Learning for Living - One Family's Success Story

David Plapinger was almost 17 when he enrolled as a residential student at the Benedictine School in February of 2019. Before that, David had lived at home with his parents, Jane Plapinger and Naif Ahmed, and attended a nonpublic school in Baltimore. David has autism, and he and his family were able to take advantage of the Maryland Autism Waiver Program, which provided at-home support, both during the week and on weekends. But as David approached his mid-teens, he began to experience greater difficulty regulating his behavior at home, and the in-home supports no longer sufficed.

Jane and Naif visited the three residential schools that participate in the Maryland Autism Waiver Program. One of those schools - the farthest, in fact - was Benedictine. They didn't know what to expect as they drove down the long, tree-lined lane on that first visit, but it didn't take long for Jane and Naif to decide that Benedictine would be the best option for their son. They were immediately comforted by Benedictine's long history, its strongly rooted value system, and its motto "learning for living." They also found the staff to be incredibly dedicated and positive, and they were impressed by the level of individualized attention and support received by each student.

David's experience at Benedictine has been life-changing. His ability to regulate his behavior has improved to the point that he no longer requires the level of support he did initially; he no longer needs a behavior plan, nor does he require one-on-one support at school. His self-esteem has improved significantly.

David has also been offered several vocational placements, both on-and off-campus. Currently, he works four and a half hours per week at Dixon Valve and Coupling, where he counts and bags manufactured pieces. He enjoys the feeling of accomplishment that comes with managing a time card, performing a job well, and receiving a paycheck.

For David's tremendous growth, Jane and Naif credit Benedictine leadership's commitment to recruiting, training, and retaining committed, caring, and high-quality staff: "We are grateful for the school's leadership. While operating a school like Benedictine is a challenging business, as parents we see the emphasis on service to our children."

Jane and Naif have become regular supporters of Benedictine Foundation, and their generosity ensures that all individuals served by Benedictine are able to achieve their greatest potential. They feel called to give because after years of struggle and frustration, David and his parents finally feel they have their family back.