STUDENT VOICES & VIEWS

Chittenden South Supervisory Union

Summer 2013

Community Skills staff are back in the saddle and ready to go! We’re looking forward to seeing the many students who make our days unique, adventure-filled and wonderful. We have some new projects in the works including a partnership with a new Horse Farm Education Center down the road, a Community Adventure Class for older stu-dents and many new internship and job opportunities in the works. We’re all looking forward to a fantastic year of learning!

See you soon!

In the back corner of CVU, near the incredible CVU

Vegetable Garden and the volley ball courts sits a new rustic timber framed shed. Designed by staff member David Richardson with the help of senior student,

Dustin Benoit the shed became a winter long project of great interest to both. It is built on a sled (should it

need moving), constructed of generously donated Recy-cled Lumber from ReSource VT, with screws kindly given by our local Aubuchon and a timbers from Clifford

Lumber. It’s quite amazing, check it out!

Students in Farm Crew helped put on the finish-

ing touches using rough trim from a local saw mill for

an authentic Vermont farm look.

We are excited to have safe storage for the Work and Farm Crews tools, boots and gear. Thanks to the

many hands at work over the year.

(A special thanks Meagan Roy and Sean McMannon for giving us the green light on the project! And a huge thank you to

Norm Tourville for all your behind-the-scenes work!)

Welcome Back Everyone!

A Newsletter about students involved in Community Skills (with many student contributions!)

Every Garden needs a Shed!

CVU Students on an EPIC summer Adventure!

Here it is! Now that’s a Vermont Shed

and Garden!

SPECIAL ISSUE!

High School students write

about their work

experiences.

Student Reflections 2013

“In Community Skills I learned to get a job and work on my future. I learned about the job application process. I vol-unteered at a store and got really good at folding and hanging clothes. The staff helped me get a job at Platos Closet. I really like it there ! I like travelling around with my friend Kendra and learning about the community too,. It’s really cool!”

Minxie Frantz, Sophomore

Hired at Plato’s Closet

“In Community Skills the staff helped me understand how to fill out applications and resumes and prepare for job interviews. At Replay’s I learned how to fold, sort and organize clothing. I hope I can continue these skills in another retail job. My dream job would be to work at Old Navy or Aeropostale. I also plan on always being involved in dancing!”

Kendra Maille, Junior

Hired at Majestic 10

Page 2 STUDENT VOICES & VIEWS

“I’ve been involved in community Skills for six years. I got to meet new people and go to new places. I volunteered at the Shelburne Supermarket and now I work there. Highlights for me have been the staff. I liked getting out of school and going to bike shops and volunteering at Bike Recycle. I liked help-ing out at Shelburne Farms.

Community Skills helped me get a job, handle money, go to job interviews and speaking up to new people. That could be hard! Next year I’ll be working, driving my car and spending time with friends.”

Adam Champine, Senior

Hired at Shelburne Supermarket

“Community Skills taught me a

lot. I learned about the right ways

and the wrong ways to do a job

interview. The wrong way was to

never dress like you came out of a

mud pit. The right way is have a

firm handshake, dress really good,

and act like you’re interested in

the job. Anyway, I love Commu-

nity Skills. We had some really

awesome times.”

Avery Duda, Senior

Hired at ReSource in Retail

Student Reflections 2013

Page 3

“ I like Community Skills because I have learned

a lot when I’ve been in school. I’ve worked a lot

of places. Last Spring I began to work at ReBuild

in Burlington. The things I did there were running

the forklift, measuring doors and customer ser-

vice. I had a great time there. Time went so fast

at work. This summer I’m working at Rocky

Ridge Golf Course near my house. I had a great

year.”

Corey Mansfield, Senior

Hired at Rocky Ridge

My name is Emily. I work at Passport

Video. My boss Rick is always happy

and nice to me. I match tags to mov-

ies. My favorite movies are in the fam-

ily section.

Emily Scott, Sophomore

Student Reflections 2013

“In Community Skills we did job searching, vis-

ited UVM, Champlain College and CCV. We vol-unteered at the food shelf. I learned about the difficulties of real life. Community skills helped

me get ready for a lot of things and I did a lot of things I had never done before. I hope to do

well on my new job.”

Zachary Gingras, Senior

Hired at Walmart

“This year I did Work Crew and Farm Crew. I’ve been work-ing a lot! A highlight for me was moving hay to the tractor at the horse farm. This year I learned how to act around horses and I am a lot more comfortable with them now. I enjoyed clearing rocks from fields and stacking wood. Com-munity Skills has helped me get ready for the future. I know

what I like to do now and I know what is expected of me.”

Henry Evarts, Junior

Hired at the Shelburne Museum, Summer

Page 4 STUDENT VOICES & VIEWS

“In Community Skills I have learned to be cooperative in a large group. Community Skills has taught me job skills like not to goof off when I’m feeling goofy. Like there’s a time and a place. I liked a lot of things we did. I liked stacking wood. I like learning more about farm-ing. Community Skills helped me with my Grad Chal-lenge. It was great. I’ll really miss CVU”

Bruce Larrow, Senior

Hired by the Vt. Youth Conservation Corp

Student Reflections 2013

Page 5

“This year I did Work and Farm Crew. I

just got to pour concrete which was cool

to learn. We went on a field trip tp Clif-

ford Lumber. I thought that was cool

because we got to see machinery and

how it worked. On Work Crew I liked

that I got paid. It basically showed me

that if you work well you get paid well.

I like that the teachers are fun and they

help you get ready for life. Next year I

want to take Wood and Metals, and I’ll

be helping run and manage Work and

Farm Crew. I like giving advice and

helping people know what to do.”

Travis Fuller, Freshman

“I go to

Spears Store in Charlotte and have been

helping Carrie Spear run the store. I

stock, run the cash register, and clean

around the store. I like seeing how every-

thing is done and learning how to do it

without making mistakes. I enjoyed it

when I was busy and I had lots to do to

keep me busy.”

Megan Mansfield, Junior

Hired at Spears Store

“I went on tours, did volunteer work, worked places,

went to colleges and visited Voc Rehab. We went

everywhere, some was really useful. I tried several

jobs out including music and computer careers. I

learned about dressing for work, how to act on jobs

and how to interview. Next year I will attend the

Succeed Program and UVM.”

Justin Belliveau, Senior

Hired at Hannafords

TO:

Champlain Valley Union High School

363 CVU Road Hinesburg, Vermont

05461

Community Skills

CAREER and TRANSITION

SERVICES

YOU CAN

DO IT!

Sharon, Lish, Dave and Peg

EPIC CAMP FINALE at JAY PEAK