Growing up, Jordan Sprague was constantly told his future was uncertain and his goals unattainable.
“Growing up, I didn’t get a lot of respect for myself,” Sprague said.
But Sprague never let that get in the way, and instead successfully found his own path.
“I look back and look forward to what I have and what’s open to me in life and all that I’ve accomplished and am proud of myself and what people can accomplish if they put their heart into it,” Sprague said.
Sprague has a learning disability, which he says makes him a strong advocate for others with similar struggles.
“My dad always taught me to be kind and to be kind to people who don’t return the kindness,” Sprague said.
Sprague credits much of his confidence and readiness for the world to the Transitions program, an initiative that supports students with intellectual disabilities.
“Transitions is a program for young people aged 17 to 27 with autism or any learning disability who are looking for support as they navigate the next stage of their lives, whether that be going to college, entering the workforce or moving out and living on their own for the first time,” said Dr. Priya Winston, Transitions’ director of curriculum and clinical support.
Winston says the program is an effective step towards breaking down prejudice against neurodiverse people.
“I think there’s a lot of work that needs to be done in our society and in the world to get people to think differently about neurodiversity and about people who think differently than what society considers normal,” Winston said, “so I think talking about this and sharing stories here is really important to help people know what’s available to people with autism, learning disabilities and other disabilities.”
For Sprague, the Transitions program played a key role in preparing him for bigger and better opportunities that he was always told would never happen for him.
“Never give up,” Sprague said. “Always think about your goals and dreams and follow them. And if you fail, you fail. Just get back up and succeed. Even the most successful people have experienced failure in life. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.”