law
Kristine Clark
QOL Medical
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data