jmmom
July 19, 2008, 1:50pm
1
<p>I had been aware of the existence of this program, because several of the Special Needs kids from DS’ high school had matriculated. I thought others might like to hear how such a program is working. I don’t know that it is anywhere near the only one of its kind, but it seems to be drawing attention from other states as a possible model to emulate.</p>
<p>[Strive</a> U](<a href=“http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=199460&ac=PHedi]Strive ”>http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=199460&ac=PHedi )</p>
<p>Some of the highlights from the article, for me:
On Saturday there was a graduation ceremony at the University of Southern Maine, but not quite the one you might have expected. It was the graduation of the third class of “Strive U,” a non-profit group that has pioneered an effective, innovative approach to further education for those with developmental disabilities…</p>
<p>Peter Brown, Strive’s program manager, describes the decision to add Strive U as a natural extension of the other services, responding to the needs of the maturing students and their parents.</p>
<p>As one parent put it: “I wouldn’t let myself think about those years (after high school) because there wasn’t a lot of hope. Now the sky is the limit.”</p>
<p>Strive U makes the sky the limit by offering a post-high- school residential program that combines education opportunity through USM’s Certificate of Lifelong Learning and ongoing employment…</p>
<p>Strive U accepted its first class back in 2004. Although relatively new and enrolling small numbers of students, the program has been very successful.</p>
<p>USM recently completed a glowing independent assessment of the program. All of the program’s graduates are competitively employed. The students and their parents give the program rave reviews. Eighty percent of the parents saw “major” improvements in their students…</p>
<p>By the way, the program is cost-effective as well. Strive U reduces the amount of state funding necessary to support an individual with disabilities from an average of $45,000 a year to $5,000 per year. More importantly, as I witnessed with Katherine and Tonya, the program provides a way to an independent, productive life. What an opportunity.
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