For the students who are out of high school, Beyond I CAN is a great way to develop people skills and become involved in the community.
I CAN, which has been in existence for 15 years, is a great system alone. Students with disabilities can work and sell products they made themselves. But to take it beyond the walls of high school is a great benefit to them.
Because the students don't always graduate with a diploma, the program is even more important because it gets these kids active and out into society. Nancy Barnett should be commended for the job she's done for these kids and for starting this program.
She is the first person in the country to create a program like this. The first. She goes to conferences to teach people about what she does so they can do the same. The program is not only creative in who it employs, but also what those employees make to sell.
And much of the profits go to charities. The programs have the two affects of helping the students out of school and helping other disenfranchised people as well.
Also, these kids don't get paid, and neither does Barnett. She is going out of her way to provide disabled students with a way of life after high school. For some disabled students, the future can be bleak, but the program is giving them something that keeps them active.
Barnett said she hoped the program received enough funding in the future to pay those employed.
"I kind of like to go into the bathroom by myself and just listen to what's going on out here, and it's happiness that I hear," she said.
Perhaps students should help with the Beyond I CAN program. Students could buy the products being made to help others. Also, they might be able to help with the program.
Why can't students help fellow young people in need, which would provide an experience that could be put on a resume, or more importantly, build character?
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