The Community Transition Program (CTP) works with students with various disabilities who are 18-21 years old and are transitioning out of high school and into the next chapters of their lives. We have great students who have incredible abilities and require accommodations and modifications to complete many daily living tasks such as shopping, planning meals, cooking and eating. We work to develop independence and help students know they can contribute to their communities. Students in our program have a variety of disabilities such as Autism, Intellectual and Learning Disabilities, Communication and Other Health Impairments.

Our program recently acquired two vending machines that we plan to use to fundraise for our program needs, specifically our Friday outings. However, they are in need of new bill acceptor parts in order to work more efficiently. These pieces are very important for us to get them up and running, and start earning money for the program. Students are in charge of the whole process -- researching appropriate foods and drinks to fill the machine, maintaining and refilling the machines, as well as counting the money that we collect.

A majority of our students receive Social Security and Medicaid and qualify for free and reduced lunch while at school. Our program has been growing every year and we are now serving over 130 students. In order to pay for other things needed to run a successful program beyond our district budget, we create projects to help our students develop work skills as well as pay for weekly field trips. These field trips teach our students valuable social and leisure skills in the community.

This project will not only teach our students valuable work skills, but also assist them in becoming contributing members of their communities. By gaining valuable work experience and social skills, our students have a better chance of obtaining their post-secondary goals around employment, daily living, education/training and recreation and leisure. The more opportunity our students have to work on these skills, then transfer these skills to community opportunities, the better chance they have to succeed and meet the goals they have set for themselves.