AUBURN - Eight young men and women looked to the future Friday afternoon, as the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES celebrated the 2006 Special Education Community Experience Classroom graduates from Cayuga Community College.
Families, administrators and representatives from the graduates' local school districts fanned into an airy, wide-windowed room at the Highland Golf and Country Club, which hosted the event. Light from a white sky back-lit the interior, making for good pictures.
Jane Parker, a special education instructor at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, charged the class to remain lifelong students.
“Don't be afraid to keep learning,” she said.
The Community Experience Classroom provides an edu-
cational program for students
18-21 with disabilities, enrolling young men and women referred by their home school districts.
The two-year program - set in the college - develops individual plans for its students with an eye toward preparing them for independent living in the community. Some general goals for students include mastering budgeting and shopping strategies, gaining functional reading skills and strengthening self-advocacy and social skills.
The faculty also teaches pupils to incorporate life-long leisure skills - like using exercise equipment, libraries, and computers - into their learning.
At the program's heart is the notion that a disability does not translate into incapability. Rather, the program intends to introduce college-age students with disabilities to the world of work and to the world at large.
Students train at local businesses for a couple of hours a week at two different sites within a school year, with the goal of moving on to jobs after they graduate. This year's graduates found training in area schools, food establishments and other businesses.
Laura Podolak of Skaneateles trained at Auburn Leathercrafters and after the summer, will start full-time work at Unity House, a local nonprofit agency.
She is also on a waiting-list for her own apartment. Though she's one of the program's true success stories, Podolak was initially hesitant to enroll in the program.
“I was scared - I didn't know what it would be like,” said Laura, flanked by her parents and her aunt.
Somehow, her parents talked her into just trying it out.
“It took time,” she said.
But things began to click. One day, said her mother, Sara, Laura needed an appointment scheduled. Sara recounted a day that found her particularly swamped; she mentioned to her daughter that she wasn't sure she'd have enough time to call and schedule it.
“Don't worry, Mom. I already called and made it,” her daughter responded.
“She took the initiative,” Sara said.
A big deal, considering Laura's timid nature prior to enrolling in the Experience Classroom.
“It's a wonderful program. We're so lucky to have it,” said Laura's father, Ron.
Lucky, indeed. Not only does the program promote independence for students with disabilities, but its college setting makes enrollees visible to non-disabled college students. Students in the Experience Classroom socialize, shoot hoops and have opportunities to hang out with their peers who attend regular college classes.
The program celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005.
Al Sabin, the director of special education at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, said he knew of no other program in a school setting that prepared young people with disabilities for life in the real world.
Sabin, who will retire from his post June 23, added that many influential people in the community began their education at Cayuga Community College, “but in many cases they haven't had the opportunity to spend time around disabled students to see what they can do.
“This program creates opportunities for kids as well as visibility for folks within the college community, which is so important because if you've never spent time with a person with a disability, how can you make decisions for them?” he said.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net
Jane Parker, a special education instructor at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, charged the class to remain lifelong students.
“Don't be afraid to keep learning,” she said.
The Community Experience Classroom provides an edu-
cational program for students
18-21 with disabilities, enrolling young men and women referred by their home school districts.
The two-year program - set in the college - develops individual plans for its students with an eye toward preparing them for independent living in the community. Some general goals for students include mastering budgeting and shopping strategies, gaining functional reading skills and strengthening self-advocacy and social skills.
The faculty also teaches pupils to incorporate life-long leisure skills - like using exercise equipment, libraries, and computers - into their learning.
At the program's heart is the notion that a disability does not translate into incapability. Rather, the program intends to introduce college-age students with disabilities to the world of work and to the world at large.
Students train at local businesses for a couple of hours a week at two different sites within a school year, with the goal of moving on to jobs after they graduate. This year's graduates found training in area schools, food establishments and other businesses.
Laura Podolak of Skaneateles trained at Auburn Leathercrafters and after the summer, will start full-time work at Unity House, a local nonprofit agency.
She is also on a waiting-list for her own apartment. Though she's one of the program's true success stories, Podolak was initially hesitant to enroll in the program.
“I was scared - I didn't know what it would be like,” said Laura, flanked by her parents and her aunt.
Somehow, her parents talked her into just trying it out.
“It took time,” she said.
But things began to click. One day, said her mother, Sara, Laura needed an appointment scheduled. Sara recounted a day that found her particularly swamped; she mentioned to her daughter that she wasn't sure she'd have enough time to call and schedule it.
“Don't worry, Mom. I already called and made it,” her daughter responded.
“She took the initiative,” Sara said.
A big deal, considering Laura's timid nature prior to enrolling in the Experience Classroom.
“It's a wonderful program. We're so lucky to have it,” said Laura's father, Ron.
Lucky, indeed. Not only does the program promote independence for students with disabilities, but its college setting makes enrollees visible to non-disabled college students. Students in the Experience Classroom socialize, shoot hoops and have opportunities to hang out with their peers who attend regular college classes.
The program celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005.
Al Sabin, the director of special education at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES, said he knew of no other program in a school setting that prepared young people with disabilities for life in the real world.
Sabin, who will retire from his post June 23, added that many influential people in the community began their education at Cayuga Community College, “but in many cases they haven't had the opportunity to spend time around disabled students to see what they can do.
“This program creates opportunities for kids as well as visibility for folks within the college community, which is so important because if you've never spent time with a person with a disability, how can you make decisions for them?” he said.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net