Rowan was our 2026 Valedictorian – he is an amazing lifelong learner! 🙂 For student Rowan T., CAA is more than just a place for him to take classes, it is a community where he has built friendships, connected with professors, and discovered new interests. Rowan started taking classes online during the pandemic, and believes
Ali is the creator/visionary behind The Cardinal Times – the CAA student newsletter. When student Ali Kennedy first started taking classes at CAA in 2015, she found a community that accepted everyone and a place where she could truly be herself. After earning her degree in journalism from San Jose City College, Ali continued to
Sonia has been a tremendous asset and help to CAA since becoming a trained volunteer. When Sonia S. first learned about CAA, she never could have imagined how much the community would become a part of her daily life. Sonia’s son does not speak very much, so Sonia would volunteer in his classes to help
Tiffany keeps CAA on the straight and narrow when it comes to grants management! Tiffany Peronto was looking for an afternoon activity for her children, and found out about CAA by asking around at the morning program they were currently enrolled in. She immediately signed them up and started attending afternoon classes with them. She
James walked into CAA’s site in 2018 and transformed our school!! Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities come from simply being curious about what someone else is doing. That is exactly what happened to James Fu, he decided to look up what a friend was doing, and got introduced to CAA. After graduating from San José
CAA student Lina loves art, learning, and making new friends. Sometimes, the best opportunities come from simply hearing someone share about their experiences. That’s exactly how Lina discovered CAA and decided to become a student. After finishing her regular high school’s special education program, she heard someone talking about their experience at CAA and decided
When Professor Eliza Riley first got involved at CAA, it was very different from what it is today. In fact, she has been part of the community ever since the founding in 2009. Over the years, she has watched the CAA community grow, evolve, and continue creating a place where people can express themselves freely
Jeffrey is an amazing student working on his CAA undergraduate diploma. When initially sitting down to select his classes at CAA, Jeffrey Czarnik was so eager that he wanted to enroll in 25 different courses. His mother, Becky, convinced him to whittle it down and he is currently signed up for 12 classes. Jeffrey uses
Professor Laura is a graduate from SJSU with a degree in Dance. Dance and performance has always been a passion for Laura Jones. She discovered ballet in fourth grade and later in life fell in love with tap dancing. Laura is neurodiverse and became involved with Changeling Dance Theatre, which focused on bringing dance to
Persi is an excellent board leader who galvanizes the team with kindness and support. Persi Kanga is CAA’s fearless leader of the board and the organization’s board chair. Persi has been an active board member since 2022 where he served as the treasurer, and he has been incredible as he stepped into a larger role
