Earlier this year Anthony Hamm, Transition Specialist at The Pathways School-Edgewood contacted a DC-area nonprofit, Building Hope Inc. in search of job experience opportunities for Pathways students. Building Hope Inc. works with displaced single-parent families, providing long-term housing, employment and support service. Upon hearing of Pathways' mission, the people at Building Hope Inc. recognized a compatible organization, and a positive connection began. Currently, three or four Pathways students work

Pathways-Edgewood volunteer  at Building Hope Inc.

two times each week helping to maintain apartments used by Building Hope to provide housing. In addition to upkeep and yard work at the apartments, the students also assist with collecting donated furniture and other goods and delivering the items to Building Hope Inc. families. As the year progresses and Pathways Work Crew expands, the work and number of students involved will increase. Building Hope has several seasonal projects that will need staff. With each work session, Pathways students gain job and social skills that significantly improve their chance for success. Recent studies have shown that these skills actually promote cognitive and academic progress as well as independence and work readiness.

The relationship with Building Hope Inc. has many benefits for Pathways families beyond work experience for the students. For example, Building Hope Inc. runs a school supply backpack drive every summer, originally to assist the children of the displaced families in their program. This year, the drive was so successful that they were able to distribute supplies to others, including to Pathways students in need of them.  In part because they are impressed by the energy and attitude of the Pathways students and staff they have met, Building Hope Inc. has chosen to adopt Pathways, which makes our school and targeted Pathways families eligible to benefit from a range of projects and programs, including study incentives, a holiday "make a wish" gift program, and empowerment classes.

Beautification project in Hyattsville

On a sunny fall day, students from Pathways were busy in a small garden area on the corner of Hamilton and Queens Chapel Rd. in Hyattsville. They picked up and bagged debris and mulched newly planted shrubs. The work was part of a year-long effort to connect students and our school with the community, in this case, the City of Hyattsville. Mr. Okine, Assistant Principal of Pathways-Northwood at Hyattsville, had noticed a group of young people doing similar work near the school's former location, and inquired whether Pathways might get our students involved. His question was met with enthusiasm from the City, and the work day was set up. The students enjoyed their morning beautifying the corner and told their teachers, "It was a lot of work but it was fun". Several more volunteer opportunities are being arranged. These connections are win-wins for everyone. Our students get work experience and a sense of contributing to the community, and the City builds a closer relationship with the young people who go to school within its borders and a clean and lovely corner.

          Concurrent outreach is underway with the Hyattsville Police Department.   Officers are scheduled to take Pathways students on a bike ride and to participate in a car wash. Other ideas include a trip to the movies and an afternoon at the gym.

The Work Crew that goes two times each week to Building Hope Inc. is part of Pathways model transition program which assists our students to make the move from school to independence in the community. In addition to providing job training and work readiness skills, our program offers comprehensive classes and activities that build life skills and what once was known as "character education". Recent research in the field is backing up what Pathways' programs have shown to be true: skills and traits such as leadership, respect for self and others, confidence and social interaction can be learned. Furthermore, these skills not only improve a student's chances of employment, they support success in life by improving concentration, reasoning and decision making.

This broad and innovative approach to transition requires a network of community resources, including agencies, businesses and education facilities. Pathways Transition Coordinator, Trudy Portewig, has been part of the Transition Work Group in Montgomery County. The group's purpose is to help its members coordinate their efforts so that young people with disabilities are able to be fully integrated into the community, and not just receive services in isolated settings. The Transition Work Group reaches out to companies, social and recreational organizations, community groups and individuals to raise awareness and acceptance of youth with disabilities while helping those youth to connect with the wide range of resources available to them. 

This October the Transition Work Group  held its fourth Transitioning Youth Resource Fair at Montgomery College. Here young people, their families and professionals attended workshops and met representatives and exhibitors about everything from career choice to financial planning and housing. Hundreds came to the Fair; more than 55 organizations had booths and exhibits.