Many students consider school to be their version of a job. For the Community and Schools Together (CAST) program, it truly is. The students in the program have varying disabilities, but they have the opportunity to learn real world skills by visiting local businesses on a daily basis to do simple and enjoyable jobs.
Led by Ms. Elizabeth Smith, CAST leaves Woodgrove at 9:45 every morning. From there, they are taken to places such as the Leesburg Senior Center, Dominion Tea, Rust Library, View of Heaven Farm, and SimplyBe coffee. They spend their day doing many different jobs such as farming, serving, cleaning, and customer service.
Currently, there are five Woodgrove students in the program. Ms. Kelsey Wilson spends her day in the classroom trying to help raise that number. “For our other kids, their main goal is CAST,” Wilson informed. “A lot of them do not go to college… So all of that socialization and experience you get in college, they get in a job environment. It’s really impactful for them socially, mentally, and emotionally that they’re getting to experience that.”
During their preparation, Wilson teaches them functional skills including hygiene, math, reading, and how to manage their emotions. To help the students make the transition, they will do jobs around the school building. “In the cafeteria they’ll stack trays, they’ll pull chips, they’ll stack the milk and the water.. They also do a lot of delivering packages, delivering paper, and all kinds of things they can do here that will prepare them for out there,” Wilson told.
View of Heaven Farm has become a favorite for the students that have already made that transition. Katie Conoway, treasurer of the organization, helped found the farm with the intention of being able to employ people with special needs. While at the farm, the students are able to plant, water, pick, and help prepare for farmers markets. “I love discovering what it is that makes them happy, so that we can take that desire and turn that into a job. So when they come here, they can come do something that makes them feel good about themselves and become a helpful member of society,” Conoway expressed.
Another place that CAST members often find work is Tree of Life Ministries (TOL). Tree of Life is a Christian-based charity organization that offers food, shelter, healthcare, and other relief to people in need in our community. TOL also works to equip people with life skills. One way they do that is by offering CAST members and other special needs individuals jobs at their coffee shop and thrift store.
SimplyBe coffee is located in the heart of downtown Leesburg. When customers walk in, they are greeted by the warm aroma of coffee and the smiling faces of the CAST members and other staff. “There’s a lot of grace within SimplyBe,” said store manager Cheryl June. “The people who come in understand who is serving them and that we’re teaching them.” CAST members have varying roles serving customers, one of which is to decorate the coffee cup sleeves. No matter the task these workers are given, they are sure to bring a smile to those they are serving. “The compassion and the concern and the depth of feelings that all of our CAST members and staff have is truly incredible,” June expressed. “It’s hard to come into the coffee shop and not be changed by the people that work there.”
CAST provides opportunities for individuals whose valuable work would otherwise be overlooked by society. “We give them a sense of worth and value, a purpose, [and] make them feel like they are very capable,” said June. “And they are extremely capable.” Whether these students are tending a garden or running a register, the work they do is invaluable to their lives and the community.