When Noah was a toddler, his grandmother Dolores—affectionately known as Gamma—was at a doctor’s appointment with him at First Step when a team from Aprendamos noticed something. They gently approached her and asked a few questions. “That’s how we first heard about Aprendamos,” she shared. From that moment on, the journey began. Noah was referred to early intervention services, and his team soon recommended testing for Autism based on observed developmental delays. “We agreed,” said Dolores, “and once he was officially diagnosed, the therapists could really begin to understand how to help him.” That diagnosis became the key to personalized care strategies that would shape the course of Noah’s future. The early days weren’t easy. “It was chaotic… unknown,” Dolores recalled. She, her husband, and her youngest daughter reorganized their lives so one of them could always be present during Noah’s therapy sessions. “We tried to keep the three of us on the same page,” she said, “because we knew we needed to give him the best shot.” That decision led to over 14 years of continuous support through multiple Aprendamos programs—including Early Intervention, Esperanza Children’s Therapy, and Mariposa Autism Service Center (MASC). Now 16 years old and preparing to enter his senior year of high school, Noah has made incredible strides. “People tell me, ‘He doesn’t look Autistic,’” said Dolores. “But what they don’t see is everything we’ve worked on—the way he’s learned to self-soothe, the way he handles crowds, and how far he’s come in school.” Despite ongoing challenges with changes in routine and overstimulation, Noah is thriving. Throughout the years, many team members have left a lasting impact, including Lydia, who was there in the beginning, and his current Esperanza therapy team—Monica (OT), Kathleen (PT), and Karah (SLP), who has been a consistent figure in his life. And then there’s Camp Amigos, which Noah attended from age 5 to about 12. “He loved it,” said Dolores. “It gave him joy, community, and structure. We still remember those summers.” Looking back, Dolores says they never imagined how much Aprendamos would come to mean to their family. “They’ve gone above and beyond our expectations. Aprendamos changed Noah’s life—and ours.” To families just starting their journey, she offers this advice: “Don’t give up. Don’t be afraid. Be patient. It will help you—and most of all, it will help your child with their journey in life.” Today, Noah is a Pokémon expert, a loving grandson, and a young man preparing for graduation in 2026. As Dolores puts it, “He might not learn in the ‘normal’ way, but he’s learning in his way—and that’s all we ever wanted for him.” Here’s to Noah, and to 14 incredible years of partnership, progress, and love.
We would like to congratulate Olga Phillips on her recent promotion to Home Visiting Supervisor for the Aprendamos Family of Services Cariño Home Visiting Program! Olga has been with Cariño for 3 years and previously served as a Home Visitor and Lead Parent Educator. As Lead Parent Educator, Olga used her skills and expertise to help other Home Visitors with resources for families they served and provide support and tips based on her experiences. When we asked Olga what she was looking forward to the most in her new role, she said, “Stepping into the Home Visitor Supervisor role gives me the opportunity to support and help mold the next generation of Home Visitors. The work we do is very important. Kids are the future and helping families be the best they can be is something we all take seriously here at Cariño. Being a supervisor also gives me the opportunity to work with my fellow supervisors and director to grow the program and think of new and empowering ways to reach families.” Olga also shared that the families we serve have inspired her professional growth. “Wanting to gain more knowledge to empower them and being able to better support them is my biggest motivation,” she shared. Please join us in congratulating Olga!
We would like to congratulate Paola Cabrera on her recent promotion to Provider Network Supervisor for the Aprendamos Family of Services organization! Paola has been with Aprendamos for 1 year and prior to her promotion, she served as a Client Services Specialist. When we asked Paola what she was most looking forward to in her new role, she said, “I’m most excited to keep growing as a person and in the company and also to keep working closely with really amazing people.” As a native Las Cruces resident, Paola attended Las Cruces High School. In her down time, she enjoys working on arts and crafts projects. Paola also shared, “I am really grateful for the opportunity in this new role. I enjoy everything that I do and the people that I work with in this department.” Please join us in congratulating Paola!
