Erin Fredrick

As a special education teacher, Fredrick knows the benefits of mainstreaming students with disabilities into standard classrooms. Her pilot program, the "School-to-Work Transition Program", involves emotionally and behaviorally challenged high school students running a restaurant. Students at Egg Harbor Township High School will work within the school's cafeteria and cater to fellow students, teachers, staff and visitors. The program integrates math, English, hands-on technology and vocational food-service training to prepare students for interaction with peers and future employers. The elements of the program will include food preparation, dining area set-up and breakdown, taking orders from customers, hosting, and the overall behind the scenes experience of restaurant operations. Fredrick hopes the program will help with the development of social skills, character-building, leadership, teamwork and on-the-job skills of the students. The long-term goals are to encourage all educators to work collectively in finding the best education for students with disabilities based on their individual needs, help decrease the dropout rate of emotionally and behaviorally challenged students, and promote employability success. Fredrick resides in Brigantine.