Student Transition and Resource Team & Citrus Interagency Council

I am never disappointed at being impressed by something I learn or someone I met during the Student Transition and Resource Team & Citrus Interagency Council meetings. Today was no exception.

START Facilitator and ESE alternative testing specialist Karl Amundson enthusiastically opened the meeting and introduced the opening speaker Federico Valadez, the West Central Florida Representative of Project 10: Transition Education Network. Mr. Valadezin in Citrus County is also thought of as the ‘God-Father’ of the Circles of Success program. This is a program our schools and ESE departments use for teaching students to be self-advocates.

Today in addition to the other presentations was a panel of former and current Transition Academy students. Today’s student’s resumes work and/or studies include: WTC Culinary Arts Program, Publix Supermarket, Citrus Memorial Hospital, WTC Automotive Technologies, Citrus Chronicle, and McDonalds.

I am always captivated at both the honesty and determination of these extraordinary individuals who have overcome much. While each of these young people were so very memorable, two of them I would like to share alittle more about. The first is Maggie who works for Publix Supermarket. Maggie is a most determined person who cares greatly for the work she does. I first had the pleasure of seeing Maggie at work about a year ago at Publix and she was as impressive then as she is today. She takes great pride in her job and employers. She also cares greatly about her fellow employees and others with learning challenges and shared her strategies she learned with us. Another young person we met today was Jeremy who is working at the Chronicle Newspaper gaining experience he hopes to one day use to become a Sports Journalist. His equally impressive Job Coach, Angela Vincent shared a limited edition newspaper that Jeremy created for his presentation today to demonstrate the skills and work Jeremey is learning on the job. Jeremey is an impressively articulate young man who has already interviewed former NFL Tampa Bay football players. A special thanks to the Chronicle for sponsoring the printing of Jeremey’s Journal. A few minutes of listening to these young people talk about the challenges they overcome each day is inspiring.

One of the questions asked to each of these young panelists was, “who are your ‘go to’ people”? These are the people they feel the most comfortable and safe going to for help and knowing that these people only are interested in their success. They ranged from counselors, job coaches, parents, siblings, bosses, co-workers and others. The question stuck with me long after I had left the meeting and had me thinking, “who are my ‘go to’ people”? For me, my wife, my mother, Capt. Tangeman & Capt. Holme, Arnie, Scott are part of my list. What was clear was how essential having “go to people” is to our success in life. Who are your “go to people”?

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