History
In 1999, Brenda Ornelas walked into Lake Worth High School with a calling — to teach life skills to students who too often were underestimated.
For 16 years, she poured her heart into that classroom, guiding students not just through academics, but through the everyday skills that build independence, confidence, and belonging. What she couldn’t have known then was that one student would help shape the rest of her life’s work.
Her name was Heather.
Heather, who has Down syndrome, chose Brenda to be both her teacher and, in her words, “her mom.” The bond between them was immediate and enduring.
When Heather graduated in 2012, she told Brenda she wanted to follow in her footsteps and become a life skills teacher herself. The two dreamed out loud with Brenda telling Heather, “Someday when I retire, we’ll start our own school.”
That “someday” arrived far sooner than either imagined.
In 2013, Brenda purchased a modest 1,400-square-foot building in Lake Worth with plans to open a day center for adults with disabilities. At the time, she had no idea she was also becoming the steward of a remarkable piece of Texas history. The building turned out to be the oldest standing structure in Lake Worth — the original transmitter station for WBAP radio. The land itself had been donated in the 1930s by Amon Carter as part of his ranch so the station could broadcast across North Texas.
Heather’s Old Skool Village serves adults ranging in age from 18 to over 70. The doors are open from 8 am to 4:30 pm, with parents or agencies dropping students off for part or all of the day. Mornings begin with a group meeting to review the week’s activities, followed by lessons drawn from a thoughtfully developed curriculum created by special education professionals. Reading, math, current events, and geography are woven into the day, alongside games, social time, and shared meals.
In 2025, the spirit of community shined brightly during a special “Shop with a Hero Day,” made possible through partnerships with Target and Northridge Construction Company. Each student received a $100 Target gift card, a party bus was rented for the occasion, and first responders paired up one-on-one with students for a day filled with joy, dignity, and celebration.
Despite its impact, Heather’s Old Skool Village operates without federal funding.
The program relies on fundraisers, donations, an annual golf tournament, and limited support from state agencies. Brenda’s long-term vision is to expand even further — to one day open a group home and continue embedding adults with disabilities into the fabric of the community they belong to.
Heather’s Old Skool Village is more than a day program. It is a promise kept between a teacher and her student, a second life for a historic building, and a living reminder that when people are given opportunity, respect, and support, they don’t just learn life skills — they thrive.