|
Recognizing Graduating High School High Tech Seniors | The end of the school year is right around the corner and we want to make sure we recognize our graduating seniors and their participation in High School High Tech. We have two requests: | |
Graduation Photos
We want to share photos of seniors in their cap and gown. As they reach this important step, we love sharing their success in our newsletter and social media accounts.
Please forward individual or group photos to pics@abletrust.org and we'll be sure to highlight them during our special graduation campaign!
| |
Senior Exit Survey
We want to learn from our HSHT seniors through a short 9 question exit survey. How many years did they participate in HSHT? What are their future plans? And were there any obstacles that made it difficult to participate?
Each HSHT senior who completes the short survey will be placed in a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card!
| |
Please share this QR code with your HSHT seniors or click the button below for the website link. The Able Trust will use the survey to learn about the general direction our seniors are taking and to ensure we provide a high quality program.
NOTE: When completing the HSHT Senior Exit Survey, we will require each participating senior's name and personal email address (not the email they use for school) in order to contact them if they are chosen to receive the Amazon Gift Card drawing.
| |
|
Florida Youth
Leadership Forum
July 7-11, 2026
Florida State University- Tallahassee, Florida
| |
The Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF) is a unique leadership training program for high school students with disabilities. Students will represent their communities as delegates in Florida’s state capital, learning to cultivate leadership, citizenship, and social skills. To apply, visit FILC.
Delegate applications are due by Wednesday, April 15th.
| |
Visions
April 20-22, 2026
Gainesville, Fla.
| The Florida Division on Career Development & Transition Visions conference is scheduled for April 20-22, 2026 in Gainesville, Fla. Click here to register. | Resiliency Florida Characteristic of the Month - Mentorship | |
The Resiliency Florida initiative was launched in 2021 to emphasize 11 Resiliency characteristics to empower students to persevere and overcome life’s inevitable challenges.
The resiliency characteristic of the month is Mentorship, which refers to giving or asking for support, guidance, training or expertise. CLICK HERE for parent and teacher resources.
| | | High School High Tech Coordinator Recognition | | |
Congratulations to our HSHT Coordinator Mari-Michael Smith for being selected as Dixie County Teacher of the Year!
Photo by Dixie District Schools
| |  | |
Congratulations Virginia Jacko, our HSHT partner in Miami-Dade County, for being presented with the Children's Week Impact Advocate Award.
Photo by Children's Week Florida
| | |
Guidepost Highlights:
Career Preparation and Work-Based Experiences
| The Guideposts for Success is used as the framework for the HSHT program and provides guidelines for developing HSHT programming. Guidepost 2: Career Preparation and Work-Based Experiences is focused on helping students explore, prepare for, and successfully transition into careers and further education. Guidepost 2 can include entrepreneurial activities, exposure to post-secondary education, industry site visits, internships, and work readiness skill development. The activities and photos below illustrate how this Guidepost is being implemented in a few HSHT programs. | | Flagler County’s HSHT students recently took a behind-the-scenes tour at Whetstone Chocolates in St. Augustine, where they experienced firsthand how a locally based company produces, packages, and ships its products to customers nationwide. During the visit, students learned about the different types of chocolate, including dark, milk, and white varieties. They also explored the wide range of skills involved in the operation, such as production, packaging, safety procedures, and teamwork. Students were highly engaged throughout the tour and gained valuable insight into how a business operates and the many roles that contribute to its success. | | |
Escambia HSHT students experienced a day of hands-on marine exploration and learning. During the trip, students observed and identified a variety of fish species native to the Gulf, gaining a deeper understanding of the local marine ecosystem. They also learned essential boating and navigational skills, including reading nautical charts, understanding buoy markers, and practicing safe boating procedures.
Captain Rigby demonstrated how to use marine instruments such as GPS and depth finders, discussed tidal patterns and weather awareness, and emphasized the importance of marine conservation and responsible boating practices. The experience provided students with both practical seamanship knowledge and an appreciation for the rich biodiversity of the Gulf waters.
| | HSHT students from Crestview Youth Academy visited Small Cakes Cupcakery in Shalimar to learn more about the business of baking. Students gained real-world experience and valuable career skills through hands-on training during their visit. From operating the POS register and assisting customers at the service counter to learning the day-to-day responsibilities of running a business, the visit helped students develop confidence, professionalism, and workplace readiness. With step-by-step guidance through service-learning instruction, they were also given the opportunity to independently prepare cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and frosting—showcasing their creativity, responsibility, and leadership skills along the way. In addition, students also explored entrepreneurship and discovered what it takes to successfully manage and grow a business. | | Thank you for sending great photos of your activities and for posting them online! Don't forget the option of emailing photos and descriptions of the activity to pics@abletrust.org. | | |
Leon and Wakulla County High School High Tech Programs
Students from Leon and Wakulla counties attended the annual Tallahassee State College (TSC) Transition Fair showcasing resources and campus life as an Eagle. The students took a campus tour and had a chance to meet Talon, the mascot of TSC Eagle athletics.
| | |
Duval County High School High Tech
Duval County HSHT Students toured the Jacksonville campus of the Tulsa Welding School. During their visit, students explored career and postsecondary education opportunities in the in-demand field of manufacturing.
| | |
When Jackson was a toddler, his mother, Karen, could never have imagined he would one day be an honor roll student and member of the golf team at Hilliard High School.
At that time, she simply wanted to know why her young son could not talk.
“At two and a half, Jackson was not speaking,” explained Karen. “At first we just assumed it was because he’s the baby of the family, but we didn’t realize he had speech challenges because his muscles in his cheeks weren’t working properly.”
For the complete story about how HSHT has impacted Jackson, CLICK HERE.
| | | | |
High School High Tech has really helped him look at other options for the future. The growth has been tremendous—from where he came from to where he is now is just miraculous.
Karen, Jackson's mother
| | |
The Jan La Belle Scholarship Program
The Jan La Belle Scholarship supports Florida students with disabilities who are pursuing their dreams in higher education. One or more Jan La Belle Scholarship winners are selected annually for a total possible non-renewable award. Award amounts are based on several factors, including available funds and number of eligible applicants. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
| | |
Johnson Scholarship Program
The Johnson Scholarship is funded by the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and administered through the State University System of Florida. This scholarship supports undergraduate students with documented disabilities who have unmet financial need and are pursuing their first bachelor’s degree at one of Florida’s state universities. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
| | |
Think College
Think College is a national technical assistance, research, and evaluation center dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving IPSE options for students with intellectual disability. Think College provides resources, technical assistance, and training related to college options for students with intellectual disability, and manages the only national listing of college programs for students with intellectual disability in the United States. CLICK HERE.
| |
BEESS (Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services)
The BEESS Weekly Memo provides current action and informational items related to trainings, jobs, conferences, resources and other information relevant to students with disabilities. CLICK HERE.
| |
FloridaShines
FloridaShines partners with Florida’s public colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, technical colleges, and other educational organizations to develop tools that support students, parents, and educators. FloridaShines provides profiles of Florida's public colleges and universities, information about Career and Technical Centers, courses required for specific programs, admissions requirements and deadlines, information on how to pay for college and more. All resources are provided to students at no cost. CLICK HERE.
| |
2026 SparkForce Summer Manufacturing Camp Grant Application
Bring a Manufacturing Camp to Your Community - Inspire the next generation of manufacturers by hosting a summer manufacturing camp at your school. Grant funding is available through SparkForce, The FMA Foundation, to help cover the costs of running an engaging, hands-on camp that introduces students to rewarding careers in manufacturing. CLICK HERE.
| |
CTE Guide for Students with Disabilities
A new resource from the Florida Department of Education’s Get There initiative is now available The Educator’s Guide to Career & Technical Education (CTE) for Students with Disabilities is a toolkit designed to support educators, counselors, and transition coordinators in introducing CTE as a postsecondary option. CLICK HERE to access the toolkit.
| |
AT&T Achievery
A free and safe online learning platform created by AT&T to provide K-12 students with engaging and entertaining videos paired with educational activities. CLICK HERE.
| | |
NTACT Self Advocacy
Instruction in self-advocacy is one of the five required Pre-Employment Transition Services and supports the Youth Leadership and Development Guidepost. To download resources including Guiding Questions, Activities, Progress and Outcome Indicators, CLICK HERE.
| | |
Project 10: Transition Education Network
Project 10 is Florida’s statewide IDEA-funded state project supporting the secondary transition of youth with disabilities. Project 10 assists school districts in providing transition services and programs to assist youth with disabilities in their transition to adulthood. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
| |
Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities
The Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities at the University of Central Florida serves as the state coordinating center to establish and support quality comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities in collaborating with universities, state and technical colleges, with the goal of increasing independent living and competitive integrated employment. For more information, CLICK HERE.
| | | | |
