(Blue Springs, MO) —Pre-Employment Transition Services Specialist Stacey Hamann from the University of Missouri was awarded the 4th Annual Gary Bates Memorial Award. Hamann was recognized for her outstanding work implementing Education Associates’ Project Discovery curriculum with her students.
The Gary Bates Memorial Award was created by Education Associates to commemorate the work of the late Gary Bates, who served as an educator and consultant to schools, educators & students across the country for over 30 years. Gary was also an Education Associates representative for 20 years. Each year, applicants are invited to nominate themselves or someone else who has used Education Associates’
Project Discovery or Achieve Life Skills curricula to make a significant, positive impact in students’ lives and in the community.
After retiring from a career in the special education classroom, Stacey started working with young adults with disabilities through the Pre-Employment Transition Services program at the University of Missouri. Pre-ETS programs are designed to prepare students with disabilities for the workforce by using a “Five Pillar” framework. The pillars include: Introduction to Self-Advocacy, Work-Based Learning, Post-
Secondary Education Counseling, Job Exploration, and Workplace Readiness. Stacey loves using Project Discovery’s hands-on, real-life activities to cover multiple pillars because they are easy to adapt to an individual’s needs and easy to implement.
“Unless we, as educators, establish strong foundations in transition skills, help students discover their interests, and assist students and their families in connecting with community resources, many of our students may struggle to find purpose in their adult life,” Hamann says. “Watching students discover new skills and experiencing pride in their work warms my heart.”
Hamann is in her fourth year as a Pre-Employment Transition Specialist. She serves students with the most significant disabilities who are enrolled in Missouri’s state schools and students enrolled in Life Skills classes in public schools. She also enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and two Golden Retrievers.
Project Discovery is a hands-on career exploration curriculum that can be used for students of all functional levels and is adapted to help students with the most significant challenges. It includes lesson plans, video modeling, performance-based assessments, hands-on activities, and more. Project Discovery is proud to be endorsed by CASE, DCDT, the US Department of Education, and National Dropout Prevention Network.
CASE endorses products that have proven to be effective in teaching students with special needs and strives to enhance the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of every individual in society.
The International Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) is an international professional educational organization which is affiliated with the International Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) whose members are dedicated to shaping policies and practices that impact the quality of career development and transition services of youth with exceptionalities.
Education Associates is the developer of Project Discovery, the leading comprehensive career education, job preparation and life skills programs for all learners, including those with special needs. Education Associates empowers educators and workforce development leaders to help all students realize their potential. Education Associates believes everyone can become “Job Ready and Life Ready” to live the vibrant, independent lives they deserve. To learn more, visit http://educationassociates.com.