CCTA Helping Kids Grow Into Happy, Healthy Adults

By Erica Drzewiecki, The Bristol Press

December 15, 2021

The town’s transition academy has improved the lives of individuals and helped local businesses for many years. Since becoming the Central Connecticut Transition Academy, the organization is growing even stronger and thus, so is the community.

The CCTA’s facility at 362 Main St. is leased to the school district by the Berlin-Kensington YMCA. The academy expanded into the entire facility this year. In turn, the Y’s preschool/daycare rents space in two Berlin schools.

“As our program grew we needed more space but we loved this location,” teacher Laura Leary said.

The group can walk to Webster Bank, Walgreens and the coffee shop. Being on Main Street, they’re right in the heart of downtown Berlin and just as much a part of it as any other entity.

Students are out and about 80% of the time after all, learning how to become active members of the community and grow into happy, healthy adults.

Ages 18 to 22, Transition Academy students have developmental and intellectual disabilities. For many, it’s autism. Once they complete high school, they enter the program for a year or two or three or four. When they’re ready to leave, they take with them an official diploma and the tools to become a successful adult.

“We encourage them to stay until they’re 22 because we’re working on their skills to be independent,” Leary said.

They learn everything from how to cook, clean and do laundry to good manners, budgeting and working with others.

The Berlin Transition Academy had been accepting students from Cromwell the last three years and the school districts just came together to form the CCTA a few months ago.

Berlin Schools’ Director of Pupil Personnel Services Linda Holian works closely with Cromwell Director of Student Services Sari O’Leary.

“Both Boards of Education are on board,” Holian said. “It’s a wonderful program. We are among several districts in the state that have merged together. Our students can develop relationships with one another and it saves resources.”

Mon.-Thurs. the students meet at their building in the morning before heading off to their work sites.

They receive $40 stipends from the CCTA every two weeks and the money is spent on lunch and other necessities, such as a new collared shirt for work. If there’s any left over they might buy themselves an ice cream or a soda.

Community partners include Kohl’s, the Hospital for Special Care, Eversource, CVS, the Department of Transportation, Hampton Inn Hotel, AMCO, Connecticut Beverage Mart and others. These organizations provide job experience and career training, but benefit from the free labor, as students come with a job coach and insurance and are paid by the CCTA. Staff hopes more local companies will find out they exist and become community partners.

“We are always looking for more work sites for our students,” Leary said.

Mondays are shopping days. Before they go, students plan out their lunches for the week, trying to incorporate at least three food groups per meal while staying within their budget.

“The price of produce has gone up recently and they’re very conscious of that,” Leary said.

She and fellow teacher Victoria Muggleston teach them tips and tricks like separating a bunch of grapes or bananas to get just enough. They’ll weigh less at the register, cost less and the students will waste less.

Some lessons are harder than others. When they show up in inappropriate clothes for work, for example, they must learn that yes, beauty is on the inside, but being presentable and professional is very important to one’s success.

Cameren Nelson likes his job at the Berlin-Peck Library. It’s just him and the books.

“It’s relaxing being around the books and I like that it’s quiet,” Nelson said.

Several students work at Fosdick Corp., a packing and distribution center in Berlin.

“I had a very busy day today,” Cameran Johnson said as he sat down on one of the couches in the CCTA after arriving from work. “We pack boxes and make boxes. I like it. It gives me something to do.”

This is the 20-year-old Berlin resident’s first year in the academy. He’s enjoying it so far.

“It gives me new experiences,” Johnson said.

His favorite part? The community events, which the students call “field trips.” Fridays are leisure days.

“They have some favorite places,” Leary said. “Dave & Buster’s is a big one. They also love bowling.”

Sometimes they partner with transition academies in Newington and Wethersfield to do activities together.

“It provides our students with a whole new set of peers,” Muggleston said.

This fall groups went to Old Wethersfield to experience the popular “Scarecrows on Main” event and have pizza together on the green.

“We’re finding that the social component across the board is the biggest challenge we have to work on,” Leary said. “If we can help them connect with others and make friends, it can make all the difference.”

Plopping down on the couch next to Johnson was Dakota Serafia, who also works at Fosdick.

“We had a busy day,” Serafia said. “My friends are all just coming back. I like all my job sites. I’m actually going to a new one tomorrow.”

Shuttles take them to and from work and school.

Most students won’t ever get a driver’s license, so they must also learn how to use public transportation. This comes in handy when they do paid internships sponsored by the state’s Level Up program.

“I had never taken a bus before so I learned right along with them,” Muggleston said.

The front room they just inherited from the Y is being transformed into an office space. Students will do the construction themselves and then once they have a new office, they’ll learn things like filing paperwork, answering phones, using a copier and other clerical tasks.

“These are students who maybe felt they didn’t fit in during high school,” Leary said. “Here, they are more comfortable and can work on building their self esteem.”

Everyone fits in at the CCTA. And if they can fit in here, they can learn to fit in anywhere.

“Everybody has strengths and everybody has weaknesses,” Muggleston said. “They feel more at ease here about having a disability. They learn it’s part of who you are but it doesn’t have to be a negative thing.”

Erica Drzewiecki can be reached at edrzewiecki@centralctcommunications.com.