LSHS’s Life Skills department in the special education system has developed student growth through greater integration into general education settings. Over the past few decades opportunities for these students have grown. Current students involved in the life skills program are able to choose general education classes where they can be a part of a class focused on something that they truly enjoy. Despite their disabilities and challenges that they face, these students work as hard as possible to do the things that most people take for granted.

Most of the students choose to take elective classes like culinary, art and photography. However one student in particular, sophomore Carson Terreault who takes biology with Maggie Lewis, hopes to continue his love for science in one of John Dufay’s forensic classes next year.

“I think it’s good for my education, but otherwise it’s just exhausting for my brain,” Terreault said, explaining what he likes about his classes.

Freshmen Sarah Mulvey and Kasey Romero exceed in the art classes they have taken with Janelle Panamaroff. Romero loves English best because she learns more about what she wants. Mulvey completed a colored pencil drawing of a horse that was displayed in the Library; she does not plan on taking any other electives outside of art because she feels like art is her niche.

Freshmen Dawson Booth and Christopher Londo take Dawn Boyden’s culinary class. Both of them stated they loved to cook, but Londo continued to say that he hopes to continue with cooking as a profession.

“[I want to] get a job and get my own life…I kinda [want to] get work as a baker, in a bakery,” Londo said.

Changing from Drawing to Culinary Prep were freshmen Nikki Osbjornsen and Jada Christainsen. Osbjornsen wants to work in a restaurant after she graduates and sees herself taking another art class or photography class next year. Christainsen didn’t appreciate art much, but she enjoys culinary and hopes to take photography next year along with Osbjornsen.

All students are different, and everyone has different paces in learning.

“One of the things [Life Skills students] struggle with is generally keeping up with everybody else. And I don’t just mean the work, but physically, and that can be hard,” Mark Dalbeck said.

Increasing opportunities for inclusion is among the goals in the future for these students.

“Inclusion means that all kids no matter their ability…are all educated in the same class. This provides a better benefit for Special Ed kids because not only are they getting exposure to curriculum and the real world, but they are getting exposure to their peers,” Megan Britton said.

Both teachers stated that the best part of teaching these students is watching the progress they make. The work these students put into everyday shows true grit and how they have become the face of what being a flourescent adolescent is.