Blog: 2/10

 

THRIVE Director Notes

Posts on this Blog will be directed to help families see what is going on in our THRIVE Program.  Items discussed on the Blog have already occurred.  Please refer to the THRIVE activity calendar or UCM activity calendar to keep updated on what's coming up.  Also, if you want to learn more about assistance with your son/daughter learning how to drive please contact Mr. Brunkhorst.  

Director Notes: 

This past week we had our first round of interviews for next year's group.  Also, many of your sons/daughters received an email or text about renewing for next year from the dorms.  If you are planning on them continuing in the program they do need to sign up.  We work with housing on rooms and such, but the students still need to do the sign-up through their MyCentral account.

Learning about keeping the kitchen clean…

First-Year Students:

Foods & Nutrition I: Debra Southard  

This week we had Tiffany come from Johnson County Community Services she lectured and discussed with the students food safety. On Friday students took their food handling test. All earned a two-year license. Students were directed to keep the license in their wallets. They can add that to their resumes.

Workplace & Community Skills: Gary Manning & Mrs. Southard

Job skills were discussed and an individual body language on how other people perceive that body language.  We are also in the process of setting up job shadows for the students.  They have submitted five locations where they may want to job shadow.   

Next week we will be starting to look at 5 elective classes for the Fall 2025 semester.  Please have a conversation with your students about what classes they are thinking about.

Daily & Independent Living Skills (DILS):  Joni Shelton

This week students completed the Non-Verbal Communications Near-Pod lesson that we started last week, when the electricity went out. On Thursday, students participated in a presentation with UCM’s Care to Act program about Mental Well-Being.

Second-Year Students:

Transition Planning II: Gary Manning

This week the students are researching apartments within their hometown.  This has created some anxiety among some students.  The students know that finding an apartment needs to be realistic and they cannot afford an apartment that may cost them over $1500/month.  We also discussed having a roommate to split the cost. 

Internship I: Gary Manning

We have been discussing certain body language you need to have in a professional setting compared to the body language you may have when you are at home or with your friends.  We have also discussed observing social cues from other people and what those social cues may be.  

Personal Finance I:  Lisa Garnier

This week students learned about different types of budgets including 50/30/20, Zero-Based, and Envelope System. We discussed the importance of paying yourself first by putting a portion of each paycheck into savings, then budgeting for needs, and then what’s left can be used for wants. They completed a budget case study to practice their new budgeting knowledge and skills. Big items emphasized included the difference between net pay and gross pay and the difference between fixed expenses and variable expenses.

Third-Year Students:

Transition Planning IV: Lisa Garnier

We reviewed different types of budgeting and did a case study that was more advanced in which they practiced a real-world budget scenario. 

Internship IV: Lisa Garnier

Internships are going very well. The students have solidified their working hours and are working on balancing school and work.

THRIVE Activities:

We will have a SCEC Valentine's Day PJ Party at the Union.  This will be an all-THRIVE event for the Mentors and students to attend.  It will be on Thursday and there will be no study hall that night so everyone can have some fun,.

Men’s 5 on 5 Game…

Pickleball…

Mentor Activities: 

Here are the upcoming activities that the mentors will be doing…  

Last weekend the students had Super Bowl Trivia with Kaylee

Great Job Everyone!!  For more pictures please join our THRIVE Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Important upcoming dates:   

Next year’s Interviews are coming up in February- Students will have online or group work for their THRIVE classes so that the team can be involved in the interviews.

THRIVE Scholarships should be up and ready for you to apply for.

Next Mentor Activity:  

We have a few students who will be making pizza with Lucian on Friday night, the 14th.

UCM Athletics:

Basketball is in full swing with both Mules and Jennies playing games on Thursdays and Saturdays.  

"This blog is a programming blog written by the director and staff of the THRIVE Program on the University of Central Missouri campus.  This blog doesn't accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. 

The views and ideas expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.  This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.  We are simply telling you what we plan to do in our program and using the blog to help spread what we are doing on a weekly basis."