Community Connections - Teen Summer Experience
Success Stories
 A Unique Program Providing Real Life Experience
We would like to thank you for a wonderful summer our son Evan had at Teen Summer Experience. He had a great time and always went to and came from the program with a smile. It provided him with the opportunity to experience a variety of social interactions in different settings and honed skills that would prepare him for future job interest. Being a summer program, it mixed fun with work.
A program like this is so unique in that it provides real life choices unlike any other, in well-managed settings. The staff was professional and detailed feedback was provided daily, which is helpful in explain the likes and dislikes of our son.
We were satisfied with the program and will be enrolling Evan in it for next summer. It would serve as a model program for statewide usage, by giving clients and their families a feeling of purpose and usefulness. We are so glad we found Teen summer Experience.
Sincerely,
Barry and Jo-Anne Walakovits
 Valuable Opportunities to Become Included Members of the Community
My son Tyler has attended Via’s Teen Summer Experience for the last two summers, each summer participating for six weeks. It has been an amazing learning and maturing experience for him. Tyler is an 18 year old, happy energetic teenager who is challenged with autism and mental retardation. He has done well progressing in school but his learning has been mostly limited to the classroom environment and his time to transition form high school to adult life is quickly approaching.
Via introduced Tyler to a new and different world of leisure activities, fun events, employment coaching and job training with his peers. As the weeks have gone by during this summer program, these activities provided Tyler with new opportunities for community connection and inclusion. Each day when Tyler returned home, you could see not only his enjoyment with the activities, but also a growing confidence in having a greater connection to the community. It was very reassuring to know when I took Tyler to this program that he was energetically welcomed by the staff who were so willing to work closely with all these teenagers – they have such dedication, patience and confidence in this summer program.
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As challenged children get older, there are fewer opportunities and service available to address their needs. Via’s teen summer program was perfect for Tyler, and I’m sure for dozens of other children with a wide range of challenges. Via clearly engaged each of them on an individual basis.
Via and their staff should be commended for this Teen Summer Experience Program -- this program gives valuable opportunities to young challenged teens to become included members of our community, and we are very excited for the 2010 summer program.
Lori Terleski |
 A Whole New Experience for Teens with Disabilities
Know What I Did Last Summer? by Bryan Wigg
“I went flying in a four-seat airplane. I went horseback riding and helped build a dog house for the Humane Society. I helped plan the menu and cook for a party of 15 and helped plan a trip for 20 people to Philadelphia. I took an inside tour of a news station and got to watch the news live from inside the studio. I spent the afternoon with professional wrestler Mike Miller, who starred in the critically acclaimed motion picture ‘The Wrestler.’ What did you do?”
“Bryan, just like any teenager, wants to be connected to friends and family, and learn, work, and be respected for his choices,” said Jolene Fetherman, Via Teen Summer coordinator.
Via’s Teen Summer Experience helps teens with a wide range of disabilities develop social skills and peer networks that lead to success in life, career development and independence. By facilitating relationships between young adults and the communities in which they live, teens learn to connect to their community through recreational, social, volunteer and educational activities. This intensive 11-week program provides opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities that includes job shadowing and career counseling, volunteer activities, and a series of recreational and team-building activities.
“This is a great program for teenagers,” said Patti Saenz Deviteri, Bryan’s mother. “Bryan knows he’s not going to be in high school forever and the things he learned were very age appropriate. Being exposed to all these different things in the community really opened him up to different opportunities.”
Teens have the opportunity to develop social skills, explore job opportunities through volunteering and expand their network of support. All of these skills help prepare young adults to become successful members of the community and workforce upon graduation. “We work individually with each teen and their family to develop educational, recreational and vocational goals for their summer program,” said Fetherman.
The goals focus on the individual interests of each teen and center on developing skills and experiences that further develop their social and vocational skill sets, as they prepare to transition from school to adult life.
“It was my first summer in the program and I really liked it,” said Bryan. “We did fun things but also worked in the community talking with people, practicing interviews and working on social skills. I wanted to see what I can do once I graduate from high school because I'm not going to go there forever, you know! I am planning on going back next summer too.”
For more information or to register, please contact:
Jessica Elliott, Via Teen Summer Experience
J.Elliott@ViaNet.org | 610-317-8000 x483
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