The Culpeper County Public Schools Start on Success (SOS) program held its second annual end of year celebration on Friday, May 12, 2023 to recognize the accomplishments of the students throughout the year and to thank the community who supported them.
Five students were recognized during the lunchtime celebration at CTEC including Adam Weakley, Gabi Membreno, James Stephens, Kain Hogsed, and Khloe Bowles. Other attendees included the students’ families and teachers, CCPS School Board Members, CCPS Division Superintendent Dr. Tony Brads, CCPS Executive Director of Special Education Adam Cahuantzi, members of the CCPS Special Education Department, representatives from the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and the Culpeper Parks and Recreation team who worked with the students at the Fieldhouse.
During the celebration, teacher Kim Bledsoe presented a slideshow with highlights of the students’ journey this year through the highly structured school-to-work program. She reflected on the students’ classroom experiences from the fall that prepared them to go into their work placements at the Culpeper Parks and Recreation Fieldhouse. She also highlighted their work this spring at the Fieldhouse where they staffed the front desk and worked in the maintenance department. In addition to those jobs, the students designed and implemented programs including a paper flower and drawing class for the Silver Club, an inclusive Valentine’s day event for adults in the community, and holiday craft programs for preschoolers.
The students will be graduating on Saturday, May 20, 2023, and this program has given them many skills and tools to take with them as they embark on their next steps. The students shared their thoughts about the program in the April episode Accent on Education, a Culpeper Media Network and CCPS program. See what they had to say here: https://youtu.be/ONkBwc_UNQQ
Start on Success teacher Kim Bledsoe summed it up by saying, “I’m truly proud of each and every one of the young men and women graduating this year! They each started the program not knowing what to expect. Not only did they meet the expectations, they thrived and excelled! They didn’t back down from any challenge presented and explored opportunities outside their comfort zones. This group of young men and women started out as classmates, but became co-workers, supporting each other along the way. This group has set a high bar for the incoming class of 2023-2024!”
Culpeper County Public Schools congratulates these students for all of their accomplishments and thanks the community partners who make this program possible.
About Start on Success
The CCPS Start on Success program is a collaboration coordinated by the VCU Center on Transition Innovations (CTI), Culpeper County Public Schools, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and local businesses. In the program, students learn how to build and strengthen their employment skills by applying the skills and knowledge taught in the classroom while working in a paid internship with a local business.
