Editor’s note: In recognition of Career Technical Education Month, the Telegraph will present a series of stories on North Florida Technical College.
BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
North Florida Technical College is all about putting students on the road to a better life. Mostly, that’s in the form of providing a glimpse into possible careers or offering classes that allow students to become certified in particular skills and ready to be hired in high-demand jobs.
Then, there’s the Bradford Transition Academy, which helps its students with life in general. The academy is for those with special needs in the 18-22 age range.
Lisa Gault, who’s in her ninth year of teaching in the academy, said the goal is teach students such things as how to cook, how to dress for a job or simply how to interact socially with others.
“The purpose is to prepare them to be adults,” Gault said. “We give them life skills.”
Gault has four students in the academy this year, though she’s had as many as 12 before.
Some of what students learn is done in their classroom on campus. Maybe it’s learning how to fill out a resume and prepare for a job interview. Or it could be learning how to cook, do laundry or mop floors. In fact, students clean their entire classroom toward the end of their day.
Of course, each student is unique, so Gault learns what areas they need the most help in.
“I try to do whatever fits them,” she said. “It’s very individualized.”
The students operate a school store in their classroom that offers candy, snacks and drinks. That allows them to interact with others and handle transactions. Gault said the store does $200-$250 worth of business each day.
Plus, the students also accompany Gault on trips off campus to purchase items for the store.
“They go shopping with me,” Gault said. “They go to BJ’s. Then, they go to Walmart.”
On Mondays, you can find academy students at the Colonel Arley W. McRae Bradford Food Pantry, preparing items that’ll be handed out to customers on Fridays. On Tuesdays, students are at the Clothes Closet at Madison Street Baptist Church, where they separate hangers and sort and hang clothing. On Fridays, students visit Parkside Assisted Living Facility, where they play bingo with the residents.
It all amounts to learning a variety of skills and putting students in social settings.
“It’s just trying to make you a more well-rounded adult,” Gault said.
The academy enjoys a good relationship with Bradford High School’s special-needs students. Recently, the BHS students were invited to the academy classroom. To coincide with the fact the BHS students were learning about the Trail of Tears, the academy students prepared four Native American-themed art projects for the BHS students to participate in. They made dream catchers, pottery bowls, drums and pictures of wolves on wood.
“We had to shop and get it all organized,” Gault said.
The academy students will visit the BHS campus at a future date. Gault said academy student Summer Crews has prepared a project in which she will teach the BHS students how to draw Native American symbols. Crews will also tell a story, using rocks that she’s painted Native American symbols on.
Crews has proven to be quite creative. She designs T-shirts to coincide with different seasons and holidays (she has Valentine’s shirts on sale now) and would like to have an online presence in which to sell her shirts as well.
Bradford Transition Academy students simply need some assistance to complement the skills they already have. They are already capable of doing quite a lot, which has often surprised those who’ve witnessed the students in work situations. For example, Gault has heard people at the food pantry say they didn’t realize her students could do so much.
And the things her students don’t know how to do, they can learn if someone is willing to work with them.
“A lot of these young people can do a lot,” Gault said. “We just don’t give them the credit or time. Just take the time to show them (how to do something). They can do it.”
Gault said she’s thankful the academy is on the NFTC campus. Other instructors share their knowledge with her students. For example, if the academy needs wood to be cut for its art projects that it sells to the community, it can be helped by carpentry teacher David Harris, who’ll also take the time to show the students what he’s doing and the tools he uses.
“You have collaboration here,” Gault said. “The nursing teacher have brought their LPN students over here to learn how to do blood pressure. They use my kids as guinea pigs. It’s good for my kids to not be afraid of somebody doing that.
“That’s the great thing about here. People are always willing to help.”
