Chester resident discovers her calling

Inspired to find an ideal avenue to fulfill a compelling need to help others, SUNY Orange occupational therapy assistant (OTA) student April Kurtz is answering a unique calling. She is pursuing specific education and training to help those who struggle with daily activities others take for granted. Through a combination of formal education and practical experiences, she is discovering joy and personal reward while working with adults who have various disabilities, often compounded with varying levels of behavioral issues.

“It is the little things I can do to help make their day better and contribute to their daily progress that inspires me. Every drop of water in a cup helps to fill it. If I can contribute just a few of these drops, I will know I have done something meaningful,” said Kurtz while describing her experiences working with adults with special needs this past summer after completing her first year in the OTA program.

According to SUNY Orange, Kutz grew up in Elka Park, graduating from the Mt. Academy private high school near Esopus. Kurtz next attended City College to pursue a different major. A new plan started to unfold after taking a semester off related to a health issue and speaking with SUNY Orange physical therapist assistant graduate Florence Potts.

“Florence told me about her positive experiences (at the College), and I always wanted to find a way to help people,” Kurtz said about why she chose the specialized OTA program at SUNY Orange. “I just knew this was the right path for me.”

Now a resident of Chester, Kurtz received the Charles J. and Ruth C. Cawein and Dr. Kristine Young scholarships and has steadily been on the Dean’s List.

“Being an OTA is rewarding, so I rethought my track. I love what I am doing and know this is a solid program. The group effort and hands-on experience in the lab make learning feel like a family environment,” she shared.

Donna Frazier, OTA department chair, learned of Kurtz acquiring additional practical knowledge by reading a detailed blog describing this significant adventure. Using the person-first language taught in the program is one noticeable element that Kurtz purposely included, such as saying “adults with disabilities” or “adults with special needs” rather than disabled adults.

Frazier was impressed by Kurtz’s recount and the day program opportunity itself. She said, “April was so excited to be able to go to Wisconsin to work with the individuals at the Matthias Academy. She provided support to enable others to flourish. We are so proud and happy to have her in the OTA program.”

Sharing how traveling across the country contributes to and enhances her skills, Kurtz said, “My parents both work at Rifton (a company retailing an extensive line of adaptive equipment for people of all ages with differing degrees of disabilities), and I learned about Matthias Academy from a member of the sales department.”

Kurtz spoke of being emotionally moved while working at the non-profit and watching the parents of adults as they brought in their children.

”I could see the pain and hurt from past traumas in the eyes of parents who were new to the program. Their children are adults with disabilities who have not had a happy place to go to because they have aged out of school but of course, do not grow out of their disability. Maybe these adults have been turned down for behavior challenges, but then they experience success at Matthias,” Kurtz recalled. “They offer a meaningful day program, and it was so rewarding to witness first-hand as the adults with special needs make deliberate progress with pride.”

Following an anticipated graduation in the spring of 2025, Kurtz intends to sit for the exams administered for certification and license to practice as a certified occupational therapy assistant. Once complete, she plans on enhancing her life experiences before committing to a final decision about the next chapter.

“She will be a great certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA), and any organization will be fortunate to have her when she graduates,” said Frazier.

For more about the SUNY Orange OTA program, go to sunyorange.edu/ota/index.html or visit sunyorange.edu to learn more about other degrees, programs and certifications offered by the College.