Looking into the future...

We spend almost all of our time at the transition center preparing our students for their futures.  We try to prepare them as much as we can for what comes next.  To to this we try to give them opportunities to explore all the options that are out there for them in the areas of Living, Learning, and Working.  Today, we explored one of these "options" for working after school.  OPTIONS of Linn County, a sheltered work shop, and a place that sometimes our students go to work after their time at PrairieWood, recently opened a new facility.  We took time this morning to go tour their new location and saw a few familiar faces while we were there.

Our feature blogger this week is Ahsia.  This is what Ahsia has to say about her time at PrairieWood this week.
"This week at PrairieWood I learned to make a rootbeer float.  I enjoyed seeing the teachers.  I was challenged by stamping holiday cards.  At PrairieWood, I would like to learn more about counting door knob knockers at Yellow Book."

Enjoy our pictures from our tour of the new OPTIONS building!

Checking out the break room.

A familiar face!  PrairieWood Alum, Melissa shows us her job.

Learning about some of the jobs they complete at OPTIONS.

...and we thought we did a lot of shredding!

Thank you Ely Rotary!

Thanks to a generous donation from the folks of the Ely Rotary, PrairieWood is now the proud owner of a brand new iPod touch!  We are so grateful for the opportunity to incorporate technology to improve our programming and to share our successes and work with the community around us!  Please check back to our blog regularly for pictures and even video updates thanks to our iPod.

Once again, THANK YOU Ely Rotary!  We could not do all the amazing things we do without your help!

Savoring the Season!

After the weather we had earlier last week, we thought we had skipped over fall altogether and gone straight into winter.  BUT Friday was a beautiful fall day and we decided to savor the season by taking a trip to Palisades park for a cook out by the river.  What a fun day!  Enjoy the pictures from our day at the park.

Our feature blogger this week is Kaitlyn.  Here is what she had to say about her week at the Transition Center...
This week at PrairieWood I learned how to make Kool-Aid.  I enjoyed cleaning the kitchen at the hotel Kirkwood.  I was challenged by wiping the chairs at the hotel.  At PrairieWood, I would like to learn more about cleaning the hotel.

If you are on Twitter, please follow @PrairieWoodTC.  We will be updating it on a regular basis with tweets and pictures about our activities.  It is a great way to follow what we are up to!

Have a great week!

Check us out!

PrairieWood is embarking on the world of Twitter!  Follow us at PrairieWoodTC for updates and connections to other resources!!! 

Venturing out...

Sometimes it is important to get outside of Cedar Rapids to find enjoyable Recreation and Leisure activities and this Friday the PrairieWood students and staff did just that.  We took advantage of a crisp fall day to travel north to the small town of Independence, Iowa.  Before even getting there, this town spoke to us, as its name aligns with the ultimate goal for all of our students!  Once there, we found a park to enjoy our picnic lunch (and even took time to shoot some baskets) and then headed over to Em and Jerri's for a special treat.  Each of our student purchased their own ice cream snack at this quaint coffee/ice cream shop.  What a great day! Enjoy some pictures from our enjoyable afternoon in the beautiful Independence...

Shootin' hoops!

Trying to pick the perfect flavor...yum!

Time to pay!

We LOVE Em and Jerri's!

See you next week!

Great Work Experience!

PrairieWood students are really enjoying their work experience placements this fall.  Students have been placed in sites based on their job interests as well as their ability to do particular jobs.  We so appreciate the local businesses that provide work opportunities for our students.  Our feature blogger, Cassie, had a great week at work!  Here is what she has to say...

"This week at PrairieWood I learned about working as a team when sweeping towards each other and dumping the garbage can full of leaves and garbage.  I enjoyed playing with a puppy at Pet's Playhouse when my work was finished.  I was challenged by keeping the papers in my lap at Pet's Playhouse.  At PrairieWood I would like to learn more about community signs for indoors." 

Playing with a puppy after finishing all their work at Pet's Playhouse

Hard at work sweeping!

Off to a great start!

Hello again to our regular readers!

So sorry if you have missed us and our weekly updates.  Our regular "blog programmer" has been gone for several weeks, but has now returned and things are slowly settling back into a routine!

PrairieWood students are off and running to a great year.  They have been very busy learning and re-learning the routine of a typical day at PrairieWood.  They have all started their jobs and from the stories I hear from both students and job coaches everyone is very happy in their job placement and showing great improvements in their work!

For the past two weeks, the students have been learning a new routine.  Each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday they have a "daily activity" they complete.  It may be one of these options: City Bus training, Cooking practice, and they alternate visiting the Rec. Center and Chores every other week.  This keeps everyone very busy, learning new things that will help them live independently some day.  Ask our students about these activities and they should be able to share all that they have learned!

This week, to jump back into our blog routine, we will share from all of our students!  Enjoy!!!

This week at PrairieWood I learned...
"To clean the black furniture (at the hotel)" Chelsey
"To count envelopes at Yellowbook" Sarah


I enjoyed...
"Saying hi to blue birdie at work" Kendra
"Working at Pet's Playhouse" Cassie
"Everything!" Kaitlyn


I was challenged by...
"Counting out papers" Brandon
"Getting off the city bus at the right stop" Ahsia