I got a job, I got a job, I got a job hey hey hey hey!

In case you missed it, I got a job!  It is technically a "Graduate Student Assistantship" position (which is hard to get and thus an honor...but I don't want to brag... ) but it pays real money!  The kind that will pay bills!  Can you tell I am a little excited about this new development?  Ok, here is the scoop.  I am working at the Denton State Supported Living Center (used to be called the Denton State School).  Here is a blip about it from their website:
Denton State School's doors opened in July, 1960, and within 1 year had approximately 1,700 residents. The majority of the residents were children and young adults with mild to moderate mental retardation. The school was designed to be a community within it's self. It had its own infirmary, beauty shop, education buildings, therapy departments, and four dormitories. The dormitories have since been converted to 40 apartments. Located on 200 wooded acres south of Denton, It is the largest of the 11 state schools in Texas and home to more than 650 individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. 

All of the residents there now are adults, many of which have been there their whole lives.  The few I have come into contact with have seemed very happy there.  I am working in the communication department and will eventually be working with the residents there to help them communicate whether by speaking or using some other augmentative device.  For now, because I have not completed the required training, I am not allowed contact with the residents to I am helping with the grunt work around the office.  Mostly I have become very familiar with the new shipment of communication devices recently delivered.  I get to open the box, plug in the device, make sure it works, then engrave it with an ID number before packing it all back up and putting it on the shelf.  So, for now, the picture of my work there is this...