WISD Students Learn Life Skills at Chelsea Senior Center

When Jasen King, a teacher for Washington Intermediate School District’s Young Adult Program (WISD), reached out Chelsea Senior Center (CSC) to inquire about work training for his students, CSC jumped at the opportunity.

Every Tuesday, two WISD students practice job skills at Chelsea Senior Center, including wiping surfaces clean and vacuuming. This immersive training develops self-assurance, sense of responsibility, safety skills and connection in the community.

King explains that it is more than “just vacuuming.” Students learn how to plug in the cord into outlets, how to empty vacuum bags, how to ensure there are no fingerprints left on tables and more. “Quality of work is just as key as getting the work done,” says King. “The goal is to teach independence.”

Currently, there are 12 students in the WISD Youth Adult Program. At any given time, students may represent Chelsea, Manchester or St. Louis Center. The age range is from 18 to 26 years of age. The goal of the program is to “assist individuals to be as successful and independent as possible in their adult roles as literate, healthy and fit individuals, involved citizens, self-directed lifelong learners and as productive workers/volunteers.” Students learn to communicate “wants, needs and feeling” in an effective way.

“We see this new partnership with WISD as just the beginning,” says Jon Van Hoek, Assistant Director, Chelsea Senior Center.  “We would love to create a multigenerational program for WISD students to interact with our seniors in additional meaningful ways.”

This is exactly what King hopes for his students. “We hope to branch out at Chelsea Senior Center beyond the work responsibilities. We want our students to experience the social and leisure benefits of the center as well.”

Chelsea Senior Center’s environment is a unique opportunity for students who may have to work around members or interact with members as they clean. This offers more learning, as opposed to working in an office or industrial environment where the work is done without interaction. The interactions at CSC are invaluable.

“Making connections, becoming familiar with Chelsea’s seniors and learning names are all great life skills,” says King. “When our students see seniors out and about in the community, it is a positive connection.”

The mission of WISD’s Special Education Young Adult Out-Center Program is to “successfully transition students to post-school activities,” including training in real life community experiences like developing work skills, sustaining healthy nutrition and fitness habits, and effective communication and problem solving.