To give its students and families opportunities to best plan their futures, Academic and Behavior School West staff connected them with a multitude of community partners at its Transition Fair: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow. The second annual event, held May 13, links attendees with representatives and organizations that can help students as they transition to adulthood.

“Parents, this is for you,” ABS West Principal Jatata Hutton said to open the fair. “I know we may get busy a lot of times and I don’t get the chance to speak with you as much as the assistant principals and teachers, but do know that when we talk about you’re children exiting ABS West, we want to set them up for success. We want to make sure we see them being productive and you have the support you need.”

Businesses like H-E-B discussed student employment opportunities upon graduation. Other organizations included Summerhouse, which supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through employment, volunteerism and partnerships, and the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD.

Harris County Department of Education’s two Academic and Behavior Schools (East and West) provide supportive learning environments for students aged 5-22 with intellectual, developmental and behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorder and other health impairments. The Transition Fair created a space that empowered families with resources they may not have known existed and showed students a future filled with support.