On October 1st, all the students of the Cypress Bay BRIDGES Social Skills class and their parents, who came to Cypress Bay for the day, met with a Bank of America representative. The Bank of American representative spoke to them about opening bank accounts for themselves, something that is crucial to adult life but is unfortunately not taught in schools. Each student was able to open their own bank account, giving them the ability to see the money they have in their account, as well as deposit and withdraw money, and use the money that is in their account. They will now be able to keep track of their money and use their bank cards to pay for their purchases in other community based instructions or use their spending money. Having the parents there with their students was special both for the students and the parents. The students got to have the support of their parents as they opened their very first bank accounts, and the parents got to see the impacts of the Social Skills class and see their students learning how to live more independently. HDS Foundation’s very own Carla, Dr. Sandy, and Meagan were able to attend this event, and had a wonderful time. Everyone had bright smiles and there was a general feeling of accomplishment and excitement buzzing in the room. All in all, it was a very successful day. 

On September 29th, the students of the BRIDGES Social Skills class at Cypress Bay had their second community based instruction. This one was similar to the first community based instruction at Office Depot, but there were lots of notable differences. This time the students ventured to their local Publix, where they had to independently purchase lunch for themselves. The lunch had to include an entrée, a drink, and a snack or dessert. Their budget was once again $15. A major difference between this trip and the one to Office Depot was that they had to work independently to purchase their lunch. The students enlisted the help of the store employees to maneuver the store, although most were very familiar with Publix and its layout. There was also much more freedom, as at Office Depot they had a list of things they could purchase, where as in Publix, they had the liberty to choose their favorite entrées, drinks, and snacks, as long as the total stayed under $!5. Also, whereas all items in Office Depot are taxed, many items at Publix and other grocery stores are not taxable, as there is no tax on groceries. Because of this, the students had to figure out whether the lunch items they had selected for themselves were taxable or not to be able to factor the price of their items in and stay under their $!5 limit. The students once again had a great time, and had their delicious lunches at the end of the instruction.

On September 21st, the students of Cypress Bay’s Social Skills class, sponsored by HDS Foundation’s BRIDGES grant, had their first community based instruction. The students went to Office Depot with a mission. They were instructed to work in groups to purchase items from a list given to them, so that their total would not exceed $15 including tax. Their goal was to purchase as many of the items on the list without going over their limit. Students bought things such as three-ringed binders, paper clips, scissors, clip boards, and gift cards. This lesson taught the students many things. Firstly, they had to work collaboratively to decide which items to purchase and find them in the store. They had to problem solve, finding the best items to purchase so that they could buy as many as possible and still stay under $15. Importantly, they had to understand how to include tax, so that their final total would not exceed $!5, even after the tax was added to their order. The students enlisted the help of store employees, helping them with maneuvering the store and improving their social skills, especially when speaking to new people. This instruction proved to be a great way to get the students into their community and learning practical skills that are otherwise not taught in schools. It was a great day for everyone involved, and the students had a great time.

Cypress Bay High School’s class of 2016 officially graduated on June 5at the University of Miami’s BankUnited Center. With a class of 1,100+ and a stunning graduation rate of 95%, it is no surprise that the social skills class seniors all received diplomas; some were even sporting honors cords around their necks. Cypress Bay High School is one of the highest-ranked public high schools in the nation. With incomparably qualified teachers and a zealous principal, the infamous Scott Neely, Cypress Bay promotes advanced yet nurtured development for any and all students, giving anyone the chance to prosper. An abundance of resources and generous sponsors provides for all the school’s events and activities, which furthers student progress. The HDS Foundation expresses immense gratitude to the school for supporting all its strides with this year’s first BRIDGES class.

The day was unquestionably emotional for BRIDGES’ parents and mentors alike. Graduating high school meant far more to Social Skills affiliates than getting good grades. Students with developmental disabilities not only have to worry about grades, but also have to consider their conduct, interactions with teachers and peers, and emotional well-being on a daily basis. Our BRIDGES students indubitably tackled these feats with determination and grace, and their success is undeniable. They confronted each challenge head-on despite their qualms and are leaving us as resilient, positive individuals. We only hope that their futures continue to reveal to them that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to. HDS Foundation is so proud of these young men and women and will miss them dearly.

As we say farewell to our graduates, we are excited for the new school year to come. Our second year running the BRIDGES class is only looking to be bigger and better, with many more graduates to tearfully bid goodbye at its end. Here’s to a wonderful summer break for our students.