Transitions Program prepares students for adult living
Nancy Horst, Special to the Gazette
Friday, September 18, 2009
Community partnerships and a generous donation are being put to good use for young adults getting ready for independent living.
The Transitions Program operated by the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative moved to a new home this fall in The Earl Center, 1601 State St. The program serves students with disabilities ages 18–21 years old after they have completed four years of high school.
“Our goal is to make them as vocationally independent as they can be,” said resource teacher Kari Wallace. “I see us as a bridge between the school system and the adult system.”
The program had been operating out of Emporia High School, where space and opportunities for teaching a number of life skills was limited. Wallace said after four years of high school, the students needed a new environment for the next phase of their life.
“It’s nice over here, and the people are wonderful. The kids feel like they have their own place — a home,” she said.
Some new equipment has been purchased with a $20,000 donation from the Loretto Langley Charitable Trust. Purchases include a digital camera, printer and scanner and a shredder for the class’s recycling work. Wallace said the majority of the Langley funds will be saved to purchase household appliances once the program finds a permanent location.
The program relies on strong partnerships with a number of organizations and businesses to fulfill the students’ learning goals. In addition to Wallace, the program has three paraeducators to assist students. The schedule each morning provides time for developing social skills, job skills and learning to cook, clean, shop and budget money. In the afternoon, students go to work. Once a week, the class travels to Morse Hall on the Emporia State University campus where they cook their lunch. On the other days, students eat at the high school.
“They have really good meals. They plan the menus and on Mondays we make a list and go to Walmart to buy groceries,” Wallace said.
Each family and staff member contributes money for the Tuesday meals and students keep track of their food budget and plan their purchases to stretch the dollars as far as possible.
Three students help deliver Meals on Wheels every morning, and every two weeks the class goes to Holiday Resort to assist with social activities for the residents.
“They are fabulous to our kids,” Wallace said.
A Mental Health Center employee comes to the Earl Center weekly to help teach independent living skills, such as financial management and the importance of regular attendance at work. The class also tours businesses in town to learn what jobs are available and the skills required for the jobs.
Wallace is working with the ESU physical education department to arrange time for her students to work with PE majors at the Heath, Physical Education and Recreation building.
Each afternoon, students go to their own jobs in the community — Lakeview Cafeteria in the ESU Memorial Union, Holiday Resort, Newman Regional Health, Hetlinger and the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence.
“These partnerships are so important. I can’t do this program without them,” Wallace said.