A handshake. For some, this is a simple task, yet for others it can be a bit more difficult. Thanks to senior Cory Staton, this task (and many like it) are becoming easier for students in the Work, Awareness and Transition (WAT) program to perform.

The American Enterprise Project, started by Staton and later joined by Senior Will Britt, teaches business and interpersonal skills to students in the WAT program, designed to provide help to special education students in their everyday lives and is headed by Deborah Medkeff.

“It’s important to have these skills to transition into the real world,” Britt said. “Cory did this project because he’s just a good person.  But there are about four or five houses which house people with disabilites that will be torn down in 2015. Roughly 800 people will be displaced and they will be living alone, which is a difficult process with someone with disabilities, so this project helps them prepare for their individual lives.”

According to Staton, the project is “a series of lessons put on by the FBLA students who work with Mrs. Medkeff’s special education WAT students.”

“We work with two groups of students, each based upon ability level and how well they can understand new concepts, and they alternate being taught every Thursday during RAISE,” said Staton.

The project also has the goal of bridging the gap between general education students and students with special needs but allowing the general education students to teach kids with special needs. “As long as people are having fun together, the project is being successful.” said Staton.