Making dreams come true: CCTC explores job and academic opportunities at UCF and Walt Disney World

BY ARIELLE KRAUS

On Friday, March 8, College and Career Transition Club (CCTC) headed to the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Walt Disney World to explore both educational and career opportunities for after high school.

CCTC was designed to increase awareness of the Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program and help students with intellectual disabilities prepare for and access those opportunities across Florida. The club includes members with intellectual and other disabilities, as well as students without disabilities.

On this trip, students went on a self-guided tour of the UCF campus. CCTC is funded through  UCF, so this inspired the club to go visit this university.

This trip gave CCTC members with and without disabilities a chance to come together and learn about what they can do following their years at CCHS.

“This trip allowed me to begin thinking about and planning for my future,” CCTC member Ashley Rodriguez said. “It gave me the opportunity to tour and explore the UCF campus, a possible option for college, as well as understand the plethora of career options and programs found at Walt Disney World.”

Students were able to see undergraduate buildings, student centers and statues on the campus. They were also able to visit one of the main sites to see on the campus, the Reflecting Pond, which is located at the center of the university.

“Students were able to explore the campus at UCF and discover the many opportunities available to them,” club sponsor Deborah Covard said. “UCF has so many programs, in particular, programs for students with disabilities [who] may have never thought they could go away to  college.”

Many students were eager to visit the campus to learn about a possible postsecondary education path. Students who attended the trip varied in age, giving everybody a chance to see what their future could possibly look like.

In addition to visiting UCF, club members also went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. There, they were able to explore different jobs by interviewing workers. Students saw a variety of career options including cast members and technicians.

“Disney World offers so many different job options that I could see myself taking at least one of them for sure,” Rodriguez said. “The Disney College Program also is a great option for me which I would love to explore as well.”

“I was most excited to visit UCF and check out the campus since I will be going there this summer,” CCTC President Ariana Edelman said. “Magic Kingdom was also a ton of fun because we were able to explore different career options while having fun and going on rides.”

Students and chaperones also spent time together on rides. This allowed for them to bond with one another and create memories.

“Disney World offers so many different job options that I could see myself taking at least one of them for sure,” Rodriguez said. “The Disney College Program also is a great option for me which I would love to explore as well.”

This trip gave CCTC members with and without disabilities a chance to come together and learn about what they can do following their years at CCHS. All students spent time together creating new experiences.

“We hope that they see that there are so many things you can do after high school,” Covard said. “Through college and career exploration and time with friends, we hope to build memories that last a lifetime.”

Photo by Arielle Kraus