The Adam's P.A.C.E. program is celebrating a remarkable milestone this year: twenty years of inclusion, growth, and community, all born from the vision of one young man.
The program exists today because of Adam Taylor, an adult with Down syndrome who dreamed of attending college just like his peers. At the time, there were no post-secondary programs in Quebec that offered adults with special needs the opportunity to continue their education, develop independence, and participate fully in college life.
Adam believed deeply that such a space should exist not only for himself, but for others who wanted to learn, belong, and contribute.
With the support of his family, friends, the Riverside School Board, and Champlain College Saint-Lambert, Adam helped create what would become the P.A.C.E. Program (Post-Secondary Alternative Community-Based Education).
It was a pioneering idea: a community-focused, life-skills-based program designed to help adults grow socially, personally, and academically at their own pace. Tragically, Adam passed away from leukemia just three months after the program opened its doors. Yet his dream did not end. His mother, Ann Taylor, became an unwavering supporter, deeply involved in keeping the program strong and true to Adam's original vision.
Thanks to that dream and the community that rallied behind it, Adam's P.A.C.E. has now seen more than 80 graduates pass through its doors in the last two decades.
Over the years, P.A.C.E. has become far more than an educational program. It is a place where adults with diverse needs learn essential life skills, explore their community, build friendships, and gain meaningful experiences.
Students participate in everything from financial literacy workshops to community outings, cooking, communication skills, fitness, and workplace learning through stage placements in local businesses and by taking one Champlain class per semester.
The program blends structure and flexibility, recognizing that each student grows in their own way and at their own rhythm. The result is a warm, supportive environment where learners develop confidence, independence, and a strong sense of identity.
For more information
900 Riverside Drive
Saint-Lambert Quebec
Canada J4P 3P2
champlainsaintlambert.ca/
