AiA Cafe: We're Open!

Thank you to Erin Luchterhand, Ai Academy Lead Instructor, for writing today's blog. 

The popularity of Starbucks and Caribou Coffee comes to Shepherds College!   

People love coffee and cafes, and they serve as a great avenue to teach our students.  Ai Academy has adopted the idea of serving others through the use of a student run café.  During weekly advising group meetings, Ai Academy sets up a café to allow students (and staff) the opportunity to get a snack, interact with each other, and relax for a few minutes.

There is a lot that goes into preparing for the café, but students do it wholeheartedly as they prepare for work.  First, we decide on a menu.  Second, we purchase supplies.  Third, we prepare snacks and drinks ahead of time and store them until the café opens.  Fourth, we set up shop!

We have found that the benefits of using the café as a method of teaching are three-fold.  It allows Ai Academy students to practice their kitchen measurement and food preparation...

 it allows students the opportunity to practice their money counting and cashier skills...

and it allows Ai Academy students to practice both professionalism in the work place and social skills.

The café has been a fun and helpful teaching tool for the Ai Academy students.  It has provided learning, practice, experience, and social opportunities for students and staff to interact.  While we may not be able to make a fancy latte with extra foam, we do make a pretty good Rice Krispy treat and hot chocolate!

 

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

What More Can We Do?

Many of you have heard the question that started the ministry – “Could our class possibly do something to help children with intellectual disabilities?”

In this same spirit, the leadership of Shepherds Ministries, and now Shepherds College, constantly asks the question, “What more can we do to help people with intellectual disabilities?”

Picture this – a young man sits with his parents in front of your desk. He’s bouncing with energy and excitement. There is hope in the parent’s eyes and tight lines of tension visible across their cheekbones and jawline. They want their son in your post-secondary program. There are so few options available to him, and your program offers such promise for their son’s future. 

After testing and interviews, you realize that he doesn’t qualify for the program. Maybe he can’t read or do basic addition, or maybe his social skills won’t allow him to interact with teachers or his classmates.  You have to tell this family, “I’m sorry, but your son can’t attend Shepherds College.”

 

Yuck. I don’t know how you’d feel about it, but we hate saying that.

As strong believers in finding purpose in life, in training for life and empowering to serve, continuous education is a passion of ours. We don’t want to say no to people who desire to keep learning.

So what happens when our program isn’t a good fit for many people with intellectual disabilities? 

We say to ourselves, “There’s obviously a gap in our services, so what can we do to help the people who don’t meet the Shepherds College requirements?”

We create Ai Academy.

Ai Academy is our new two-year life skills training program tailored to meet the needs of young adults in their personal pursuit of Appropriate Independence™. The program eliminates the academic and vocational training of the college program while focusing on daily living skills, social development, spiritual growth and community involvement and service. Ai Academy participants would reside in the Shepherds College dorms and participate in almost every facet of the SC residential life program.

The training component of Ai Academy would involve a great deal of repetition and experiential learning, all developed around the principles of Appropriate Independence and incorporating R.E.A.L. instructional methods. 

Erin Luchterhand, an instructor and Academic Advisor from Shepherds College, will be the primary lead instructor for Ai Academy. Her strengths are wonderfully suited for this new role, and we know she’ll be a blessing to each participant that goes through the program.

Please pray for Shepherds College and Mrs. Luchterhand as the Ai Academy program kicks off this August. Watch Facebook, Twitter and Time to Fly for more news on this exciting new development in our effort to inspire a lasting awareness of God’s plan in the lives of young people with intellectual disabilities.

Contact Brian Canright at 262-878-6365 if you’re interested in learning more about Ai Academy.


Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.