Pre-ETS – Arc of Wabash

PRE-ETS Monday Memo July 11, 2022

To the Pre-Employment Transition Services family, this is your forth Pre-ETS Monday Memo (one more to go); again, thank you so much for reading them. Please see below for all the exciting news and pictures taken from our last day at career camp and spotlighting another summer intern. Plus, this week we have two exciting Pre-ETS events happening: (1) The Pond on the 12^th and (2) The Circus on the 15^th with lots of pictures to be included next week. Truly this summer has been super fun for those students who have participated in these events. As the Pre-ETS Coordinator, I’m super proud of these students who have excelled in job exploration, work-based learning, workplace readiness, self-advocacy and post-secondary skills throughout this summer. Plus, each of the career camp students received a certificate for completing the PRE-ETS SUMMER CAREER CAMP. Way to go!!!

PRE-ETS Trip to Indiana Beach

JULIA, MADDY & HUNTER — Julia, Maddy & Hunter

BRITTANY, AUSTIN & DAVID — Brittany, Austin & David

CODY, CRISSI & LISA — Cody, Crissi & Lisa

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As a job exploration and workplace readiness activity, we as a group attended the amusement park in Monticello called INDIANA BEACH. Each student was put on a team and enjoyed exploring and riding many different rides in the amusement park; plus, each of the students got the opportunity to observe the various jobs there, as well as grow in their communication, teamwork and decision-making skills, along with using their money skills to buy extra snacks/drinks. We had a super, fun time as a career team… great job everyone!

PRE-ETS Monday Memo June 13, 2022

Hello, Pre-ETS students, parents/guardians and teachers. This is Lisa Patton, your Pre-ETS Coordinator. I wanted to send out a few memos this summer to keep you informed on what is happening with the Pre-Employment Transition Services program during the months of June and July. Also, because one of my Pre-ETS students asked for Monday Memos again for this summer, here is the first one!

PRE-ETS Summer Internships 2022

Additionally, we have seven Pre-ETS students who are currently having paid summer internships at the following places in Wabash: J&K Mega Pet, Modoc’s Market, the Parks Dept., the Lighthouse Mission Thrift Store, Eagles Theatre and Pizza Hut. A big thank you goes out to these businesses for providing an excellent opportunity for these students to grow in their work skills. Congratulations to Hannah, David, Hunter, Maddy, Jared, Kai and Zack for their interest in having a summer internship and for working hard in June and July. Also, Hannah got the opportunity to feed a turtle at Mega Pet last week… keep up the good work, Hannah!!!

PRE-ETS Summer Career Camp 2022

Currently, we are in the midst of our PRE-ETS SUMMER CAREER CAMP with nine students attending this weekly event on Tuesdays in June from 10am-5pm; we had a wonderful time last Tuesday focusing on job exploration and work-based learning by touring the following: 50 East Café & Gardens, Hoffman’s Nursery, R.P. Home & Harvest, and Isaac Stout’s Lawn Care (a previous Pre-ETS student, who owns his own business…great job, Isaac!); plus, each of the students got a work experience at 50 East Gardens with watering and pruning flowers, sweeping floors and picking up trash (on the left, Hunter and Maddy are working together watering flowers). A big thank you goes out to these businesses who provided an excellent tour and informational interview, along with an opportunity to observe work and participate in a work experience.

PRE-ETS Monday Memo June 21, 2021

Hello again, Pre-ETS students and parents. This is Lisa Patton with your second memo. I wanted to spotlight our PRE-ETS SUMMER CAREER CAMP from June 15^th; Julia Weeks and I, along with 9 students went to Modoc’s Market for an informational interview and grand tour with Kelly Thompson, the manager of Modoc’s; we had a marvelous time learning about how Modoc’s got its name and having a pop quiz about elephants. Zack Randolph, a student from Wabash High School, got an answer correct and was able to honk the horn as seen to the right. He was so excited! Also, on the 15^th at camp, we went on a scavenger hunt at the County Museum and had fun looking at all the displays, studying history and seeing the model trains. TRULY, CAMP ROCKS! Lastly, we wanted to say a big thank you to the Animal Shelter, Modoc’s Market and the County Museum for providing such amazing tours and job exploration information for the students. More details are to come next week!

PRE-ETS PAID WORK EXPERIENCES – SUMMER 2021

Kai West, a student from Wabash High School, is another Pre-ETS student with a summer PAID WORK EXPERIENCE; Kai is working at Modoc’s Market for 8 weeks on Wednesday afternoons for two hours; his work experience includes folding towels, cleaning tables and chairs, watering flowers/plants outside, vacuuming the apartment entrance rugs (as seen in the picture to the left), along with sweeping and mopping the hallway; plus, washing windows. Also, Kai gets an opportunity to learn what it is like working in a coffee shop by observing the baristas and manager hard at work. A big thanks goes to Modoc’s for providing this amazing opportunity for Kai. And to Kai, we are super proud of you for being successful in this paid work experience!!!

A special “thank you” goes to AWS Foundation for the grant to make the intern and work experiences possible this summer.

2020 Pre-ETS Transition Skills Award from The Arc Wabash County

Congratulations to J.D. Trisler on winning the 2020 Pre-ETS Transition Skills Award from The Arc Wabash County. J.D. was chosen as the winner for going above and beyond in the Pre-ETS program. He completed two years in the Pre-Employment Transition Services program through learning Skills to Pay the Bills, along with Job Seeking Skills and so much more; then, he put all his skills and experience into practice by completing a job shadow position with Wabash Valley Chrysler last January; plus, he completed his 2 years of training at Heartland Career Center in the automotive program with certifications, as well as completing his internship at Friermood Tire in Peru, IN, where he is now employed. We wish J.D. the very best for his future and are so proud of him. Great job, J.D.!

PRE-ETS PAID WORK EXPERIENCE – SUMMER 2020

This summer the Pre-Employment Transition Services program at The Arc Wabash County is providing PAID WORK EXPERIENCES for 5 students through a grant received from AWS Foundation. One of those students is Zack Randolph, who attends Wabash High School; he was given an assignment at the Lighthouse Mission Thrift Store for 8 weeks of 2 hours of work-based learning. As seen in the picture, Zack is enjoying this valuable work experience and growing in his communication, teamwork, flexibility and work skills at the Lighthouse Mission. According to Zack, he is enjoying getting to know the manager, Jenny, as well as, Kim, McKinsey, Karen and the other employees; and he hopes to work there in the future doing bags and newspapers. Also, he believes this experience will help him in the future to stay more focused and to learn new things. Plus, he shared that he really likes working at the thrift store and enjoys his job. His job responsibilities include flattening the plastic bags and newspapers for the cashiers, sweeping floors, taking out the trash and picking up trash outside the facility, hanging up clothes, washing dishes and other items, and helping to keep the store tidy by picking up any trash, clothes or other items off the floor. His favorite job is doing the bags, as seen in the picture. Lastly, because the Lighthouse Mission Thrift Store is so willing to assist students with disabilities, The Arc Wabash County would like to give a big “shout out” of thanks to them for their disability-friendly atmosphere and teamwork. [And to Zack, keep up the good work! We’re so proud of you!!

PRE-ETS PAID WORK EXPERIENCES – SUMMER 2020

This summer the Pre-Employment Transition Services program at The Arc Wabash County is providing PAID WORK EXPERIENCES for 5 students through a grant received from AWS Foundation. One of those students is Samantha Metzger, who graduated from Manchester Jr./Sr. High this summer; through Pre-ETS, she was given an assignment at
the Animal Shelter in Wabash for 8 weeks of 2 hours of work-based learning. Samantha is enjoying this valuable work experience and growing in her work skills, along with teamwork, time-management and communication skills. According to Samantha, she enjoys working at the shelter because of the animals and it’s a great opportunity to see what animal shelters are like. Her favorite things to do are walking the dogs and playing with them, as well as playing with the cats, as seen in the picture. Also, Samantha shared that for a future job, she would like to have her own business of walking and caring for dogs. Samantha’s weekly job responsibilities at the shelter include vacuuming, sweeping and mopping; then, socializing with the cats and the dogs. Lastly, because The Animal Shelter is so willing to assist students with disabilities, The Arc Wabash County would like to give a big “shout out” of THANKS to them for their disability-friendly atmosphere and teamwork. [And to Samantha, keep up the good work! We’re so proud of you!!!