A Place to Learn and Grow

Walking into the door of your workplace, setting your things down, clocking in, and getting ready for your shift. For most, this ordinary routine may feel rather common and mundane. However, for Alexandra Martinez, this simple act was cause for a deep and overwhelming feeling of joy and gratitude. This was a feeling that she had been yearning for for a very long time.

Alexandra was like any typical child growing up. She was the eldest of five children and spent the first portion of her life just outside of sunny Los Angeles, before her and her family moved to Arizona when she was eleven years old. She enjoyed hanging out with her siblings, watching cartoons, and playing outside in the warm California sun. Growing up, Alex was primarily focused on being a kid and enjoying her childhood, as most are.

Alexandra is a 2013 graduate of Valley Vista High School. While attending Valley Vista, Alexandra was introduced to someone who has since had a tremendous impact on her life. Karin York was one of Alexandra’s special education teachers, and has been credited as an incredible mentor and inspiration in Alexandra’s life.

Karin had been a teacher at Valley Vista since it first opened for the 2006-2007 school year, when she was invited to come on board and help start the self contained special education program. She and her team had the privilege of building the program from the ground up, which she describes as being an incredible experience, and where she was also honored to be one of Alexandra’s teachers.

For years, Karin York has had a passion to help those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It all started nearly thirty years ago when her son Spencer was born with Down syndrome.

When Spencer was young, and before moving to the Surprise area, there were some difficulties presented at Spencer’s former school. Karin challenged his teachers in ways she thought would benefit him and the educational goals she had envisioned for him. Eventually, while sitting in a meeting with the school principal, the principal stated in regards to Spencer’s education, “If you think you can do a better job, why don’t you do it yourself?” These words ignited a fire within Karin, and were the launching point of an entirely new journey for her.

Karin was determined to find a better education for her son, so she decided to change her college major from physical education to special education, and from there on, dedicated her time to supporting those with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

While at Valley Vista, part of Karin’s vision was to create a transitional program that would provide real world experiences and develop skills to prepare her students to get jobs after high school. “What we envisioned was kind of a day program where the kids would go after their four years of high school, and they would have real job experiences, real world experiences, where they are learning very specific skills that they might be able to get a job.” Over the years teaching, she was able to create real world experiences for her students, and really see them thrive, gaining experience that would benefit them down the road.

Alexandra Martinez makes coffee for a customer at Spencer's Place in Surprise. The job is allowing her to gain skills to be a contributing member of the community,

One of her students that was able to benefit greatly from this transitional program was Alexandra. Because of her involvement in the program, Alexandra said that she was really able to open up and come out of her shell more. She enjoyed many of the activities she was able to participate in, her favorite being the internship she got to do at a local elementary school down the road. As a part of the internship, Alexandra was able to help in kindergarten classrooms with students, and assist the teachers with everyday tasks. “It was my favorite because I got to work with little kids and talk to them as if they were my own brother or sister. It was really fun,” she said. Alexandra felt that the internship really allowed her to open up and be confident in herself, which led her to believe in herself and believe that she was capable of doing whatever she set her mind to.

Though this program was highly beneficial for many students, there were still many who struggled to find jobs after graduating, and Karin was seeing this first hand. She kept in touch with many of her former students and saw them regularly through the organization, Young Life Capernaum, in which she volunteers her time being a leader and mentor. Young Life is a faith based organization that seeks to reach teenagers, and Capernaum is a ministry of Young Life focused specifically on reaching adolescents and young adults with disabilities. After keeping in touch with many of her former graduates and their families, Karin started to see a trend. The students she had spent years with teaching, guiding, preparing, and investing in, were struggling to

find meaning and purpose after high school. She thought, “all this hard work I poured into them during high school, it’s now over?” Karin explained that some individuals are able to find assistance through state programs that help guide those with intellectual disabilities to gain experience and skills post high school. However, due to the recession in 2008, the Arizona Department of Economic Security Division of Developmental Disabilities was forced to raise their criteria, and many no longer qualify for these programs. This, in addition to the fact that it is increasingly difficult for these individuals to find employment as it is, ends up leaving many individuals struggling to find ambition and purpose - especially for those like Alexandra. No matter how many jobs she applied for, or how many interviews she had, it became increasingly hard for her to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Karin became heartbroken at the current situations she was finding these individuals in. “There were huge gaps, and I watched them lose skill, and lose skill, and lose skill… and I couldn’t rest,” she said. Karin saw a need, she was determined, and knew in her heart that she had to do something.

This motivated Karin to take it one step further and use the transitional program she helped start at Valley Vista High School as a catalyst to push her to her next endeavor. If these kids were not finding opportunities after high school to utilize the skills they had been learning, then it was time to create opportunities for them to do so. After speaking with some of her students who were struggling, Karin was set on this idea. “I am going to create a place where you can go and you can earn a paycheck and you can come to work, and you can learn skills,” she told them. And that is just what she did.

After much time and reflection, and many conversations with those she’s close to, Karin decided to step away from her teaching career, and learn the ropes of owning her own business; a coffee shop she would call Spencer’s Place.

Spencer’s Place, named after Karin’s son, would be an avenue for these young adults to be able to learn and implement skills into their everyday life, and help prepare them for opportunities down the road. “My vision for this is to be a launching pad, where they have a resume now, and some work experience, and they’re gaining social skills and appropriateness, and they can take this into their jobs and get hired and be successful,” said Karin. She considersSpencer’s Place to be an expansion, and a new take on the transition program she started at Valley Vista.

When Alexandra first heard ofSpencer’s Place, she was overcome with emotion. It was a Thursday night at a regular Capernaum group, where Alexandra is a regular attendee. Karin andSpencer stood up in front of the group and explained their new endeavor to open up a coffee shop aimed at employing those who were in situations similar to Alexandra. Upon hearing this, Alexandra was overcome with joy and hope. “It felt like a prayer that’s been answered,” she said.

Karin is excited to have Alexandra on board as apart of her staff, and is thrilled to watch her continue to grow. “She is fun, she is a hard worker, she wants to be successful, and she wants to learn,” said Karin. “Alex just shines, you can tell she’s in her element and where she’s supposed to be.”

Though the doors to Spencer’s Place are officially open, it has been no easy feat. It has been a long journey with several roadblocks along the way. Karin is calling it, “The shop that love built,” because of the way the community has rallied together, and contributed in ways she can’t explain. “The community support has been off the charts…overwhelming,” she said. “There have been so many amazing people that have just jumped in and have done things that we didn’t ask for, or didn’t even know we needed…it’s been awesome.” Karin is excited for the future of Spencer’s Place and is hopeful that the community’s support will only progress. “My hope for the community is to understand and realize that their participation in this inclusive environment is key.Without the community we’re nothing,” she stated. “The kids get this new life and empowerment, and the community gets to participate in that.”

A view of Spencer's Place Coffee Shop located in Surprise, Arizona on the corner of Waddell and Reems Roads near Marley Park.

Spencer’s Place is paving the way for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, giving them a space to further develop and sharpen their skills. A place where they can gain the experience and training necessary to propel them to something greater.When all is said and done, Karin hopes that her employees gain a new sense of empowerment and a certainty in themselves, that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. “I want them to be empowered. I want them to have a purpose everyday,” she stated.

For those such as Alexandra, a new door has been opened. She now has a space where she can go and work, develop skills, and be inspired. “There’s never a day where I don’t have a smile, because when you walk in those doors to Spencer’s Place and see Ms. Karin and Spencer, they just make you so happy.” This is the feeling that Spencer’s Place seeks to provide, not only for employees, but customers as well. When you walk into the doors, you are met with smiling faces and an essence that is sure to leave you overwhelmed with joy.