AISD students participate in Disability Mentoring Day
On Thursday, Amerigroup Texas, in partnership with Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation, brought Amarillo Independent School District students together to learn about employment opportunities and services available and to gain experience in the workforce.
The event was held as part of the nationwide campaign Disability Mentoring Day and took place at Region 16 Education Services Center, located at 5800 Bell St., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The students fill out their top three career choices, and local businesses are contacted from there to make this day possible. This provides hands-on learning for the students and a glimpse of their possible careers after graduation.
“We place them in jobs that they’re interested in, so that way they have choices and hands-on learning to help them decide what they’re going to do when they get out of school,” said Camelia Alonzo, of Amerigroup Community Relations. “We want kids to know that no matter what disability they have, they can do whatever they set their mind to.”
Amerigroup is one of the state’s leading coordinators of Medicaid insurance benefits, and a news release notes meaningful employment is a key to overall health, including for people with disabilities.
Around 30 students and nine businesses participated in Disability Mentoring Day. Some of the career interests of the students included construction, working with animals, and work in food service. Pizza Planet participated in this day, giving the students the opportunity to provide lunch with the pizzas that they made. Other places visited were Habitat for Humanity, Pets, Scarlett Door, and a few others.
“In some ways, this is just as valuable for the businesses that are involved, so that they have an understanding that individuals with unique challenges can be valuable employees for them. Building those relationships is another big aspect of today,” said Myra Johnson, Education Specialist for Region 16.
When the students returned from their hard day of work, they got the chance to write thank you notes to the businesses that they worked at, with helpful letter guides for the placement of addresses and names. While on the other side of the room, mock interviews were done to express to the students some do’s and don’ts of interviewing.
This program started in Lubbock and expanded from around 30 students to around 150. According to a news release, it also helps provide a better understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s requirements.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Disability Mentoring Day gives workforce lessons for AISD students
