Eighteen seniors from Tyler High School and Tyler Legacy High School signed letters of intent to participate in Tyler ISD Transition Programs during a Signing Day Friday, April 11. Tyler ISD offers three exceptional transition service-based programs for students: Project SEARCH, LINK, and CONNECT. Each program uniquely incorporates collaborating with a variety of community businesses to teach real-world skills in a supportive environment.
Transition services provide young adults, 18 to 22 years old, with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful transition into community and adult living. Students meet throughout the week at various community sites to work on skills in adult living, employment, post-secondary education options, and community access.
Project SEARCH is a collaboration between Tyler ISD, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Andrews Center, and Winning Edge Employment Services. Project SEARCH is an internationally known business-led model initially established at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital. It is designed to fully immerse students with developmental disabilities in the workplace, allowing them to gain marketable skills to secure competitive employment in their last year of transition from school to work.
LINK (Learning Independence and New Knowledge) is housed at Tyler Junior College - West Campus and offers students supported work training through rotations in various internships within the workplace and volunteer settings in the community.
CONNECT (Creating Opportunities Now Needed to Establish Connections Tomorrow) is housed at the Wayne D. Boshears Center for Exceptional Programs focuses on gaining skills needed for independent living, day habilitation programs, and skills needed to attend a sheltered workshop.
Teachers, friends, counselors, and district and local representatives from the community partners gave each student a cheering welcome as they entered. Tyler ISD Student Support Coordinator of Transition & College and Career Readiness Abby Dominy shared a brief bio about each of the students and gave remarks of gratitude to families, previous and current teachers & staff, and the numerous community businesses that Tyler ISD partners with to create successful student outcomes for these students as they embark into adulthood. The event concluded with the students signing their letters of intent for the 25-26 year.
Tyler Legacy students include: Ashlyn Baldwin, Joshua Green, Maximus Pineda, Ka’Darian Session, Jayden White, Claudia Gomez, Karen Ramirez, and Aden Price.
Tyler High students include: Rebecca Arellano, Alise Chacon, Denise Chacon, Aleksander Parnass, Jabari Taylor, Jeremiah Wallace, Alfred White, Jasmine Barker, Antonio Soria, and Said Renteria.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.