Teen Transition Program
The Year Round Transition Program (YRTP) is a program designed to prepare students with visual impairments (ages 14-22) for life after high school. Most specifically, the program helps to ensure participating students learn the skills needed to transition successfully into college, technical school, employment and/or living on their own. This is achieved by the collaborative partnerships the Lighthouse of Pinellas staff establishes with each participant’s Teacher of the Visually Impaired and guardian(s) as we work together to meet the unique needs of each student. The program is funded by the Division of Blind Services and is available for students to participate in at no charge.
The YRTP is held on Tuesdays from 2 pm – 6:30 pm at the Lighthouse of Pinellas. Five Teachers of the Visually Impaired, One Technology Instructor and One Licensed Mental Health Counselor are on staff to provide individual and small group instruction to the students in all areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum for Students with Visual Impairments.
On one Saturday a month the students take a fieldtrip in the community. Students have taken fieldtrips to Busch Gardens, the Strawberry Festival, ICE at Gaylord Palms in Orlando, a RAY’s baseball game, Hillsborough River State Park, Lithia Springs, Treasure Island Beach, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, bowling, sailing, kayaking, etc. The Lighthouse of Pinellas has an arrangement with a local cab company to provide transportation to and from the Lighthouse and to the fieldtrip destinations at no charge to the students.
The Summer Transition Program (STP) is held for five weeks during part of June and July. During this program, the emphasis of instruction is on career skills. The students participate in a nine day paid work experience and are supervised by a job coach. Students have had work experiences at a variety of locations including PARC Thrift Store, Publix, Starbucks, The Talking Book Library, Pet Pal Animal Shelter, etc. During the 2010 STP, the first week of the program was held on USF’s St. Petersburg Campus. The students had the opportunity to learn about various aspects of college life including living in a dorm as well as how to request accommodations from a professor.
In order to participate, students must be referred by and qualify to receive services from the Division of Blind Services. To learn more about the programs or to apply, contact Amaris Xiong, Program Associate, at the Lighthouse of Pinellas at 544-4433 ext. 258.
