Special Needs Students Learn Life Skills Through Central Regional

BERKELEY, NJ — Special needs students ages 18- to 21-years-old get a taste of what the working world is like and develop the skills necessary to join the workforce through the Central Regional Life Skills Program.

Every day, these young adults bake several trays of brownies - which they call "Ford" able brownies, named after the Life Skills teacher Abby Ford who helps lead them.

The brownies, which sell for $1 a piece at Central Regional High School, are one way the students in the special needs program develop important skills and prepare for the workforce. "The program helps them connect in the community, which can lead to future jobs," Ford said in a district news release.

The Central Regional's Life Skills Program, a career-training, work-based learning program for 18- to 21-year-olds with special needs, allows students who have graduated high school to continue developing life skills, learning self-advocacy, and connecting with the community. The program, led by Ford, takes place at a house on the Central Regional campus and uses community based instruction (CBI) to help the young adults gain valuable experience. One recent graduate of the program works in a Central Regional school cafeteria.

The program brings students out into the community where they work at different businesses, go out to lunch, and learn how to be independent. Students do chores, learn how to take care of finances, make a list, go grocery shopping, and enjoy recreational activities such as bowling.

It was skills like these that helped Gianna Messina, 20, of Barnegat, get a job. "I work part time at Dunkin' Donuts putting croissants and muffins on the trays and in the bins," she said.

In December, the students went holiday shopping so they could purchase gifts for their family and friends, she said.

"The students really enjoy these trips as part of their CBI," Ford said. Recent trips included a hotel in LBI where students folded napkins, cleaned windows, vacuumed, and swept floors in the restaurant area.

On a recent day at the program, students began lunch preparation for the group, sauteing meat for tacos and chopping up tomatoes, lettuce, and onions.

Back in the kitchen, Central Regional Superintendent Michelle CarneyRay-Yoder visited with the students and demonstrated the safe and proper way to cut vegetables using a chef's knife.

"Life Skills are so important for all of our students," CarneyRay-Yoder said. "I love that our special services program will help our students become thriving and successful members of society."

Down the hall, students put up a load of laundry, while another laminated posters. On the other side of the building, students learned how to balance a checkbook, inputting deposits and checks into a ledger.

The goal of the program is to help the students learn important basic skills that will help them live independently, Ford said.

Many of the students said they enjoy going on the CBI trips. "I like learning how to get out in the real world and work and build things," noted Shane Erickson, 21, of Bayville. "Maybe one day, I could work as a school custodian or a groundskeeper as I really enjoy being outside."

Diego Abbey, 21, of Bayville, said his favorite part of the program is delivering packages in the school district and stocking shelves.

"The program also helps students develop other skills like time management," said Rose Matsil, 20, of Toms River, who is responsible for the program schedule.