St. Cloud State University has origins as a teaching college dating back over 155 years, always striving to provide education in new and innovative ways.
That goal isn’t possible without strong community partnerships. And for over two decades, SCSU’s College of Education and Learning Design has joined together with St. Cloud Area School District 742 to offer an effective career preparation program for special education students.
The Community Options 2 (CO2) Program is a transition program for special education students ages 18–22, which works to build upon their skills and passions to prepare them to find a job in the community.
Students spend the mornings working an internship at a local business or education facility, followed by classroom learning on SCSU’s campus in the afternoon.
“We always wanted to be on campus, because this is where young adults are,” Mary Hackey said, who has been one of the program’s work experience coordinators for 14 years. “C02 is one of our last stepping stones of service before the students move on in life.”
Community work locations outside of District include CentraCare, Coborn’s, College of St. Benedict’s Gorecki Center, Peter’s Auto, Krillan Printing, Hour Glass Cleaners, Omni, Monumental Sales Inc and Goodwill.
The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, Public Safety, KVSC, UTVS, and the Miller Learning Center have also provided internships or partnerships on campus over the years.
“They get so many different experiences from their three different work sites throughout the year,” special education teacher Amber Christie said. “It helps them figure out what they like or don’t like, what they’re good at and it helps them build their resume and confidence.
“They make connections and have good references for their resumes, who can speak to how much they’ve grown and what they’re capable of,” she added. “It’s not uncommon for our students to apply for a job or get a job after their internship.”
Working at Garvey
SCSU’s dining hall, Garvey Commons, has been the longest-term partner. New groups of students start out every trimester for their internship, working in a variety of food service roles.
Sage Shoutz was one of those students in the fall. While initially a little hesitant to work at Garvey, she quickly learned to enjoy her new internship site.
“I’ve been working with chefs to dish up food, cut up vegetables and do a lot of prep work,” Sage said. “It was a great opportunity; the people I was surrounded by were very pleasant and the environment was really nice.”
Hackey attributes that environment to the Garvey full-time staff, who she has found to be the most accommodating individuals to helping students who struggle.
“We have students that come in with minimal job skills, and they’re just at developing stage,” Hackey said. “Training people takes time; the SCSU employees really invest in our students and their learning, and they are patient with that process.
Chef Todd “Tito” Hart has been working with CO2 students for over 20 years, and he serves as the kitchen supervisor during their shifts.
His goal is to make the students as comfortable as possible, giving them space to grow and learn how to safely prepare food.
“They’ll bring home what I teach them, and they feel more comfortable working with the equipment after the knowledge we’ve gave them,” Hart said.
Hart works closely with job coach Leslie Bari, who has also been working at Garvey for two decades.
Bari enjoys the difference she is able to make in the students’ lives, seeing them grow and mature from beginners to becoming confident workers. She tries to serve as a bridge for the students, reminding them when to ask questions and helping them re-train on tasks.
“If you’re in this building with us, you’re part of the Garvey team,” Bari said. “Our students really feel like employees when they’re here. They work like a giant family.”
Her work doesn’t go unnoticed. Bari earned a District 742 Educational Support Staff Award in December for helping create a safe, welcoming and enriching space that helps students thrive.
Huskies Dining director Michelle Jacobson has seen firsthand how important job coaches like Bari are to the success of the CO2 program.
“It takes a special type of individual that is passionate about giving people life skills and independence,” Jacobson said. “She works hand-in-hand with the students; she’s not just telling them what to do. She’s a very good partner.”
Huskies Dining has hired several individuals to part-time positions after their time in the CO2 Program. Jacobson said it’s especially rewarding to be invited to their graduation.
“CO2 students teach us more than we teach them,” she said. “The students teach us patience and how to be mindful of how we communicate with individuals. Here the students feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves.”
Real-world preparation
After students work at job sites in the mornings, they eat lunch together in Garvey. Students have the opportunity to have their friends taste food they prepared only hours earlier.
“CO2 students have pride in helping create what all the students on campus are eating,” Jacobson said. “It’s very rewarding.”
Students then spend their afternoons attending classes in Riverview. The building began as a model school for training teachers over 100 years ago in 1913, making it a fitting place to teach the next generation.
Morgan Bissett, who is in her second year of the CO2 program, currently is placed as an office assistant at Quarryview Education Center in Waite Park.
She particularly enjoys Sean Roquette’s classes on personal finances.
“What we need to know about being a responsible adult and the life lessons he teaches are really important,” Bissett said. “Part of independent living is how to manage a budget, that has really helped me understand that aspect of life in a simple but formal way in how he teaches the class.”
The classroom work reinforces CO2’s entire mission: Help students develop their independence and build practical skills that can help benefit themselves and their community.
“From money to resumes to heath care to work safety, students develop the ability to be as self-sufficient as possible,” Roquette said. “We get to celebrate with students as they take steps into adulthood, like when they pass the permit test or get their first job. We also get to support them on the hard days and help them develop the resiliency and strength they will need in life.
“CO2 has an amazing team of talented, committed staff that walk with students until they are ready to go on their own,” he added. “It is amazing to watch so many incredible people, students and staff alike, sharing their gifts and empowering one another to be their best.”
