Guadalupe Torres is very much like any other 21-year-old young lady. She loves dancing, singing, watching TV and spending her summers swimming. She is interested in all things beauty and has aspirations of being a cosmetologist. She doesn’t think twice about her disability, and why should she?
Guadalupe was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at birth, and later Mild Intellectual Disability Disorder. After graduating high school in 2017, Guadalupe joined the Goodwill S.T.A.R.S. program. S.T.A.R.S. stands for skills training achieves results and is a unique day-habilitation program for adults with significant disabilities. The program recreates daily living scenarios to give participants a chance to learn real-life skills to overcome their disadvantages and achieve maximum independence.
In the S.T.A.R.S. program, Guadalupe is an active participant in class. She says she loves all of the classes but likes going into the Apartment the most so that she can practice her cooking skills. “I really love it here. I have a lot of friends!” says Guadalupe. The staff in the S.T.A.R.S. program says that she is a joy to work with and they are thankful that there is a safe place for Guadalupe and others like her to learn and grow.