MOUNT VERNON – Three young people, all in their early 20s, received their high school diplomas Friday (May 20) after overcoming learning challenges to graduate from Transition U, a life-skills teaching program at the Knox Learning Center.
The graduates’ families and staff from the Learning Center gathered for a party at Stein Brewing Company to applaud Hunter David Coscia, 22, Brittney Ann Frye, 21, and Kaylie Marie Bingaman, 21.
Transition U serves students who have earned enough credits for graduation but whose special needs or disabilities have prevented development of the life skills needed to live independently. Awarding of diplomas is deferred until the students, their parents and director Chris Kirkhope agree that personal life skills have been achieved or the students have found gainful employment.
Transition U students learn cooking, hygiene, personal finance and other skills in the classroom each morning, then travel by bus to work at several community businesses four days a week.
Coscia, Frye and Bingaman were among 12 students in the Transition U classroom this year. Kirkhope had high praise for all three graduates.
Coscia, a Mount Vernon student, had been in the program for three years.
“Hunter is a charismatic young man who loves working at his church and helping out with the local food pantry,” Kirkhope said. “He is headed to work at Rural King.”
Coscia’s father, Robert Coscia, expressed his gratitude for Transition U in a story that was published last fall.
“We are so blessed and thankful to have this program. My son is learning different skills that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” he said then. “Chris has a heart like no other. What he has done has given hope to these young people.”
Kirkhope also saluted the achievements of Frye, a Highland student who completed two years in the program.
Joking that Frye “loves everything cats,” he said, “Brittney is always willing to go above and help her follow workers and supervisor. You will never see Brittney upset, as she always has a positive attitude. She leaves Transition U to work at Wendy’s.”
Kirkhope described Bingaman, a Centerburg student who has been at Transition U for a year, as “an employer’s dream.”
“Kaylie works hard, gives 110 percent effort, has a smile on her face and always is willing to help out and take on new responsibilities,” he said. “She is headed to work at the Big Walnut Grill in Sunbury.”
David Stein, owner and president of Stein Brewing Company, hosted Friday’s graduation party. He has been a longtime supporter of Transition U.
Kirkhope developed Transition U in 2016. His staff this year included classroom aide Diane Wenziner and three aides who provided one-to-one student assistance: Meghan Curry, Makenzie Lodahl and Kyle Kincaid.
Knox Learning Center, an alternative school for students in elementary grades through high school, is in the former Mount Vernon West Elementary building. It is operated by the Knox Educational Service Center.
