IDS Holds Summer Enrichment Academy for Youth and Adults with Disabilities

Wed, 08/14/2024 - 08:38am | By: Dr. Rebecca Holland

A group of youth and young adults with disabilities focused on preparing for employment opportunities and paving their own path to future success through a unique summer learning experience offered annually through the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).

Since 2018, the IDS has provided youth and young adults with a summer multi-week training and internship experience through its Transition of Teens to Adult Life (ToTAL). The 2024 Summer Enrichment Academy was the seventh year for this training event and the fifth year that a virtual option was included.

The Academy incorporated a ‘Star Wars” theme for the two-week training curriculum to promote increased engagement among the participants, which consisted of an initial two-week training session followed by six weeks of individualized work-based learning experiences. Work-Based Learning Experiences (Internships) were provided according to available local opportunities and with virtual options for students under age 16, or those unable to participate in-person.

Krysten, a first-time student in the Academy said, “I have loved this summer program so very much because I got to make friends and learn more about my career field of special education.”

Job Skills Trainers are utilized during the students’ Work-Based Learning Experiences who check in with them weekly to provide any needed hands-on training and support to the businesses. Two of the trainers shared their impressions of the summer program, including Lindsey who stated, “My time as a job-skills trainer in our Summer Enrichment Academy was so rewarding. It was so amazing to watch students learn new and important skills during their training and then see them actively apply those skills throughout their internships.”

During June, 38 students from the Pine Belt, Gulf Coast, and across the state participated in this year’s Academy and had the option to attend in-person training at a Southern Miss campus in Hattiesburg or Long Beach. This year’s Academy was again led by Beth Robertson and Joseph King, executive coordinators for Transition to Adulthood programs.

“This year, our Summer Enrichment Academy celebrated its most successful season yet with a record number of participants,” Robertson said, with King noting, “Our summer program provides a unique opportunity for students to gain preliminary skills and experience within their local communities.” 

The Academy is student-driven and focused, with student input sought throughout the event. Markayla, another Academy student who worked at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center said, “Working here was a fun experience for me. I learned how to interact with others and work with kids, such a cool environment.” Fellow student Phoenix said, “My favorite thing about this summer was finding out there’s ways to help advance my interests and skills.”

This year’s Summer Enrichment Academy exemplified how the experience can be a steppingstone for these students’ journeys toward reaching their employment goal. One Academy student, Matthew, made such an impression during his internship at Accu-Fab that he has secured a job with the company after he completes the welding program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. His mother reflected on his experience:

“The Summer Enrichment Academy program has been such a huge blessing to our son, and to us as his parents. It is hard to put into words the incredible impact being a part of this program has had on Matthew's life. The transition skills he learned during the in-person classes and work-based learning experiences have set him up for huge success. Matthew will continue working at Accu-Fab in the Fall while also taking classes. And, when Matthew received his first paycheck at Accu-Fab, he was told that after graduating from the welding program at MGCCC, he will have a job waiting for him. None of this would have happened without the Summer Enrichment Academy.”

Plans are underway for the 2025 Summer Enrichment Academy. The Academy and all ToTAL program activities are considered pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) and are offered through a grant provided by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The ToTAL program is provided through IDS at USM, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. For more than 40 years, IDS has upheld its mission to positively affect the lives of Mississippi citizens with developmental and other disabilities and their families across the lifespan and to work toward increasing their independence, productivity, and community inclusion. IDS concentrates its work in four primary areas: Community Living, Education, Capacity Building, and Family Engagement.

Visit IDS or the ToTAL program online for more information, or call 601.266.5163, or email.