By: Sophia Braida
On March 18, 28 students from Wallenpaupack attended the Wayne County Collaborative Transition Expo held at the Ladore Conference Center. This event, now in its seventh year (returned for the first time since the pandemic), was organized by Wayne County’s Collaborative Transition Committee. The committee, which has been meeting monthly for about a decade, is dedicated to supporting students with disabilities as they transition from high school to employment. Their main goal is to address the challenges faced by these students after graduation by connecting them with helpful resources, organizations, and networks. The Wayne County Collaborative Transition Committee contacted all these groups and got them together with the hopes of exposing students with special needs to resources that will prove beneficial to their future.
This year’s event began with an inspiring speech by Charles Lagarenne, a 2012 Honesdale graduate. He shared his personal journey, explaining the challenges he faced in high school and the uncertainty he felt about his future. Charles spoke about how someone introduced him to the agencies and resources that helped him secure a stable job and set long-term goals. His story resonated with many students at the event, offering them valuable insights and encouragement for their own paths.
Afterwards, the Expo featured five breakout sessions and included opportunities for students to interact with vendors from various organizations. One session was the Educational Opportunity Centers group (EOC). They provided a hands-on activity that required students to budget their lives, which engaged students in a realistic and interactive learning experience. Another breakout session highlighted the Project SEARCH program, which allows students to explore job opportunities with the guidance of a job coach. Current interns of the program, including Wallenpaupack graduates, shared their experiences, described their daily routines, job responsibilities, and the challenges they’ve overcome. Together, these elements made the event both impactful and memorable for the students involved.
