Every job starts with a first shift, even if that’s in a classroom.
This summer, The Transition Academy launched its summer program for students with disabilities. It was a four-week experience designed around one simple idea: the best way to learn how to work is to work. We partnered with the Kansas City, MO School District’s summer school program for East High School students (which was housed at Northeast Middle School for the summer.) TTA staff gave students hands-on, real-world experiences that built skills beyond the classroom and introduced them to career paths many had never considered.
Learning to Work in a Grocery Store
We adapted our programming to bring a “workplace” experience to the students, transforming the classroom into a mock grocery store. Shelves needed to be stocked. Products needed to be organized. Cashiers needed help from baggers. For many students, it was their first opportunity to experience what a real workday feels like.
Learning by doing allows students to practice real-world tasks in a supportive, low-pressure environment. This hands-on experience helps these young students gain confidence and independence while discovering their capabilities.
“We work hard to give them the best experience of working and shopping in a simulated, true-to-life grocery store,” said Dr. Louis Neal, a Transition Academy adjunct instructor.
Once students mastered the basics, the classroom evolves into a fully interactive store where they rotate through the roles of bagger, stocker, cashier and customer. Experiencing each position gives students a well-rounded understanding of real grocery store employee tasks.
Transition Academy staff played a vital role in creating a positive and encouraging learning environment. Their patience, support and confidence for every student helped make each new task an opportunity for success.
Care Connector at Transition Academy, Sherry Mirador, shared, “They absolutely enjoy themselves in this setting, and it was a great lesson for them to learn what it is like to work in a grocery store.”
By meeting students where they are and celebrating every accomplishment, the program shows how hands-on experiences can open the door to independence and future employment opportunities.
The Final Lesson Plan: Turning Passion into a Paycheck
As TTA wrapped up the summer program, we wanted to show students that they can turn an interest into a career. We invited Pawsperity, the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit grooming school in the country, to visit the classroom to introduce students to a career path many didn’t know existed. Pawsperity unleashes human potential through the art of pet grooming, offering its program completely free to some of society’s most vulnerable adults. Beyond grooming skills, students in the Pawsperity program also gain access to soft skills training and wrap-around support like housing, food assistance, and case management, all aimed at breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
For our students, the visit was a window into a booming industry, and a reminder that there are people and programs built specifically to help them succeed. Students also got the opportunity to get hands-on, learning how to make bandanas for the dogs Pawsperity grooms. They picked out fabrics, measured, and cut pieces sized for everything from a chihuahua to a Great Dane. It was a simple project with a real purpose that every bandana made will end up around the neck of a freshly groomed dog back in the community.
Students weren’t just completing a craft project, they were contributing something tangible to dogs and families they’ll likely never meet. Their joy and excitement when completing a bandana was clear.
A huge thank you to Pawsperity for taking the time to visit and contribute to our mission of helping students see the many paths available to them after graduation. It’s another example of how TTA widens the lens for students, showing them that meaningful work comes in more forms than they might expect, and that giving back can be part of the job.
Our goal for the summer program was offering a glimpse into the real world and what awaits young people after graduation. Experiences like these empower students to build independence and prepare for future opportunities, one hands-on lesson at a time.
