Budgeting | Resources | Independent Functioning | Development | Growth | Empowerment | Social Skills
The HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program supports the development of school-based social and community life skills activities designed to meet the needs of ASD High School Students. Structured in the form of a grant, the Foundation encourages High School ESE Departments to create school-based programs that provide opportunities year-round for Social, Independence, Community and Personal Development to teens who have Developmental Disabilities within this population. The recipients of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Grant can accomplish this by incorporating various community based-field trips to local businesses who are poised to provide potential future employment, life skills development initiatives such as establishing bank accounts, shopping opportunities, learning about transportation options, and social skills opportunities during the school year that allow for the inclusion of these students to typical high school activities such as Homecoming, Football Games, Prom, and many others. These are conduits to building better communication tools, peer mentoring, fostering friendships, and preparation for life after high school, including post-secondary.
HDS BRIDGES GRANT
The HDS Foundation provides Grant Opportunities to candidate Programs that meet the criteria of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program goals. One or more Grants may be issued per year. For more information on the HDS B.R.I.D.G.E.S Grant, click below.
Office Depot Challenge
Every week, the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class has their Community Based Instruction trip where students are able to practice their skills. For this CBI, the students put their budgeting skills to the test. Upon arrival, students were divided into groups of 3-4 and were handed...
A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Money, Money! It’s that time a year when the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students get to experience opening their first bank account at the local bank. Students and their parent(s) drove to the local Bank of America on a Saturday morning where they got their accounts set up. They...
Teamwork is the Key to Success!
Teamwork makes the Dreamwork! Students walked together to a local park and enjoyed being outside as they participated in several team building activities. As students chose their partner for the first activity, one was blindfolded and the other one had to give...
Welcome Back to School B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Class!
We are happy to welcome back the students in the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class for the 21-22 school year! After a year and a half of virtual learning, we are ready to get back out in the community and experience in person Community Based Instructions (CBI). Our HDS Foundation...
End of the Year Celebration for our B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Students
Friends, Food & Fun! The B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students were finally able to spend an evening together celebrating the End of the School Year! We even had a surprise visit from several of the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. alumni who came to reconnect with current classmates....
Family Network on Disabilites Q&A with B.R.I.D.G.E.S.
Throughout the school year, Luke Wilson from Family Network on Disabilities (FND) hosted several workshops for the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students. The workshops the class attended virtually were: Internet Safety and Nuts & Bolts of Self-Determination. Both sessions were...
Get the Door, It’s Domino’s!
Get the Door. It’s Domino’s! Last week’s Community Based Instruction (CBI) included ordering lunch from delicious Dominos. In preparation for this CBI, the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students attended a “drive by” at the high school to pick up their own individual Domino’s Gift...
Highlighting Our B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program
The HDS Foundation supports many programs to help teens and young adults on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) transition to their post-secondary journey. The B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Program is a school-based social and community life skills activities class designed to meet...
Wings of Friendship
Friendship was the topic of last week’s Community Based Instruction (CBI) with the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. students! Special Guests Robb Armstrong and Samantha Novick from the Wings of Friendship, a non-profit organization, attended the class to educate the students about...
Self-Determination Skill Building
Students in the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. class had the opportunity to participate in the “Nuts and Bolts of Self-Determination Skill Building” workshop hosted by Luke Wilson with Family Network on Disabilities (FND). The focus of the workshop was to help students learn how to...