susquehanna township learning for life transition program
TRANSCRIPT
Susquehanna Township Learning for Life Transition Program
About Learning for Life…
• Developed in Summer of 2012 for 2012-13 School Year• Designed to meet Transition Needs of High School students
receiving Life Skills support • Began with 10 students identified with: Autism, Intellectual
Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Blind/Visually Impaired
Partnerships…
• Arc of Dauphin County• Central Pennsylvania Food Bank• Holiday Inn Grantville • Flemings Sub Base• Giant Food Store Union Deposit• Harrisburg Senators- Chef Paul• Chef Jackie Petska, former Executive Chef with Channels Food Rescue
How the program has progressed…Year 1
2012-13 School Year• 10 students• 8 Week Career Exploration Program• 22 Week Job Training• Crowne Plaza- rotated through Kitchen, Laundry, Banquets, & Rooms• Holiday Inn Hershey- rotated through Laundry, Rooms, Engineering, &
Breakfast area
• 22 Week Nutrition and Wellness• Cooking class at Central PA Food bank with Certified Chef• Community outings for fitness/leisure activities
Classes at The Arc
Arc staff member, Melanie Palmer, taught the students a class about work habits and how to create an elevator speech
Elevator Speech
Darius Thompson practices delivering his elevator speech to his classmates
Chef Bob and students at end of year party
Chef Bob, former Executive Chef at the Crowne Plaza Harrisburg, taught students kitchen skills both at the Crowne Plaza and Central PA Food Bank
Students working at the Crowne Plaza
2013 graduates Mohamed Mater and Michael Farley prepare and weigh crab cakes in the Crowne Plaza kitchen
Career Exploration Certificate Ceremony
Students had the opportunity to tour Community Aid and Goodwill Retail store. They were then given a gift card by the store to shop for interview clothes
Intercontinental Hotel Group’s Business Reputation and Responsibility Conference
Lanesha Brown, 2013 graduate, flew to Atlanta, Georgia to talk to the group about how Learning for Life and IHG/Crowne Plaza Job Training experience has changed her life
How the program has progressed…Year 2
Group 1• 15 Students• 8 Week Career Exploration Program• 22 Weeks of Job Training at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel• 22 Weeks of Nutrition (cooking class)
and Nutrition• Added three students with MDS to
the group and a student with ED
Group 2• 9 Students• 8 Week Career Exploration Program• 22 Weeks of Job Training at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel• Students with LD, ED, VI, and Autism
2013-14 School Year
Tour of Penn State Harrisburg
Students toured the campus of Penn State Harrisburg, visited a dorm room, and listened to a presentation about having a disability on a college campus
Visits to local employers
Students visited local employers. Pictured here is a tour of Lowes on Union Deposit Road.
Zumba and Winter Party
“Zumba Jeff” taught students fitness through Zumba and the group had a winter party hosted by the Crowne Plaza
How the program has progressed…Year 3
Group 1• 17 Students• 8 Week Career Exploration Program• 22 Weeks of Job Training at the
Holiday Inn (Grantville), Flemings Sub Base, & Giant Food Store (Union Deposit)• 22 Weeks of Nutrition (cooking class)
and Nutrition
Group 2• 8 Students• 8 Week Career Exploration Program• 22 Weeks of Job Training at the
Holiday Inn (Grantville), Flemings Sub Base, & Giant Food Store (Union Deposit)
2014-15 School Year
Included several students during this school year who participated in parts of the program, but not the entire program- completely individualized according to the students’ needs.
Dressed for Success
Students were given gift cards from the Goodwill Retail store in Linglestown and shopped for interview clothes.
Students participated in Mock Interviews with community representatives and received feedback.
Work Experience with Chef Bob at Central PA Food Bank
Students Tyson Hudson and Chris Gonzalez-Green aspire to work in the culinary field. They were given the opportunity to cater an event with Chef Bob at the Food bank.
Holiday Inn Job Training Orientation
Students with diverse needs participated in a job training orientation at the Holiday Inn Grantville
Cooking class at the Central PA Food Bank
Chef Jackie Petska taught students how to make Chicken Parmigiana
How the program has progressed…Year 3
Middle School Group Added• 9 Students- 7th and 8th grade• 22 Weeks
• Career Exploration• Visits to local businesses• Interest inventories• Online Mock job applications
• Community Resource Exploration• Dauphin County Library• ST Police Station• Metro Bank
2014-15 School Year
Volunteering at the Central PA Food Bank
Middle School student, Nathan Barad, works at the Food Bank
Middle School students tour Chocolate World