Post-High Success: Students grade 10-12 can help out next school year for “Lancer University” —  a Post-High School program for special education students that helps them prepare for life after they graduate

Applications to be a teacher’s assistant for East’s post-high school program “Lancer University” are due on April 11 for freshman, sophomores and juniors.

This is Lancer University’s first year at East. Its purpose is to equip special education students with real life skills they can use after they graduate. The post-high program is only available to East graduated special education students aged 18 to 21. 

The students chosen will help out with classes and work with the adults in the post-high program.

The application process consists of two short essay answers— one on why the student wants to help the special ed community and the other on why they think “Lancer University”  will be beneficial to East.  The applications are in room 417 and when students are finished they can drop it off back to room 417. Students will be interviewed and then notified if they receive the position of student peer.

Head of the SPED program Luanne Fox started the program after seeing other Shawnee Mission high schools’ success with the post-high school program. She hopes that implementing student peers will be beneficial to the special education students.

“It’s been very successful,” Fox said. “Our kids laugh, our kids have fun, our kids work hard and students will get to share different stories with them, and kind of grow with them”

The Lancer University has their own room filled with snacks, and a couch that promotes a friendly environment where they learn and practice their social skills.

The special education students in Lancer University do a plethora of things around the school. Such as bring around the coffee cart for teachers, wash towels for the student athletes or go on job visits to get the experience of what a job would be like.

Class would look similar for any student peers looking to apply. They would have a position similar to a teacher’s assistant, where they help the special ed students with day-to-day activities helping out around school.

Psychologist and special education department chair Monica Symes believes that having students that are not in the special education program is important for not only the kids in special education, but the student peers as well.

“It’s going to help Ms. Fox out a lot with making sure that she has the right support for all of the students,”  Symes said. “It’s really important for students who do not have special needs to expose themselves to students who do have special needs, and it helps round us out. It helps us understand how to work with all kinds of people.”