The winter season is viewed by most as a time to spend with family and spread holiday cheer. An amazing way to do this is to visit the Holiday Market. Hosted every year, the Holiday Market is run by the Special Education Department and provides those within and outside the program with opportunities to learn important life skills and gain job experience. The purpose of the transition process and skills gained is to help students have an easier time shifting into the post secondary aspect of their lives. The Holiday Market is regarded as an amazing opportunity for students to learn all sorts of skills and lessons regarding future endeavors they may have. Mrs. Julia Shackelford, the job coach at Woodgrove, stated, “It’s just a wide variety of customer service skills that students who may not be college bound…or may be going straight into the workforce [can gain.]”

The Holiday Market is planned so that each student is able to do what job aspect is the most exciting to them. It presents them with the opportunity to learn specific skills that go beyond general ones. The job choice given to the students is determined by a sign-up sheet created by the Transition Department and an overview of the students schedule. Mrs. Teri Wilson, who has helped in planning years before, explained,  “We had a sign-up sheet that allowed any students to sign up during different times to assist in the Holiday Market. It all depends on the student’s schedule that day, because we had other job sites that needed assistance during the day. The students were assigned certain jobs based on what they enjoy and which job makes them the most happy.” Although the Holiday Market has passed, the Special Education Department plans to have a similar event this upcoming May in celebration of Spring.