Our transition program is the bridge between high school and age 21, which is the adulthood that the students age out of the educational system. Transition programs support students with disabilities, and we focus on vocational training. training, functional academics, community relationships, community outings, and daily living and health and personal hygiene. Transition program is housed at one side is the Paralyzed Veterans of America building, then the other side is at the Career Center. and then we do bus students to our daily living house on Burt Street.
Our ultimate goal for transition is for our students to become as independent as possible. I like coming here, I like coming here and and you learn so much from going to school. You learn so much from going to school.
She has a social disability, She has a social disability, Asperger's syndrome. Asperger's syndrome. Before she started the program, Before she started the program, she wouldn't talk at all.
she wouldn't talk at all. She would just not talk. She would just not talk. And with the program, And with the program, you know, you know, they just kind of worked with her slowly. they just kind of worked with her slowly.
They go on field trips to the grocery store. They go on field trips, the grocery store. I mean, I mean, some of the things that we take for granted, some of the things that we take.
for granted you know with her disability she's really shy and doesn't open up so this program has helped her to blossom and get comfortable you know with being in the public you know and dealing with people and situations my money skills has helped me when you know, with her disability, she's really shy and doesn't open up. So this program has helped her to blossom and get comfortable, you know, with being in the public. I think that's really important.
you know, in dealing with people and situations. My money skills has helped me when we go to the store. we go to the store and And if I buy something, If I buy something, I might need a little help going or counting the change out.
I might need a little help going or counting the change out. It's helped me, It's helped me, but I just need a little more help with it. but I just need a little more help with it.
She has come a long way. She has come a long way. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
She has come a really long way. She has come a really long way. She was born prematurely, She was born prematurely, and she only weighed like one pound, and she only weighed like one pound, five ounces. five ounces. So to see her grow from this little bitty, So to see her grow from this little bitty, you know, you know, baby, baby to this blossoming young woman is just amazing.
to this blossoming young woman is just amazing. Our transition teachers, whether it's the work experience teachers or the classroom transition teachers, they take on not just being a teacher, being a mentor, being a job coach. They work through all aspects of what a day in the life of an adult is. Today we are going to do an article review in the newspaper.
Today we are going to do an article review in the newspaper. Each one of you should have this at your table. Each one of you should have this at your table. Double check.
Double check. Does everyone have one? Does everyone have one? We do a variety of activities. We do a variety of activities.
We focus a lot on functional academics. We focus a lot on functional academics. We go into the community for community outings.
We go into the community for community outings. The students actually have a kitchen that they can cook in and a laundry area where they can do laundry so they practice their independent living skills. The students actually have a kitchen that they can cook in.
a laundry area where they can do laundry so they practice their independent living skills. When we work on the functional academics, When we work on the functional academics, we really focus on the reading and math, we really focus on the reading and math, so things that they can use while in the community or while they're in school. so things that they can use while in the community or while living independently.
while living independently. I don't talk too much, I don't talk too much, so they kind of show me how to talk a little bit more. so they kind of show me how to talk a little bit more.
They do one of those rolling plays. It's kind of like they do one of those rolling plays. You know, You know, like you do a roll play. you do a role play, and you've got to tell a person to talk. Tell a person to talk.
So from the beginning of the year until the end of the year, So from the beginning of the year until the end of the year, we see a lot of growth in our students. we see a lot of growth in our students. We see a lot of maturity. We see a lot of maturity.
We see a lot of them taking tasks seriously because they know that in order to live independently, We see a lot of them taking tasks seriously, because they know that in order to live independently, they have to master the tasks that we're putting forth. they have to master the tasks. that we're putting forth. So some of the things would be like creating and developing a budget, So some of the things would be like creating and developing a budget, navigating the newspaper, navigating the newspaper, health and hygiene, health and hygiene, so being able to take care of their medical needs, so being able to take care of their medical needs, how to call and make an appointment for a doctor's office, how to call and make an appointment for a doctor's office, how to read a medicine bottle label to give themselves the correct dosage of medicine that they need. how to reach read a medicine bottle label to give themselves the correct dosage of medicine that they need.
Another one is cooking and cleaning and being able to maintain a household. Another one is like cooking and cleaning and being able to maintain a household. That's really important for the students to learn.
That's really important for the students to learn and so once they see how relevant the curriculum is to their lives they work out very hard at it. And so once they see how relevant the curriculum is to their lives, they work very hard at it. They try to master all the tasks that we put in front of them and they really want to do well.
They try to master all the tasks that we put in front of them and they really want to do well. It's really challenging for me. It's really challenging for me.
Going there and they're helping me to get better at math. Going there and they're helping me to get better at math. I'm trying to get a job and so this program will help me to get a job and stuff like that. I'm trying to get a job and so this program will help me to get a job and stuff like that. And like help me with my future and so that's what I'm trying to do.
And like help me with my future and so that's what I'm looking for. I'm looking for. All of these jobs, including Goodwill and Mutual, which are our large sites that support our students, are all working on skills that the students would need that can be applied from job to job.
Each semester, they have an opportunity to switch job sites to acquire new skills. We're here at Mutual of Omaha. We're here at Mutual of Omaha. We're there at the cafeteria and we're here at the bakery working. We're there at the cafeteria, and we're here at the bakery working.
Most of our students are here three. Most of our students are here free. Our goal is to give them as many opportunities as possible and as many experiences.
Our goal is to give them as many opportunities as possible and as many experiences. So they may start at Mutual of Omaha in their first year, They may start at Mutual of Almanda first year and then they're looking at a grocery store for a semester and then a hotel for a semester and maybe at the end work at somewhere like... and they may work at a grocery store for a semester, and then at a hotel for a semester, and then maybe at...
At the end work at somewhere like the zoo or at UNO. the zoo, you know, there are a bunch of variety of work sites throughout the district that we use with our students in transition. We have a bunch of variety of work sites throughout the district that we use with our students in transition.
Our goal is to find that niche, Our goal is to find, you know, that niche that I think is the most successful, that thing that they're most successful at, that they enjoy the most, that they enjoy the most, and try to lead them towards that as far as they can. and try to lead them towards that as far as finding a job in the future. finding a job in the future.
The most fulfilling part of the job for me is just to see the development of skills by the students. The most fulfilling part of the job for me is just to see the development of skills by the students. Many of our students come in to my program. Many of our students come in to my program, they're very timid at first and maybe don't know how to interact appropriately with co-workers or bosses or maybe just don't have the confidence or self-advocacy skills to be successful in the workplace but as they gain that confidence through the teaching of myself and the workers here and just their They're very timid at first and maybe don't know how to interact appropriately with coworkers or bosses, or maybe just don't have the confidence or self-advocacy skills to be successful in the workplace. But as they gain that confidence through the teaching of myself and the workers here and just their experience, experience they really become more and more independent and really start to shine and that's that's probably the best part of the job is just seeing them grow.
they really become more and more independent and more disciplined. start to shine. That's probably the best part of the job is just seeing them grow and feel more comfortable in the workplace and gain those independence skills.
Feel more comfortable in the workplace and gain those independent skills. It's great to see them when they first come in and start a new job and then progressively learn that job and do that job and by the end of their quarter, It's great to see them when they first come in and start a new job and then progressively learn that job and do that job and by the end of their quarter, their rotation, their rotation, I'm seeing them do the entire job usually on their own. I'm seeing them do the entire job usually on their own.
So it's a lot of, So it's a lot of, I think it's good for me because I feel good about what I'm doing and it's good for them because it helps them gain confidence which is really important when it comes to working. I think it's good for me because I feel good about what I'm doing and it's good for them because it helps them them gain confidence, which is really important when it comes to working. When I first started, I got good. By the end, By the end, I know that most of the students are going to be able to go out and find competitive employment, I know that most of the students are going to be able to go out and find competitive employment. so it's great to be able to be a part of that.
So it's great to be able to be a part of that. I get to see former students all the time out in the workforce, and now I see what do we need to do as educators in OPS to ensure that our students are active and a participating member in society and not just home. I want to see.