Eyeing the swirling patterns, Reshanty Jackson carefully poured steaming water over the coffee grounds, then, referring to a laminated list of instructions, poured the coffee into a cup, added the milk, and handed it to Robert Jones, who delivered it in a cardboard holder.
Outside in the courtyard, students vacuumed and washed their cars with foamy sponges. A little way down the hall, others were wiping windows and sweeping floors, their hands gently guided by vocational instructors. Upstairs, in a model apartment, students were practicing making their beds.
That’s what classes are like at Opportunities Academy, a Collegiate Academy charter school in New Orleans’ Central City. The school serves about 70 students ages 18 to 22 with a range of intellectual disabilities and autism, helping them develop independence. Students learn skills and gain work experience while working toward goals tailored to each student and their abilities.
Students wash cars at Opportunities Academy in New Orleans on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. About 70 students, ages 18 to 21, with developmental disabilities attend the charter school to learn life skills and participate in job-training internships to help them live more independent lives. Staff photo by Sophia Germer▲
The school grew out of the Abramson Academy of Sciences program and received its own accreditation in 2019. It is the only tuition-free program in the New Orleans area and one of only a few in the entire state of Louisiana. Last year, the school received the Governor’s Office of Persons with Disabilities’ highest honor, the Outstanding Achievement Award.
“We’re here every day, and we know we’re doing something special in this building,” said Sophia Scott, executive director of Opportunities Academy, “but it’s nice to have people outside of the building know that, too.”
The school was nominated for the award by Mayor LaToya Cantrell and State Senator Karen Carter Peterson.
“They are extremely deserving of this award,” Cantrell said. “This school has expanded educational opportunities for young people with disabilities in New Orleans and has transformed the lives of the students and families they educate.”
On a recent morning, students checked their birthdays on a calendar and practiced saying the names of the days of the week.
Job coach Yvonne Griffin guides Megan Polly as she washes windows at Opportunities Academy in New Orleans on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. About 70 students, ages 18 to 21, with developmental disabilities attend the charter school to learn life skills and participate in job training internships to help them live more independent lives. Staff photo by Sophia Germer▲
The students then headed to their internships, working a variety of jobs at the campus’ coffee shop, rOAst, and car wash, sOAptopia, as well as completing various tasks around campus. Before the pandemic, students worked off-campus internships, such as helping with cleaning teams at the Superdome. Students clock in and out like they would at a regular job, submit timesheets, follow a dress code, and are paid $8 an hour.
Opportunities Academy receives tuition reimbursement for some students from Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, a division of the state Department of Labor, and pays for the education of others with a portion of education tax revenue.
The school spends $40,000 to $45,000 per student, said Davis Saumbrecher, Collegiate Academy’s chief strategy officer, noting that other Collegiate Academy high schools spend about $15,000 per student, “which is on the high end of the city’s schools given the size of our special education programs for students with disabilities.”
“Skills for living a rich life”
Walking through the school in the afternoon, you might see students brushing their teeth, washing their faces, folding clothes, learning to read, write and pay bills, preparing for job interviews, etc. Scott said classes also teach independent living skills, like how to navigate public transportation.
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists support students throughout the day, and some students work in a lab upstairs to fine-tune their sense of touch and motor skills.
“While there is an academic component, it’s really about transition and giving students the skills they need to lead fulfilling lives after they graduate and after they leave the public school system,” said Davis Saumbrecher, a spokesman for the school.
Robert Jones, a coffee delivery man at Opportunities Academy’s coffee shop, rOAst, smiles as he holds a checklist and a coffee order in hand, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in New Orleans. About 70 students, ages 18 to 21, with developmental disabilities attend the charter school, where they learn life skills and participate in job-training internships to help them live more independent lives. Staff photo by Sophia Germer▲
More than 20 percent of Collegiate Academy’s high school students have disabilities. About 13 percent of students enrolled in New Orleans Parish Public Schools receive individualized education programs, on par with public school systems nationwide, said Taslyn Alfonzo, a spokeswoman for the New Orleans Parish Public Schools.
Opportunities Academy draws students from local high schools and allows them to stay until they turn 22. Scott said the school will not turn away any student if they meet state requirements.
Navigating a complex system
Before students graduate, Opportunities Academy helps connect them with agencies such as the Metropolitan Human Services District and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services to facilitate the next steps in complex support for adults with disabilities.
At rOAst, orders from teachers and staff come in sporadically. Miguel Laurent stirs a bowl of trail mix while excitedly peppering Director of Finance and Operations Kathleen Kobelick with questions about an upcoming basketball pep rally.
Laurent said he plans to spend his paycheck on a rib platter at his favorite restaurant, Texas Roadhouse.