City joins program for youths with disabilities

Morgan City is the first city in the state to endorse Nicholls State University’s new Bridge to Independence program.

Through the Bridge program, students with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder are able to fully experience college while gaining leadership and social skills needed for future employment.

It is the only transition program in the state certified by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Bridge to Independence program was approved in May. This is the first semester the program is up and operating.

“This program is for students who already have a certain level of independence,” said Student Access Center Director Robin Bell.

Nine students are enrolled in the program, with two Tri-City area residents, Caroline Owens and William Hunter, among the first to be accepted in the program.

Students can choose to take courses from career or degree pathways. Owens is on the career pathway track, and Hunter is enrolled in the traditional degree program.

The career path is for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities, students who may have Down syndrome, Bell said. It is a two-year program.

The center recently changed its name. It was formerly known as the Office of Disabilities.

“Students are coming here to gain academics that are beneficial when working for appointed purposes,” Bell said. “They are also learning independent living skills.

“They are learning social skills and will also participate in on-campus job internships to learn needed skills for gainful employment.”

There is also the option of living in the dorms, which facilitates independent living skills and social skills.

Career pathway students audit classes. Some are core classes and others are electives based on job interests of the students.

Sample courses for the semester are Speech 101, Health/Physical Education, and University 101 College Prep class.

Joe Owens, father of Caroline Owens, sees a change in his daughter. During the summer, she participated in a summer program at the John Folse Culinary Institute on Nicholls’ campus.

There she made salads, cupcakes and cakes. Her dad raves over her salads.

Owens’ father said much of his daughter’s success is because of the one-on-one education received at Morgan City High School. He credits Morgan City for “doing an unbelievable job working with Caroline.

“She has been there her first semester and has really changed,” Joe Owens said. “She just really matured so much.”

Owens recalls how proud the students are to wear their Nicholls T-shirt and have the ability to move independently among other students.

“Every day is a learning experience for her,” Owens said. “She hates when they have a vacation day. She wants to go to school every day.”

Owens wants to be a chef.

“She’s hoping to have a white coat someday,” Joe Owens said.

For students like Caroline, “it shows that she has a chance out there now,” Owens said. “They’re not going to have that let’s just get by job. They’re going to be able to have that full-fledged job lined up for them.”

The degree pathway is a traditional university program designed to provide add-on services to help students with autism spectrum disorder successfully transition to college life and further develop their social skills and campus friendships.

As Bridge students move forward in their program, peer mentors trained in the College of Education assist them with their coursework and socialization.

“Nicholls should be able to offer something for our students because we’re a community school,” said Nicholls State College of Education assistant professor Mary Breaud.

“We have lots of kids in our community with disabilities and surrounding communities. This is the best real life environment for our students to learn from.”

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

For parents and students interested in the Bridge program, Nicholls is hosting a seminar Nov. 10 on campus. Contact Bell at 448-4430 or Breaud at 448-4341 for more information.