I can’t believe it’s not butter! Oops wrong article… I can’t believe the first semester is already over. A big thanks to Laura Coulter and her Independent Living class at Sentinel High School for inviting us to their stone soup gathering; the food was delicious. We can’t wait to come back for round two with Sentinel next year! And if you are a student from Sentinel reading this, we would be happy to come back sooner if you have another stone soup feast! The class welcomed us like a part of their family!

Also, as a follow up to the last article on advocacy at Sentinel High, they have made huge steps forward into making the lunch room equal to all… good work Sentinel! Lead on!

Although we miss our Sentinel students, we have been busy at Michael Beer’s old stomping ground, Hellgate High School! We are teaching Ms. Zinke’s Independent Living Skills class, and we can honestly say we are learning as much from them as they are from us. They are our first class to complete a PowerPoint to self-direct their own IEPs (Individualized Education Programs). They are mostly freshman and sophomores, and so we can’t wait to see the super advocates that they will become! They keep us thinking and have really stepped up to the challenges we have set forth for them. Thank you to all of our students (Ballers) thus far this semester. It was a duty, and truly an honor to get to know you all.

After the holidays, we will return to the classroom–this time in Frenchtown High School and Big Sky High School. If you see us in the halls, stop and say hello!

In other youth news, we are currently surveying high school students to decide what kind of service we can offer to best fit their transition needs. If you are interested in completing the survey, please contact molson@summitilc.org.

Mike Beers, Youth Coordinator