OxBlue Gives Back to Atlanta Public Schools Transition Academy

The Atlanta Public Schools Transition Academy at Phoenix Academy received a $2,300 gift from OxBlue and welcomed volunteers from the partner organization for a day of service projects on Feb. 28.

In addition to the monetary donation, volunteers built two raised garden beds at the school and painted a mural of the Phoenix Academy logo near the school’s entrance.

OxBlue, a construction camera service provider, is one of several organizations that partner with the Transition Academy to provide students with opportunities to apply the soft skills and professional skills they learn at school in a real work environment.

“Organizations like OxBlue help train students for what is expected in the job force,” APS transition teacher Dr. Michelle Mainor said. “They help show our students how to be professional, independent workers, and that even though they have a disability, they can still work.”

The gift from OxBlue will go towards resources and supplies that will help the Transition Academy simulate a variety of work environments where students can practice the soft skills and professional skills they need.

The Transition Academy offers opportunities for students who have completed their graduation requirements and have an intellectual or developmental disability to expand their horizons in the areas of employment, independent living, and daily living.

“This donation from OxBlue is going to allow us to purchase some resources to allow us to simulate some of these work environments,” said Jinya Nunnally, the Exceptional Education Coordinator for Transition Programming. “Ms. Brown has a dining room table setup and some other things, but we would like to beef it up to make it more real-life friendly. We’re just looking to make the experience more realistic.”

The four-year academy helps students ages 18-22 continue preparing for adulthood and post-secondary success. In the classroom, students go through video modules and often role-play everyday scenarios to learn independence, critical thinking, and communication skills to help them be more productive citizens. 

The M.E.R.I.T.S. (Meaningful Experiences Related to Transition Success) program is designed for students who may need additional support with independent living, socialization, self-determination, and honing their employment skills. These students go out into the community four days a week and work half-days with partners like the Westin Hotel and the Atlanta Zoo.

The G.R.O.W. (Getting Ready for Opportunities to Work) program is for students who are more ready for a full-day work experience. These students have interned with Piedmont Hospital, Grady Hospital, and the Georgia Aquarium in a variety of positions.

“Some of our employers have employed students with disabilities consistently, year after year,” Nunnally said. “They see the value of our students and recognize that students with cognitive disabilities are valuable to the workforce.”

OxBlue has worked with the Transition Academy’s G.R.O.W program for the last few years and the students have been a major help in their work. Students have interned at the company’s production facility and assisted them with cleaning and organizing camera equipment before they are sent back into the field.

“It’s a really important piece of what we do to help us get that equipment back and in the right shape so that we can go ahead and put it back out in the field,” OxBlue executive project manager Marcella Archilla said. “The students have done a phenomenal job and provided a huge amount of assistance where we’ve needed it, so we’re really grateful to have them.”

Some students in the Transition Academy have gotten job opportunities through the program and leave the program early when they are more confident in their ability to live and work independently. Dr. Mainor has witnessed students overcome their fears and apprehensions about being productive citizens because of their disability.

“My biggest joy is watching a student complete the four-year program, transition into full-time employment, and see them months later independent, working, earning their own wages, and living on their own,” Dr. Mainor said.

For more information about the Transition Academy, visit the APS Office of Exceptional Education website.