New Program Helps Young Adults Build Life Skills In Sartell

SARTELL (WJON News) -- A new program at the Sartell-St. Stephen School District aims to help young adults with intellectual and functional needs gain additional skills. The ELEVATE program's goal is to get 18 - 22-year-olds with learning needs more education and skills in employment, daily living, engaging in the community, and hobbies.

ELEVATE is based out of the Oak Ridge Early Learning Center, and Principal Julia Bjerke says some of the students just need a little extra help to build their confidence:

"Very often these learners just need more guidance in exploring things like hobbies for enjoyment, so that might be this year going to the community center, exploring the walking track, renting out the basketball courts. It might be going to the mall, and walking and exploring the food court, doing daily shopping, and feeling confident and comfortable in those interactions within the community."

Bjerke says it is the first year of the program, so their main goal is to establish some partnerships and work out some of the logistics to make community engagement a more regular activity. The program is looking to grow the students' skills in a lot of functions and activities we all take for granted.

Work-Based Learning Teacher Erin Kruger says getting them accustomed to everyday things we take for granted, like working with money, is important:

"We have been going out into the community at like Coborn's and Wal-Mart and making some grocery purchases, and that has been using a card (Credit Card) and so they are kind of learning the process of checking out when you make your purchases and using the card to swipe at the register and I think we'll probably continue to grow those skills."

Kruger says gaining all of these types of skills is important for helping the students to be as independent as possible. She says the program is still learning as they go as well, but she is thankful for all the community support they have received already.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT