Anaya McGaugh: “People person” will attend Post-High special needs program next year

The girl who holds the school doors every sunrise to say “good morning” — Senior Anaya McGaugh. She’s out of bed and to school by 7 a.m., even when she feels like snoozing, to greet students she knows and those she doesn’t.

“There’s people having bad mornings, and I just want to say ‘good morning’ to everyone,” Anaya said. “I feel like it’s just nice.”

She’s the girl who waits by the library printer during passing period between fourth and sixth hour to say hi to whoever walks by — she’s stationed in the art hallway between fifth and seventh hour, too. Almost everyone sees her at some point along their daily route.

Next year, Anaya will be greeting Shawnee Mission North students instead of East students in the morning as a participant in SMSD’s special needs Post-High program.

Special education teacher Sharon Houser, who’s known Anaya since she was a freshman, calls her a people person. She loves to make new friends, as someone who’s not too shy to pick up a conversation about the upcoming game with strangers on their way to class.

“Anaya’s friendly,” Houser said. “She’s kind. She’s compassionate. She cares about other people.”

She fills up her current special needs teacher Rachel Kirby’s water bottle without being asked — or maybe her cup of coffee, whatever Kirby’s in the mood for.

Post-High provides services to students from ages 18 to 21 who would like more time to learn before transitioning to a post-school environment, according to SMSD.org. While in the year-long program, students complete activities that prepare them to live and work in the community.

In preparation for her new program, Anaya has bagged groceries at Hen House, worked at Catholic Charities’ clothing resale shop and helped at a local veterinarian clinic. Her dream job is to become a vet, but she’s not sure what her plans are after she goes through Post-High.

“I’ll miss seeing my friends, but I like that [North] is a big school,” Anaya said.

Though Anaya has attended career placement field trips this year, Kirby hopes that she’ll visit even more job sites to help her figure out her next steps thanks to Post-High. Anaya said she’s excited — not nervous at all — to start going there.

“The program will help [Anaya] transition from doing high school activities to job-related activities,” Houser said. “From a student to a person in the community with more responsibilities.”