Roschel Servantes serves as the Director of Program Services at Easter Seals Rio Grande Valley, where she provides management oversight for the Early Childhood Intervention Program, Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic, the Easter Seals Child Development Center and the Vocational Services Program for Adults.
Servantes enjoys working side-by-side with families during and through their challenges, in addition to celebrating their successes along the way. She views it a privilege to partner with families to reach their goals and gain independence for their children.
Servantes recalls working closely with a single mother whose son, Ryan, had repeatedly been kicked out of daycare centers in the community due to behaviors associated with his autism diagnosis. This mother contemplated quitting her job to take care of her son 24/7 and she was referred to the Easter Seals Child Development Center. There the team created a plan to create supports and accommodations for Ryan. After six months of receiving services and working in an inclusive environment, the mother visited Servantes to share that Ryan, who had no language when he started at the center, was repeating simple words and for the first time, sang the melody of a song he learned at theEasterSealsChildDevelopmentCenter. It was music to her ears!
This success story reinforces the fact that early intervention can make a difference in a child’s future developmental success, that parents play an influential role in their child’s early development and how critical time together paves the way for their child’s future.
Building local programs to meet the needs in our community is a priority and Easter Seals is committed to implementing quality services. Through partnering with the University of Texas Pan American, Servantes is leveraging local expertise to develop and enhance the services at the Child Development Center that support the early learning experience of the children.
Servantes earned a Master of Science in Rehabilitative Counseling from University of Texas Pan American.
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