December 2025 E-News

Huge congratulations to our Empowering Abilities team for pitching at The Arc Maryland’s SpArc Tank Ig-Nite on November 20! We’re excited to share we received partial funding to help another person join the 2026 cohort.

Empowering Abilities is a ground-breaking program designed for people with disabilities to develop the skills, training, and confidence needed to begin a meaningful career as a Direct Support Professional. Fellows receive hands-on learning experiences, mentorship, and professional development to help them succeed in the field.

Applications are still open, so don’t miss the chance to be part of this journey! For all the details, go to TheArcMontgomeryCounty.org/EmpoweringAbilities

“I work full time, and I have a family.” Stacey teaches at The Arc Montgomery County’s inclusive childcare center KFICCC. “I love it here.” She’s also a busy mom, currently helping her son look at colleges. Even so, she made the decision to go back to school.

“I did online classes at Ashworth College… At night after I left work, I would do my assignments, weekends I would do my assignments.”

The idea of going back to school while working full-time is not one every person is willing to take on, but Stacey knew earning her bachelor's degree would open the door for her to be promoted from Associate Teacher.

“There were so many times I wanted to quit, I wanted to give up, but I had responsibilities, and I wanted to make more money…I wanted to also be a leader and be in charge of my own class.”

Stacey completed the coursework at her own pace, and in July 2025, she received a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.

Stacey is now Pre-K Lead Teacher of a room for 4 and 5-year-olds that opened in the Fall of 2025. “I love it here…the diversity. I love the children.”

Right by Stacey’s side in her classroom is Teacher Assistant Liana. Like Stacey, Liana chose to further her education by studying for her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, which will allow her to move up to Associate Teacher. She was able to do this for free through a partnership between the University of Maryland Early EdCorp and The Arc Montgomery County.

Liana has completed her coursework and now just needs to take a test to receive her CDA. She says she likes engaging with her students and getting to see how their imaginations work. “Just hanging out with the children and teaching them new things…They’re like, ‘Look, I learned how to do this, and you showed me how to do this!’”

And--KFICCC is hiring! Join the team! Click here for a list of open positions.

Some from Employment & Meaningful Day have been playing in a 6-week bocce league with Montgomery Parks and Special Olympics Maryland. Now that they have learned a new skill, they can play at any of the bocce courts in Montgomery County. There's one at Wheaton Regional Park and Glenfield Park.

Bocce is an inclusive and adaptive sport for all experience levels, so join in on the fun! If you see someone playing, ask if you can join!

December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Promoted by the UN for more than 30 years, it's about promoting the rights and well-being of people with disabilities at every level of society and development. This year's theme is "Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress" and you can catch the live event here on December 3.

The Arc Montgomery County has launched a Clear the List campaign to help buy presents for people who might otherwise go without gifts this holiday season. Join us in spreading joy and making the season a little brighter for the people we support. Click here to start shopping.

Go to www.TheArcMontgomeryCounty.org and you'll see a blue and white icon in the bottom left hand corner. That is an accessibility tool and clicking it will bring up the Recite Me toolbox where you can access a slew of options including text to speech, you can change fonts and spacing, there's a translation option, a page summarizer and more! Next time you log on to our site, check it out!

Garden of Lights is back at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton! This is a one-half mile, outdoor, walk-through exhibit where you can enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds. The paths are accessible for wheelchairs and strollers, and there are a limited number of wheelchairs available at the Visitor Center. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Prices start at $13.99 and kids ages 5 & under are free.

If you'd rather be in your car to look at the lights, then the Winter Lights Festival at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg may be more your speed. The 3.5-mile drive through the park features over 450 illuminated displays and beautifully lit trees. Buying tickets in advance is highly recommended because they will likely sell out. Tickets begin at $15 per vehicle.