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Local finds his calling working in special ed

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Contributed by: Cherry Creek School District on 3/20/2008

Editor's note: Visit our Faces of South Metro page, where YourHub.com staff and readers can introduce you to more people who make this part of the metro area what it is. Vince Mathias stumbled upon his life's work while on duty as a lifeguard at a local swimming pool.

"A class of students from Cottonwood Creek Elementary came in," Mathias said. "One of the students wasn't listening to me and I realized he was hearing impaired. I had taught myself sign language one summer and I was able to use that to communicate with him. It was amazing! I knew then that I wanted to work with special needs kids."

As fate would have it, the 21-year-old Mathias, who grew up in Douglas County, is now working as a Special Education paraprofessional at Cottonwood Creek Elementary in the Cherry Creek School District. He's also studying Elementary Education through the University of Northern Colorado, with the goal of becoming a Special Education teacher.

"The rewards of teaching special needs kids are one hundredfold the rewards of teaching regular needs students," Mathias said. "They work so hard and when the light bulb goes on, it's so exciting."

At Cottonwood, Mathias works with first grade teacher Fran Cohen, who says he has a remarkable affinity with special needs students.

"Vince has a natural ability to bring out the best in children," Cohen said, "even those who face very difficult physical and emotional challenges. I've watched him calmly relieve the anxiety that builds up in an autistic student or use his ingenuity and creativity to adapt technology for a student with cerebral palsy."

Mathias has had such a positive impact at Cottonwood Creek that Cohen nominated him for the 2008 Cherry Creek Schools All Star Award. He was one of 35 classified employees honored last month for making a difference in the lives of students.

"Vince teaches with his heart," Cohen wrote on his nomination form. "He creates strong bonds with his students which ground them and allow them to be the best they can be. He makes a difference every day!"

"I love working with the kids," Mathias said modestly. "I'm so happy when I'm teaching."

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