Building a Bridge

OPTIONS and Fair Acres School to Work Building a Bridge from By Regina Mc Breen

Table of Contents • OPTIONS • Fair Acres • Meet the Students • Meet the Author Expanding Horizons Created March, 2001

OPTIONS Fair Acres OPTIONS is a service of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit that provides assessment, on-site training, and supported employment for students and adults in the County. We work with the fifteen school districts at twelve different work sites, where we provide non-paid, supervised experiences and training which complements the school program. Students are matched to experiences by interests, capabilities and availability. Fair Acres is a Geriatric Center located in Lima, PA. It offers long-term intermediate and skilled care for over 900 residents on a 210 acre campus. There are over two dozen departments, staffed by over 900 employees. They have teamed up with the DCIU OPTIONS Program to help teach students with special needs useful employability skills. Click on the arrow to meet some of the students who work here.

Meet the Students

Hi, I’m Peggy. I am a student from Chichester High School. I will be graduating in June and am hoping to get a full time job. I have been volunteering at Fair Acres since January but have had lots of different experiences in the OPTIONS Program. I have been working transporting residents back and forth from their therapies but now I am getting some experience working in the kitchen. I am really looking forward to graduation. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi, I’m Kelly. I attended Sun Valley High School but held my diploma after graduation. I now work as a volunteer in the OPTIONS Program. I work two days at Fair Acres and one day at OMR. At Fair Acres, I take the candy cart around to the residents. I really like the chance to communicate with the residents and my money skills are improving. At OMR, I an learning to do some office work. In the future I would like to work in some way with children. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi, I’m Kathy. I have finally officially graduated and have gotten a full time job. I really think the experiences I had at Fair Acres and in other OPTIONS placements helped prepare me for my job. I have done both paid and volunteer employment and having a coach really helped me. I even had Travel Training to help me use public transportation so I could get to work myself. I do miss the friends I made at Fair Acres and on my day off I even go back to visit. Everyone is so friendly and caring. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi I’m Latasha. I am a Swarthmore Wallingford student who will be graduating from Ridley High School this year. I deferred my diploma until I was 21, so I could get extra training. I am hoping to go to the Hiram G. Andrews Training Center in Pittsburg this summer so I can try out a few different career choices. I think I would like to do something with computers like my mother does. She works in data entry. I also like working in the kitchen at Fair Acres. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi, I’m Emily. I will be graduating from Pennwood High School in June. I have worked in the OPTIONS Program at Taylor Hospital, Boeing, and Fair Acres. At each place I learned different jobs and will have lots of things to put on my resume. I now want to get a full time job after graduation. When I complete my enrollment, OVR will be able to provide a job coach for me in case I need help finding and doing a paid job. I have made lots of good friends in OPTIONS. Click on the star to meet the others

I’m David. I am a senior at Sun Valley High School and will graduate in June. I am in the OPTIONS Program at Fair Acres where I transport residents on the elevators. I also assist people while they are receiving their therapies.I like helping and working with senior citizens. I would like to get a job, after graduation, in a hospital doing patient transport. The OPTIONS Program has given me some experience to add to my resume. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi, I’m Brandi. I am a Lower Merion student who attends Francis Harvey Green School.I am working in the kitchen at Fair Acres, where I have learned to make some different things. I now know how to make egg salad very well. Last year at Pennsylvania Resources Center, I learned how to care for plants and at Delaware County Memorial Hospital I learned a few other jobs. I like learning how to do things that will help me get a job someday. It is fun to work at Fair Acres with the other students. Click on the star to meet the others

Hi, I’m Shaun. I go to Sun Valley High School. I really like to spend time with my grandparents so I also like to work at Fair Acres with older people. I get to operate the elevator and take people back and forth from the barber and hairdresser. Now lots of people know my name and they like to talk to me. I hope to get a job like the one I am doing. I am also learning how to do sign language so I can talk to people who are deaf. Click on the star to meet the others

About the Author • Hello, my name is Regina Mc Breen • I am a Job Site Coordinator for the DCIU OPTIONS Program • I work at Fair Acres with two wonderful site trainers, Debi Vandergift and Kathy Holmberg • We love working with the great group of students you have just met Click on the picture to return to the Title Page

Building a Bridge