My name is James Stavola. I am finishing up my second year in PAVE and third year in Chapel Haven overall. I lived in Glastonbury, CT for 15 years, and was a resident of Pelham, New York for 10 years. I have written several stories that I self published on Amazon Direct Publishing. I also have a Youtube channel called Blazing Swordsman, where I made several Pokemon Fanfiction videos.
I am planning on writing a MCU TV series named after my Youtube channel. Blazing Swordsman, which I’m hoping will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I also hope to be a famous actor and write several best selling novels, all of them self-published.
I have struggled with autism my entire life. Having autism means I have trouble communicating and making emotional connections with people. I also have trouble controlling my temper and that got me into hot water more times than I care to count. Chapel Haven has taught me many strategies to help keep my cool and I have been putting them into practice a lot recently.
PAVE has helped me with a bunch of important things, like writing professional emails and writing resumes. I learned how to write resumes in a variety of different formats, and the most recent format allows me to add references to it. The references will definitely help me get a job in the future. But the one big thing I can take away from PAVE is having a huge support network will help you out in the long run. No matter what, this support network will support me, wherever I am or whatever I do. It also helped me get more job experience as I worked in the Jewish Community Center.
The Jewish Community Center is an amazing place for people of all religions to come together. It mainly serves the Jewish Community, as its name implies. It has a cafeteria, offices, a gym for working out, a lap pool, a sauna for men and women, and a library with books for Jewish Families. There are also rec activities being held and various classes being taught, from cooking and dancing to martial arts. I would definitely recommend being a member.
During my time in the JCC, I have helped edit the various online newsletters the JCC sends out, from the Federation Weekly newsletter to the PJ Library newsletter. I upload stories and update the calendar section of the federation newsletter. I also write down analytics for each newsletter, typing down how many opened it and the top five links being clicked. I also organized several photos into folders for later use. I’m also writing stories for them, one of them is about the Israel tour next year. I loved the fact that I can practice my writing and editing skills, which is great for a talented author like myself.
I hope that in the near future I will get my own apartment, a paid job, a girlfriend and an adorable English Bulldog. I also plan on continuing to participate in Special Olympics swimming and basketball. I would also like to go to the Best Buddies Ball and the Night to Shine dance every year. I will also continue writing and self-publish more books on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Barnes and Noble Press, and Draft2Digital. And I also hope to be a famous actor and have my Blazing Swordsman TV series on Disney Plus.
Avi
Hi, my name is Avi. I had just started Chapel Haven and the PAVE Program last September. I started work at the Jewish Community Center in the Human Resources department. I enjoy it a lot, especially researching. I love work so much that I tend to do work during my off time, which Emily doesn’t approve of. She told me multiple times that I should only work within the hours I am given, and that has been a huge struggle throughout the school year. It’s driving me nuts! I don’t get why I shouldn't work during my off time. It’s ridiculous. I should work where I want, when I want! I would like to get a job at Yale University, where I got my degree in Library Science. It wasn’t easy, but I graduated and went on to become a librarian’s assistant for a while. Then I came to Chapel Haven, and my future after I finish up is unclear. I do know that I don’t want to be an activist, because I don’t want to go through what other famous activists went through, with violent protests and risk of attack. The biggest example was the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated for his advocacy for civil rights. I don’t ever want to go through that, and I'm sure there are people much braver than me.
Enough about that. I should probably be careful what I say in case Chapel Haven censors it. That is another pet peeve of mine. It’s ridiculous the way Chapel Haven censors swearing and other stuff. I mean, everyone in Chapel Haven are adults! We can handle sailor talk! This is even more aggravating when I’m always tired and there isn’t any consistency in my work. I do hope I get a consistent schedule soon, because getting a different schedule every day drives me nuts! A fellow student named James Stavola asked me if I want to write and self publish a book, and I said no because I don't know how to do any of that stuff. He’s got some experience in self publishing, so if you ever need help self-publishing your book, James is your guy. He can be a writing teacher one day.
Debbie
My name is Debbie Margolis. I am a receptionist intern at the JCC as part of the PAVE program.I have been working at the JCC since September, and I enjoy it immensely. I get to interact with staff and members alike, and I love working in a Jewish setting, seeing as I’m Jewish myself.
I am very thankful PAVE has given me the opportunity to work here, which I wouldn't have realized was possible without PAVE opening my eyes. I look forward to getting a part-time job here at the JCC or any other Jewish-related setting. I volunteered at a Jewish day camp prior to coming to Chapel Haven, and I enjoyed it immensely
I have always been involved in the Jewish community, and I have even gone to Israel many times. I would visit folks on my dad’s side of the family, and I have visited Jerusalem several times. I also visited Tel Aviv. It was breathtaking, with nice views of the Mediterranean Sea.
I love the Jewish holidays because they are all family oriented, even though some of them are extremely sad. The best example of this was the Holocaust Memorial, which is built in memory of all the Jews tortured, brutalized, and murdered during World War 2. It’s sickening to think that people are capable of such cruelty. Anyways, I love Israel very much. Since I am Jewish, the place is like a second home to me. I got to enjoy many of its local delicacies, but my favorite one is the schnitzel. It's a breaded cutlet and is very delicious. I’m thinking about going to Israel next year for its 75th birthday.
I am definitely prepared to get a part time job because I have improved a lot over my time at PAVE, especially with my professional phone calls. When the phone would start ringing, I would pick up and say, “Hello, This is Debbie. How can I help you?” What happens next depends on what the caller needs. Sometimes I would solve their problems themselves, other times I need help from the other receptionist, Betty. I practiced for months and months. It was hard work, but the results are worth it. I can now do professional phone calls all on my own without Betty's help.
Matt Shwartz
Hi, my name is Matthew Shwartz, and I am a PAVE intern at the Jewish Community Center. I have been in PAVE for one year and in Chapel Haven overall for two years. I enjoy my time at the JCC, working at the gym and with the kids. I do research for them and help sanitize the gym to make sure everyone working out will stay healthy and strong. As the PAVE year went on, I learned how to stay focused on the job, which will help me in my future endeavors. That was especially true since the gym is very noisy a lot of the time. I hope to work in the sports industry one day, specifically basketball. I am becoming more independent and strong every single day, and I have PAVE and even Chapel Haven to thank for that. I loved being around so many awesome people, in spite of their faults. James is a very talented writer, and I am honored to have been interviewed by him. I’ll definitely make sure to visit Chapel Haven after graduation. I love the people in Chapel Haven and the Westville community. I love going on rec activities and hanging out with my peers. I love Special Olympics and watching movies. My favorite movie is Spiderman: No Way Home and my second favorite is Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. I’ve been doing Special Olympics since high school, and I love it. I played Basketball, Floor Hockey, and Track and Field. I’ve loved basketball for as long as I can remember, and my favorite basketball teams are the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. I also like American Football, Ice Hockey and Baseball. My favorite NFL team is the New York Giants, my favorite Baseball team is the New York Yankees, and my favorite Ice Hockey team is the New York Rangers. I hope to be able to work for either the LA Lakers or the Brooklyn Nets, and even the USA Olympics Basketball team. And in case they don't work out, I would like to work for the New York Yankees. I also took Karate classes in the year 2000, so I do have some martial arts experience.
PAVE has helped me so much over the years, which I am thankful for every single day. The thing they helped me with the most is staying focused. I tend to daydream and become aggressive whenever I’m stressed out. I also had trouble asking for help when I needed it the most, but the staff never gave up on me, and eventually I was able to advocate for myself and remained cool and calm whenever I felt stressed out. I would also like to thank Mindfulness Monday for helping me with some strategies.