When Rick Rader asked students in Chattanooga State’s Tiger Access program how they want to change the world, Mikaela Graver said she wanted more people to understand and be educated about people with disabilities.
“And you know what, you guys are doing that every day,” responded Rader, the director of the Orange Grove Center’s Habilitation Center. “Not by yelling and shouting, but by performing.”
Whenever they cross the threshold into a job site, he told students Thursday, they have a dual role.
“Primarily, you have to do whatever is expected of you, otherwise you get fired,” he said. “But by doing the best you can, you’re sending a message to the people who are watching you. That is the best type of education: by example.”
Tiger Access is a two-year, inclusive higher education program at Chattanooga State for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It focuses on life skills, career exploration and job readiness.