High School High Tech Student Highlights
The Able Trust’s High School High Tech program gives high school students with disabilities experiences in job exploration and connections to postsecondary education resources. High School High Tech opens up a world of possibilities helping students see a future they might never have imagined.
Edgar
Newly minted High School High Tech alumnus Edgar always dreamed of working on cars. When he got the chance to take part in Wakulla High School’s automotive career and technical education program, the aspiring mechanic made the most of the experience. Through HSHT, Edgar was able to visit businesses and postsecondary programs to narrow down his career goals. He and his classmates used spare car parts to convert a donated military truck into a hot rod, including putting the transmission back together. On top of that, Edgar earned professional certifications in areas ranging from safety to brakes to steering and suspension—all while still earning his high school diploma.
Edgar’s talents extend well beyond the auto shop. Recently, the scholar got the opportunity to interview Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell from the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Career and Adult Education about the Get There workforce education initiative. From building cars to making connections with important figures, Edgar really can do it all!
Ricardo
Diagnosed with autism as a child, Ricardo did not let his disability prevent him from doing what he wanted to do and pursuing his dreams. Ricardo participated in High School High Tech in Jacksonville, where he embraced the opportunity to explore a range of potential career options. In 2020, Wolfson Children’s Hospital hired him to work in their Autism and Neurodevelopment Center—a decision that would pay off in perhaps a surprising way.
According to a 2021 article in the Florida Times-Union, a situation occurred in which a child visiting the hospital was inside a play tube tunnel and refused to come out, no matter what his therapist or his parents tried to do to convince him. But when the therapist asked Ricardo to calmly ask him to come out, the child immediately accepted his hand. Ricardo expertly handles a wide range of responsibilities from sanitizing surfaces to assisting in patient care, but it is his empathy that most stands out.
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