Students transition to Next Step
JACKSON TWP — Many young adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities finish high school and don't know what to do next.
This was the situation Lynn Pukylo faced with her daughter, who has a disability on the autism spectrum.
“When she finished high school, there was nowhere for her to go,” Pukylo said.
After speaking about their situation at a school board meeting, Pukylo was approached by Lifesteps CEO Karen Owens who saw the need for a transitions program.
Helping individuals figure out their next step in life is what motivated the agency to start the Lifesteps Transitions Program … The Next Step.
The program in Jackson Township was started nearly a year ago and now has 18 students, said Pukylo, the program's director.
The program's goal is to help young adults, between the ages of 18 and 28, figure out what their next step in life should be, often in regard to their living situation and employment.
Lifesteps operates five total adult training facilities, though the Transitions program is the first that is designed exclusively for young adults. Its students have disabilities including autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.
The staff meets with new students and their families to create an individual education plan that sets long-term and annual goals. Some students function at higher levels than others, so each will have different goals and benchmarks.
“Our motto is: 'Helping them reach their personal potential,'” Pukylo said.
The center, in a former preschool building at 339 Lindsay Road, is the first of its kind in Allegheny, Butler and Beaver counties. It operates five days a week, 51 weeks a year. Students can enroll any time, and some take breaks that correspond with the calendar of their home school district.Students can pay to enroll in the program, though those who are under 21 can be paid for by their school district. Others pay via the state Department of Public Welfare.The school has a director, two teachers and a teacher's assistant. It has a unique curriculum, and it uses some videos and other elements of a James Stanfield Co. special education curriculum it bought.The curriculum is designed to be completed in one year, though students can go through it multiple times, which can help them to fully understand the concepts, teacher Tracy Hreha said.The school tries to split the students into groups of no more than six. This allows each student to get more individual attention.“It's very animated in the classroom; I keep them very involved. They're actually learning something while they're having fun, and they're learning things they want to learn,” Hreha said.Julia Kaluzny, 22, was recently named the center's Most Valuable Learner, an award given to students who are enthusiastic in their learning and who also support and help others to learn.“I love it here; it's like a home,” Kaluzny said. “I have a lot of friends here.”Kaluzny, a graduate of the Seneca Valley School District, was the center's first student and is now enrolled full time while also working at Community College of Allegheny County in a food service job.She said her goal is to become a public speaker, and she has already spoken once to a class at Slippery Rock University.The curriculum is split up by days to meet the different goals of the students. Some will only attend two or three days per week.On Mondays and Wednesdays, students do volunteer service, work on career portfolios and do mock interviews to prepare them for a potential job placement.On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they work on independent life skills.The facility includes two traditional classrooms, but also has a kitchenette and a mock apartment that are used to teach living skills.The students go grocery shopping, cook meals, do laundry and other chores and learn how to budget and spend money.They also learn about health care management, how to make appointments and talk with doctors.Fridays are devoted to social skills, recreation and technology skills. The students learn about using social media, making plans with friends and dating.The center has partnered with SRU's transitions program and frequently buses students to the university to volunteer around campus under the supervision of students studying special education.The center has also done volunteer partnerships with the Butler Humane Society and with other Lifesteps facilities.In the future, center officials hope to establish partnerships with businesses for volunteer work experience and possibly job placements, Pukylo said.“There is a shortage of employees out there, but we first need to break the stigma so we can set them up for success,” Pukylo said.
