Brewing bright futures - job skills for students with disabilities

Published on May 22, 2024

On a sunny April morning, Ricky Aleman greeted customers at the Student Perks Coffee Shop in Port St. Lucie City Hall as they looked over the selection of pastries and fresh fruit.

“Would you like coffee?” he asked politely, handing over a cup while offering a quick smile. To the customers, it may have just been a hot cup of coffee. But for Ricky, it’s a valuable learning experience.

A student at Port St. Lucie High School, Ricky is part of the St. Lucie Public Schools Transition Program that is available through its Exceptional Student Education department. The program provides job training skills that can help students like Ricky who have learning disabilities to transition into the workforce.

“I love meeting people, asking how their day is going,” he said. “I love being here.”

The Student Perks Coffee Shop comes to City Hall on Thursdays most weeks of the school year. Tables are set up in the lobby to entice employees and visitors with steaming hot coffee, muffins and fruit. More importantly, it gives students an opportunity to put their learning to the test said Lewis Hinton, Program Specialist for Transition at St. Lucie Public Schools.

“It’s more than just a coffee cart,” he said. “It is also a program that teaches students, that’s able to show their capabilities and what they’re able to do. It immerses them into a public business setting and allows them to learn and develop skills outside of a traditional classroom.”

The program is available at all five of St. Lucie County’s traditional high schools: Port St. Lucie, St. Lucie West Centennial and Treasure Coast in Port St. Lucie, as well as Fort Pierce Central and Fort Pierce Westwood Academy.

Participants in the program may have conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome or intellectual issues that make traditional classroom learning a challenge. Through this program, students learn communication, socialization and work-ethic skills, but also receive tools such as how to interview or fill out an application that can help them get hired.

Students in the program have a strong support system, which includes job coaches Blondeen Newman and Chanel Monds, and school staff that accompany students to their work locations.

“It transitions them into a work setting and it gives them actual, real-life experience of what it’s like to work and to be employed,” Hinton said. “They’re able to learn authentic, hands-on lessons in the public setting.”

For some students, once they graduate from the program they’re able to take the experience they gained and start working. However, for most students the next step is to participate in the school district’s Project Search program. Students between 18 and 22 years old who have met all their graduation requirements can defer their diploma for a year and continue to acquire skills in the work setting.

Through the years, students who’ve participated in the school district’s transition programs have worked at places such as Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, AMC Movie Theatres, FedEx, Burlington Stores and more.

“It’s overwhelmingly positive for them,” Hinton said. “When you speak with them, they’ll share how it’s built confidence and as teachers, we can see their growth from when we started in October to the end of the school year. It’s amazing to see that growth.”

For Ricky, the program is already paying benefits – he has a job at the Burlington store in Jensen Beach.

“They helped me a lot, they’ve shown me a lot of support,” he said of the transition program. “It helped me to get a job in real life.”

The City of Port St. Lucie is one of three organizations in the county that Student Perks serves. Students from Port St. Lucie High School and St. Lucie West Centennial High School alternate visiting City Hall; Treasure Coast High School services the school district headquarters; and Fort Pierce Central and Fort Pierce Westwood go to the St. Lucie County Administrative Annex Building.

“The City of Port St. Lucie is proud to be part of this program,” said Keshia Bryant, Assistant Recruitment Manager for Port St. Lucie who has served as the liaison between the City and school district. “It is a wonderful learning opportunity for these students and our employees love having them here. Student Perks has been a win-win for everyone.”

Hinton said the program is actively accepting organizations that would like to have Student Perks visit them. There also are other opportunities such as apprenticeships or work programs that can benefit students and employers.

“The reaction from organizations has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “Once they hear the reasoning behind the program and what it affords students to be able to do, they love it.”