The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing awarded The Learning Center for the Deaf a grant of $14,450 as part of their Transition to Work Program through the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.
Aimed at helping high school students gain practical work experience, the grant will enable TLC to provide jobs for five (5) high school students. With funding from the grant, students will be paid $10/hour, will be reimbursed for their public transportation costs, and will have the assistance of a transition coach and occasional check-ins with MCDHH's job coach. This is the second year this program has been offered and The Learning Center has been selected to participate both years.
Participants in the program - employers, transition coaches, job coaches and students - will be invited to a Career Day hosted by MCDHH in August to further expand their learning and networking. The Learning Center will host a celebration for the five students in the fall to recognize their accomplishments and award them certificates of completion from MCDHH.
"Giving our students an opportunity to gain real-world experience gives them the skills and the confidence they need to pursue their dreams and become dependable, productive citizens. We are thrilled that five of our students will benefit from this program once again this year," says Nancy Frazer Evangelista, TLC's Transition Coordinator.
The Learning Center for the Deaf provides education and support services to over 1,500 children and adults annually from more than 94 communities in Massachusetts and from 14 other states. Founded in 1970 and headquartered on a 14 acre campus in Framingham, Massachusetts, The Learning Center for the Deaf's mission is to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing students achieve their full potential in an educational environment where language and communication are keys to building competence, character and community.
©2012 The Learning Center for the Deaf
