After completing M Power, Midway ISD’s program for students over the age of 18 with disabilities, one Midway High School graduate is taking the next step in their educational journey.
Garrett Anz recently began a four-year hospitality certification program at Clemson University in South Carolina, where he moved into his dorm room and joined a fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), in August. Garrett lives independently with three roommates and works three days a week at an off-campus internship.
“We are so proud of him and his family for utilizing the M Power program for the learning and growth Garrett needed to successfully continue his post-secondary education,” Midway ISD Transition Specialist Kim Johnson said. “He is a shining example of the students the M Power program was designed for.”
M Power is a district-led transition service that allows students to concentrate on learning trade skills for employment and independent living skills such as cleaning and cooking for themselves. M Power also partners with local community employers who provide training and job opportunities for students in the program.
Garrett completed his high school credits and celebrated graduation with the Midway High School class of 2019. He then went on to complete transition services through M Power, receiving his diploma in May 2022.
“Garrett was employed at the H-E-B on Wooded Acres during his last year at M Power,” Johnson said. “He felt he wasn’t done with his education and applied to ClemsonLIFE and was accepted into their four-year program last spring.”
The ClemsonLIFE program offers a collegiate experience that prepares students with intellectual disabilities for competitive employment and independent living through a combination of academic coursework and career exploration.
As a student in the ClemsonLIFE hospitality certification program, Garrett will continue building on the academic knowledge, independence, and workplace skills he developed through Midway ISD and M Power to earn a post-secondary education certificate.
