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Wednesday, October 21, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Life Skills, Transitions programs get students into community
By Erin Borla
Correspondent
Every afternoon 21 stu-
dents in the Sisters High
School (SHS) Life Skills pro-
gram head out into the com-
munity for some hard work.
The program serves stu-
dents from special education
along with student mentors
from the general education
track. Students vary in age
from fifth grade to those that
have graduated but are not yet
21.
“If someone were to
look into the classroom they
wouldn’t be able to easily
identify the mentors from the
special education students,”
says advisor Josh Nordell.
“Our students get to practice
life skills, recreation skills,
and even a special set of job
skills that fit each of their
needs. They really thrive in
this environment.”
Nordell is thrilled with the
community support the Life
Skills program has received.
Each day of the week students
do something unique with a
different partner business in
town. Activities include prac-
ticing adaptive taekwondo
at Outlaw Martial Arts, tak-
ing cooking classes in the
basement of The Belfry, job
skills training at Sisters High
School, working at the com-
munity garden, and even
working on their hand-eye
coordination through practic-
ing golf out at Black Butte
Ranch.
Harmony Farm Sanctuary,
located off Cascade Avenue,
helps to provide rehabilitation
for local farm animals as well
as a place for humans and
animals to reconnect. Every
Thursday, the Life Skills class
brings several students out to
help with chores and learn
about animal husbandry.
“I think the most impor-
tant thing we do here is pet
the animals,” Nordell says
with a smile.
“The students are always
so eager to help and learn,”
says Lene, a volunteer at the
Sanctuary. “I hope they come
away from this experience
knowing a little more about
how to care for animals —
even if it’s just how to treat
them with kindness.”
“The animals are my
favorite part of this class,”
says Brian, a junior in the Life
Skills program. “I want to be
a farmer when I am done with
school. I love the rabbits and
the pigs.”
In addition to their work
at Harmony Farm, students
learn to plant and care for
vegetables and flowers at the
Sisters Community Garden
with the help of volunteer
Marvin Benson.
“Every week they are
excited to be here,” says
Benson.
They work hard in a vari-
ety of jobs around the gar-
den including planting seeds,
moving bark mulch, and
watering. Benson developed
a series of raised vegetable
beds near the front of the
garden that are easily acces-
sible for people with differ-
ent needs. The space around
the new beds is wide enough
for students in wheelchairs or
walkers.
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Marvin Benson, Soren Smith, and a volunteer working at the Community
Garden planting carrot seeds.
The students love Nordell
and the program. Each of
them beam with excitement
when asked about their favor-
ite part of the class. Looking
to the future, every student
has a chance to experience
something that has inspired
them.
“I want to work with heavy
machinery when I graduate,”
says Andrew. “Driving dump
trucks and other trucks —
that’d be cool.”
In addition to the coffee
shop in Sisters High School,
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Camp Sherman
to “be comfortable with dif-
ference” to raise money
and awareness for their pro-
gram. Nordell also set up a
GoFundMe.com page last
year to help provide supplies
for the Transitions Program.
“The GoFundMe.com
page raised all the funds
needed to start the program
and the partnerships with
local volunteers and busi-
nesses have helped to develop
and continue the program this
year,” says Nordell. “The
relationships within the com-
munity are what I am most
proud of.”
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AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS
of those students enrolled in
special education at Sisters
High School transition into
adulthood, the Life Skills pro-
gram has expanded this year.
This fall is the first year of
the new Transitions Program
that is held off-site at The
Belfry every morning of the
week for 2-3 hours. Eight stu-
dents, age 18-21, are enrolled
through SHS. The program
focuses on working in hands-
on, experience-based activi-
ties. The class recently started
a coffee shop at Sisters High
School to give students job
training.
“The idea is getting stu-
dents experience in a school-
based business, then having
them move on to a job-skills
internship at a local business;
and finally into the work-
force,” says Nordell. “This
program definitely benefits
these kids. They are spend-
ing time learning skills they
wouldn’t learn in the class-
room — how to be successful
living and working on their
own.”
The Oregon Department of
Education chose Sisters High
School as a flagship program
for the Transitions Program
last spring. There are several
programs already in larger
districts. Sisters is one of the
first in a small, rural setting.
“Smaller districts have
greater trouble building
programs like these. The
Department of Education is
thrilled with the success and
participation in the Sisters
program,” says Nordell.