Life skills and work skills grow in new center

For students in the life skills class at Hempfield Area School District, education doesn’t just include reading and writing. It also means practicing the basics of independent living and basic job skills that can facilitate employment after graduation. The district recently outfitted a space with a kitchen, grocery store and office setup where students can do just that. It also includes a bedroom and living room, a locker room where students can “punch in” for the day and a career center where they can work on writing resumes and thank-you letters.

In an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Dayna Sikora, supervisor of special education, said the new area was “created out of a need to meet students’ transition goals as they move forward into becoming citizens of our communities.”

So far, student interest in the center has been growing, and plans have been made for enhancements in the future. The project was headed by special education teachers Sara Huth, Amanda Montell and Amanda Murray and funded in part by donations from other staff members.