For exceptional students enrolled at area high schools, the ESE (Exceptional Student Learning) program helps each student with a disability to progress in school as well as prepare for life after school. Thanks to Goodwill Manasota's High School Work Experience Program, ESE students from area high schools and the Easterseals Southwest Florida VIP Academy also benefit from real-life work experience through placements at area Goodwill retail stores. “We are extremely excited about this program: it offers students real-life work experience and, potentially, a job at Goodwill after they graduate, if they are interested in applying,” said Goodwill career development facilitator Morgan Howell. “The students learn important employability skills and gain valuable information about the world of work, such as what they enjoy or don’t enjoy doing, the value of teamwork, and the pride of doing a job well. We are pleased we found a way to continue this program with our Bayshore students, even as the pandemic continues on.”

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