Champions

The Champions Program: Achieving Self-Sufficiency

The special-needs curriculum teaches youth with mental disabilities/challenges the life skills they need to achieve self-sufficiency. The program focuses on and enhances coping skills. Areas covered include the following:

• Self-concept. Youth develop an awareness of personal, social, and civic responsibility.
• Personal/social skills. Youth learn ways in which emotions affect the behavior of self and others.
• Life skills. Youth are taught basic skills for independent living, such as personal hygiene, meal preparation, and job preparedness training.

The teacher's edition of the Champions curriculum presents 57 lesson plans in 12 themed chapters. Chapters include:

• Safety
• Calendar
• Self Concept
• Parts of the Body
• Grooming
• Clothing Care
• Dressing
• Human Growth and Development
• Nutrition
• Wellness
• Table Manners
• Meal Preparation

The Champions Program also has its own recognition plan that includes stickers that collate with the 12 chapters. Stickers are placed on honor charts. Iron -on emblems are also available.

Transition Program

For Special Needs High school aged youth, a Transition Program is available. This program is a series of progressive lesson that assist educators prepare youth for a productive role in the workplace environment. The transition plan has its own recognition plan with certificates and medals.

Because of the various forms and levels of disabilities that schools encounter, the Learning for Life special-needs curriculum is sometimes supplemented with the elementary, seventh- and eighth-grade, and senior high school Learning for Life program materials. In this way, Learning for Life is tailored to fit the needs of each individual class and youth and is certain to be age appropriate.

Awards

• Vivian Harris Award: The Vivian Harris Award is the highest recognition for individuals and organizations making an outstanding contribution to special education at the local, state, or national level that has added to the quality of life for families through Learning for Life programs.