YMCA Honored For Work With Functional Life Skills EHS Program
The YMCA was honored for our work with the Functional Life Skills EHS Program. Director Brittney Fredbloom works with the students each week to help do tasks around the Meyer Center.
The YMCA was honored for our work with the Functional Life Skills EHS Program. Director Brittney Fredbloom works with the students each week to help do tasks around the Meyer Center.
After setting a goal to get back out into the community, the Functional Life Skills (FLS) and CASTLE program’s Community Transition program is back and better than ever, thanks to the support of vital community partners. At Monday’s Board of Education meeting, FLS director Kayla Magruder and work program director Allyson Morrison acknowledged and celebrated the contributions of those partners.
Magruder and Morrison saw a need to bridge a gap between the FLS program and the work program at Edwardsville High School. They began writing curriculum, with one of their biggest goals for the year being to get back out into the community. In the years prior to the COVID pandemic, FLS and work program students were out in the community taking trips and working. This year, they have successfully secured two work sites, Goodwill and the YMCA, and have nine students within the FLS and CASTLE programs who are working at these sites during the school day.
“They have really taken our students under their wing and provided them this opportunity,” said Morrison.
To reach their goal of getting students back into the community to learn and work, Magruder and Morrison needed someone to work alongside the students to help make sure they were meeting work expectations of the employers. With this, the program secured job coach Dave Lewis, who works alongside the students two days a week.
“They are committed to the growth of each student,” added Lewis.
Each Community Transition program student was introduced and recognized for their hard work.
“The students have done a phenomenal job. They have really shined, and we want this to be their spotlight,” said Magruder.
After the work program’s success this year, they are hoping to continue to grow and expand the program so that the students can have more opportunities within the community.
“Being able to work in the community is an invaluable experience that helps them create those vocational skills, but also allows our community to see them,” said Magruder. “It’s more inclusive not only within our school, but within our community as well.” #7dproud
𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴, 𝘋7 𝘗𝘙 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯