Pay it 4ward: Woman recognized for helping students with disabilities

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Kymbr Mordecki is a huge reason why the Career Life Engagement and Readiness (CLEAR) program exists. It helps students with disabilities at San Juan College.

"It can be any kind of disability and any age, so they come to our program and they learn different life skills as well as gain skills so they can work out in the community," Holly Lowe said.

Thirteen of the program’s students graduated in May. They were the program’s first graduating class.

It hasn’t been easy during the pandemic. They were virtual for a period of time.

Lowe said through hard work and dedication, Mordecki made it work, so she wanted to Pay it 4ward.

Lowe surprised Mordecki with $400.

"It’s not work to me," Mordecki said. "I taught high school, the life skills classes, you know, students with disabilities for six years, and just the fact that so many would graduate and some could stay, you know, up to six years in high school, and so I would have these kids for a very long time, and then they were just go home they’d graduate, and they’re sitting at home."

With Mordecki’s hard work and the students’ dedication, the results aren’t hard to see.

"We have seven of the graduates that we just had that are going to continue their education and the others have jobs," she said.

Mordecki hopes the program continues to grow to help shape a clear path for more students to come.