At its humble headquarters in downtown Redmond, the Lake Washington School District’s (LWSD) Transition Academy offers a unique group of young men and women, ages 18-21, resources and encouragement to gain employment, independence and inclusion in the community. The majority have developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome or autism, and mental retardation is a common denominator, according to co-directors Richard Haines and Mark Tornquist.
In most school districts, disabled students, up to age 21, practice life and job skills in high school settings. That’s a safe environment, but not necessarily the most practical in terms of real-world living.
The LWSD’s community-based model is different — and it works, as evidenced by the number of Transition Academy students and grads who are active participants at local businesses and non-profits.
“Our students are walking advertisements for what we do,” said Haines.
He and Tornquist, and partners such as Michael Goodwill, a transition specialist from Seattle-based employment agency Provail, go out across Redmond and the Eastside and forge relationships with organizations which champion diversity and need loyal, committed, hard-working interns and employees.
In spite of their intellectual challenges, these young adults are “enthusiastic, dependable, great at public relations, can sustain jobs for 10-15 years — there’s not a lot of turnover,” said Tornquist.
But before they prove themselves in the workforce, “we immerse them, from day one, in safety, using public transit and applying functional knowledge,” Tornquist noted.
Haines agreed, “Rather than reading, writing and arithmetic, the emphasis here is pedestrian and Metro safety, work skills, shopping at grocery stores, recreating in the community.”
Only part of each school day is spent in the Transition Academy’s classroom on Cleveland Street. More often than not, the students have “people to see and things to do,” whether it’s a trip to a fitness club, a bowling alley, the library or a job.
“The goal is to manufacture for them and their family the kind of life they want to have when they leave school,” Haines explained. “Historically, people with disabilities have been excluded because they couldn’t ride the bus, couldn’t count money. It’s not enough to look at flash cards. It’s learning by doing.”
Tornquist compared the process to “the moment you have when your toddler takes first steps. We take first steps and change minds. Not just the students’ minds but change the minds of the parents.”
It’s frightening for many parents when a developmentally disabled son or daughter reaches the age when they’re traditionally expected to spread their wings and fly. Parents worry what will happen to this vulnerable adult who is still — and always will be — their beloved child. Who will protect and provide for them in the future?
To help these young people achieve independence, “we believe in pushing a reasonable risk on the shoulders of the students,” Haines acknowledged. Staff members are there to model life skills. But eventually, students at the Transition Academy must learn to handle problems or surprises on their own. After all, that is what real life entails.
“One of my favorite sayings is ‘You make plans and then life happens,'” said Tornquist. “We are flexible here, coming out of a very structured environment, the high school campus.”
Throughout the 2009-10 academic year, the Redmond Reporter will visit with students from the LWSD Transition Academy, observe their progress and give readers a glimpse into their world. Please follow along and let us know what you think.
