Field trips, music activities, and discovering a talent with computers are some of the things that Columbus Green remembers best about his time at Summit Academy.

When he first started in 1996, The Summit Center was known as the Language Development Program.

“I was at the Brighton building, before the current one [at Stahl Road] was built,” Columbus said. “I was in classroom 215 and have so many good memories from that time.”

Columbus said he especially enjoyed when the class would participate in sing-alongs and play instruments. It wasn’t until later that music would become a focus in his life.

As a young adult, Columbus rediscovered his love for music. It came at a time when he needed it most, right after his father passed away.

“Music really helped,” Columbus said. “I started learning how to make beats and found my passion.”

Columbus heads up Cee Gee Incorporated, which is a play on his initials, and works with local hip hop artists to produce and promote albums. He’s recorded and produced a few of his own, including his most recent work “Downtown Raphael.”

When Columbus isn’t recording, producing, or DJing, he enjoys traveling to New York City to watch up and coming musicians.

“Seeing someone perform, whether they’re rhyming or playing instruments, that’s what really got me interested in the music scene,” Columbus said.

In addition to his music, Columbus is working on earning his GED so he can start a career using computers. He became interested in computers when he was a teenager and started to work on vocational skills at Summit.

“I used a computer a lot and learned to type really fast,” he said.

After his time at Summit, Columbus attended other vocational programs so he could continue building upon his independence skills.

“I worked as a dishwasher for nearly 10 years until the pandemic hit,” Columbus said. “It was then that I decided I wanted to do something more.”

When he has a goal in mind, Columbus puts his all into achieving it, and he encourages others to do the same.

Columbus said, “Whether you have a disability or not, if you have a passion for something, go for it.”

Pictured left is Columbus’ school picture from 1998. To the right is a photo of Columbus, aka CeeGee, with major Buffalo artists Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher, and Westside Gunn. CeeGee worked on records with these artists at Griselda Records.