WPSBC Annual Report 2024-2025 - Flipbook - Page 17
One of the facets of the vocational program at
WPSBC is to provide Secondary Program students with
hands-on training that will translate into meaningful
employment opportunities once they graduate, and
partnerships with small businesses who employ adults
with disabilities is a key to success. Out of the thirty-one
students who are receiving vocational instruction during
the 2025 school year, many have opportunities to work
on-campus in the student-run school store, Paw Prints.
If the educational team recommends a student for
additional opportunities, the team works on placement.
“Each year, we have 2-3 students who are matched with
a participating partnership based on student skill sets,
their plans for post-secondary transition, availability
of nursing and transportation—a lot of logistics and
planning go into organizing these opportunities,
including the availability of tasks at each partner
organization,” Valerie explains.
Without partnerships like those with Cookie Cookie
Ice Cream, Spectrum Fudge, and Always B Smiling,
the educational team wouldn’t be able to assess how
the skills our students are learning in the classroom
translate to potential employment opportunities and life
WPSBC students Gianna (Gigi) and Sophie head to
Always B Smiling most Wednesdays during the fall and
spring, where they are involved with the Baking for a
Cause program. This program at Always B Smiling
combines the joy of baking with giving back to the
community. Volunteers in the program help with the
baking, packaging, and distribution of baked goods to
various food banks and shelters in the Greater
Pittsburgh area. Each week, they gather with other
peers and a lively group of Always B Smiling volunteers
to bake treats — both “people treats” and dog treats!—
and work on packing these tasty goodies together.
While Gigi and Sophie baked cinnamon bread together
one morning (in matching space-bun hairstyles),
Kristen explained how much joy seeing her students
bringing their skills to the community brings her: “After
our students graduate, they move on to the next phase
of their lives; it’s incredibly special to witness what
their experiences might look like within a different peer
group or adult support group.”
These special partnerships with organizations across
the Pittsburgh region truly help WPSBC achieve
our mission of nurturing the unique abilities of our
students, not just in the classroom, but in the
community for a lifetime.
2024-2025 Annual Report
Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
“Kristen and our vocational assistants, Alissya and
Amy, travel with our students to these off-campus
volunteer opportunities and support the students to
transfer those skills from what was learned on campus
to that particular setting, and if they’re able to build a
bit of independence, then Kristen and the vocational
assistants will fade support to encourage and increase
independence in a new setting. They’re really there to
provide additional vocational instruction in that new
environment.”
after graduation. Volunteering provides more than just
experiences outside of the school community, though.
“The students gain a sense of inclusion beyond their
peer and staff group that they work with during the
typical school week,” explains Kristen.
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