A easy artwork mission was sufficient to deliver some pleasure to particular training college students in Oak Garden, as they have been in a position to paint alongside their buddies from Saint Xavier College.
The individuals have been portray a straw horn with sunflowers and pumpkins as a part of a month-to-month session that brings collectively members of the Grownup Transition Program at Oak Garden Faculty District 218 and Saint Xavier college students, giving each teams an opportunity to work together with their counterparts who’re comparable in age.
There wasn’t a bored face within the crowd on the latest portray session.
“I like attending to work together with college students I’ve by no means met earlier than,” mentioned Andrew Sobczak, of Merrionette Park, one of many ATP college students. “Plus my mother wished me to do one thing.”
Sobczak, 20, an aficionado of jazz music, was glad he went.
“I’m getting enthusiastic about future occasions,” he mentioned.
The golf equipment began just a few months in the past and have included such actions as far as bingo, karaoke, charades and a pizza occasion.
“Every time, college students get to indicate their completely different skills,” mentioned Tess Barry, a SXU senior. “All of the ATP college students all the time have a smiling face once they come right here. They actually appear to get pleasure from all the things they do right here. You possibly can inform they’re excited to come back, and we’re excited, too!”
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Alison Wilde, an administrator within the District 218 ATP program, had been educating particular training at Richards Excessive Faculty in Oak Garden for 5 years when she switched her focus to adults. She shortly seen college students weren’t getting the identical peer interplay they’d of their highschool courses earlier than coming into ATP.
“We actually wished to present our college students a chance to socialize with friends of their very own age, in order that’s how we got here up with this partnership with Saint Xavier College,” she mentioned.
The college in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood was a straightforward selection as a result of Julie Staresinich, a speech and language therapist who works with the ATP college students and helps out with the membership, additionally teaches within the Communication Sciences and Problems Program on the college. District 218 additionally companions with Trinity Christian Faculty for a Finest Buddies Program, the place these school college students construct relationships with ATP college students.
Jen Glaz, who teaches artwork at Shepard Excessive Faculty in Palos Heights, was readily available on the latest meetup to facilitate the portray mission. She had already labored with many within the group.
“The very first thing I actually love is seeing a few of my former college students,” Glaz mentioned. “It’s great to see how they’ve grown since leaving Shepard.”
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The membership additionally helps Saint Xavier college students get extra expertise towards potential careers in speech remedy.
“It’s been actually enjoyable interacting with the scholars and attending to know them,” mentioned Corinna Olsen, a SXU senior learning within the Communication Sciences and Problems program.
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Fellow scholar Ellie Engel, additionally a senior in this system, agreed.
“I like getting the expertise and interacting with the scholars,” she mentioned, including the periods have been additionally simply plain enjoyable.
That’s what ATP scholar Amari Barnes, 19, who lives in Alsip, loves about this system, too.
“I like portray and assembly the scholars,” mentioned Barnes, smiling as he labored on his mission.
The ATP Program is for college kids with mental and bodily disabilities, and focuses on life, social and vocational expertise.
“I actually like working with this age group since you’re in a position to construct connections with these college students,” famous Wilde, the administrator. “You’re in a position to see that what we’re exposing our college students to has a lifelong influence.”
Janice Neumann is a contract reporter for the Day by day Southtown.
