Beyond Akeela was designed from its inception to be a college readiness program for ASD teens. There are many ways to prepare Asperger’s teens for college, and we look at the transition in four different areas. Social Development, Executive Function, Acts of Daily Living, and Self-Advocacy.
Acts of Daily Living for ASD Teens College Readiness
Independently managing acts of daily living is a critical step for ASD teens’ college readiness. Things such as hygiene, laundry, cooking, and keeping a clean room all play a role in a students success in college. Most ASD teens have some working knowledge and basic skills in the areas above, and benefit from more opportunities to practice them. These habits promote a healthy lifestyle which helps teens stay mentally healthy through the rigors of college. Below we’ll go over how Beyond Akeela supports these different skills.
Laundry
Beyond Akeela teens are responsible for managing their own laundry at camp. They gain experience doing laundry in a typical dorm setting. Our laundry room is equipped with timers, signup sheets, and visual instructions to set teens up for success as they practice their laundry.
Cooking
Every teen at Beyond Akeela practices cooking multiple times while they are at camp. With a group of 3 other teens, campers plan menus, grocery shop on a budget, and prepare the meal with their group. Staff members support the teens as they go through each step of the process. In addition, teens practice healthy eating habits and have to make decisions about food options for themselves in the cafeteria.
Hygiene
Keeping up with good hygiene is an essential part of college life in order to maintain positive social relationships. In most Freshman year accommodations, students must share communal bathrooms and living spaces to maintain their hygiene. This typically is a change in routine for any student. In order to promote this skill, Beyond Akeela teens practice adapting their routines in a communal college dorm setting.
Do you have a ASD teen preparing to transition into a post-secondary program or college? We’d love to chat and see how we can help!
