Shopping the job market can be difficult for many young people. For students with special needs, the task can be even more difficult.

But an innovative adult life skills program through the Riverside County Office of Education, provides students with special needs a head start on job-seeking skills.

“Most programs are on high school campuses and don’t give special education students the sense of transitioning into the adult world,” said Jeanne Brown, a Winchester resident whose 19-year-old daughter, Kayla, is enrolled in the program. “I feel this program has really raised the bar for Kayla. Instructors have high expectations for their students and help them to reach their goals.”

The work training program serves special education students ages 18 through 22 who have received certificates of promotion/completion from their high schools.

While the Riverside County Office of Education has five transition programs, this program is the only life skills class held on a college campus. It was moved in 2001 from Lake Elsinore High School to the Menifee Valley Campus of Mt. San Jacinto College, said instructor Edna O. Reid.

The collaborative effort between the Office of Education and Mt. San Jacinto College has continued to grow and currently two classes support 38 students.

“The program teaches students work skills, work awareness and work-related social skills,” Reid said. “We are grateful to the worksites that provide these opportunities for our students.”

Classroom aide Debbie Clark, who has been assisting with the program for 16 years, said she loves teaching the students how to advocate for themselves and getting job experience while at a safe place to learn.

Vicki Meier, who has worked for the Office of Education for 23 years — the past eight with the adult life skills program, agreed.

“I love the students and the fact this program gives them a future,” she said. “They are worthwhile people and this program proves that.”

Businesses also appreciate the help.

At the Texas Roadhouse steakhouse in Menifee, about a dozen participants in the program they learn how to portion food, dice eggs and tomatoes, and skewer food for kabobs, said Kathleen Benson, who has managed the restaurant since it opened five years ago.

“We make all our food from scratch,” said Benson, who greets the students a few hours prior to the restaurant’s opening so they can take care of prep and other tasks such as polishing and rolling silverware, cleaning menus and tables, refilling condiments and vacuuming.

“These are actual jobs that need to be done,” Benson said. “The beauty of the program is the instructors and aides manage the students and determine what they will do based on their interest and ability. There are so many different things they can learn in this environment that they can take to other places.”

Keith Adamson, one of the restaurant’s managing partners, was happy to offer the job training site to fellow students in the program with his daughter, Megan Adamson, 19, who also works there on weekends.

“She can show the others where to find things because she knows so much,” Benson said. “There is clearly a personal connection to this program but these workers are important to our kitchen.”

“I like working here and learning different things,” said Adamson, 19.

Employment opportunities aren’t limited to restaurants.

Maya Cason, 20, likes working with the other students and enjoys the hours she also puts in at Kohl’s and Petco each week.

“Our family has been very grateful for the (Office of Education) adult life skills program; it is an excellent fit for Maya’s abilities and needs,” her mom, Stephanie Cason, said. “She has shown real growth over the last two years and the real-world work experience is especially beneficial.”

Provécho Grill’s executive chef, Rosie O’Connor, has several independent workers during the week’s lunch rush and said they are a tremendous help.

“They take direction well and they are eager, which is nice to see in an employee. It keeps my other employees at their best level,” O’Connor said.

As students transition from school to independent living, life skills instructor Reid also wants them to learn to be compassionate and civic-minded. To this end, she incorporated the Circle of Kindness into her curriculum.

“We have donated to foster children through Sleep Train, Menifee Valley Community Cupboard, Sun City Library and Valley Restart Shelter. We also wrote letters and cards to our military troops overseas,” she said. “We changed the lives of others but the opportunity to help others changed us, too.”

“I feel proud of myself for doing something nice,” Dakota Lapham said. “I feel happy that I get to help someone who doesn’t really have kind things done for them that much.”

Ten students recently graduated from the program at a ceremony at Mt. San Jacinto College.

“I love watching their transformation,” said classroom aide Arlene Michalovitz, who has been with the program for 16 years. “When they graduate it’s like they are leaving as adults – it is very rewarding.”

 

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By: The Press-Enterprise