After noticing that the high price of prom attire was a barrier for students to attend their school prom, the occupational therapists (OTs) were inspired to organize and distribute free prom dresses and suits. This opportunity serves an additional purpose – it provides students with tools to build their skills in a simulated retail environment, which builds toward their transition to post-school success and improves skills for independence. The OTs started the process by outlining the supplies needed to run the Prom Boutique, such as technology, materials, space, and time. Then, they requested donations and arranged the space with clothing racks. As donations started to come in, students created tags, sorted inventory, entered data into the system, staged and photographed the items, and developed a webpage to advertise the items.

The Prom Boutique is primarily funded through donations of clothing items. To allow students to choose their attire, the boutique was set up by the students both as an online store, accessible from home, and an in-person boutique. This included dresses, suits, shoes, and accessories. The staff members used in-house technology (ie. Chromebooks, and iPads) and free online platforms (ie. Google Sites) to build the online store. The district generously supplied the rolling racks and space for the boutique, making this service accessible to all students interested in participating.

The occupational therapists at Mercer High School have demonstrated how applying the occupational therapy framework to the high school prom boutique is one way to equip students with special needs the tools needed for post-school success and highlights the role of OTs in successful secondary education transition planning and programming. Skills gained during this experience are focused on technology (building a database and website, photography) as well as motor skills, processing skills, and opportunities for social interaction. In addition to the current opportunities for students, this initiative has room to grow. Future opportunities for the Prom Boutique might include broadening the scope of services to the local community by offering dress rentals, laundering, alterations, and styling; offering salon services like hair, nails, and makeup; operating as a thrift store; partnerships with speech therapists; and more. 

This concept was so successful that Amy and Patricia presented the idea at AOTA INSPIRE 2025: The American Occupational Therapy Association National Conference in Philadelphia at the beginning of April.

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The Springboard Program provides a supportive environment to students, ages 18 to 21, who are transitioning from high school to work or pursue higher education. The program places special emphasis on career exploration, functional academics, and independent living skills. Since joining Springboard, Mr. Liso has completely transformed the cooking program to become a first-class culinary experience for students. He immediately removed all boxed materials and had the students learn to prepare all meals from scratch. To teach budgeting, Mr. Liso takes students to Shop Rite each year, where they learn to find the best deals and maximize their money. Mr. Liso was the creator of the Bergen Bistro, which mimics a real-life restaurant by delivering high-quality food and dining service. Students rotate between stations throughout the semester as part of their learning pathway, which offers the opportunity to make connections between education and real-world work experiences. His students practice the wide range of skills they are learning by creating menus, preparing food, serving customers, and balancing the books. The Bistro has become so popular that each week classes from other BCSS Programs come to experience it.

On his own time, Mr. Liso has worked to further his resume by earning a ServSafe certification which demonstrates his commitment to teaching responsible food service measures. This nationally recognized course certifies that those who take it understand food safety procedures. Mr. Liso continued his training and is now able to teach and certify his own students, which elevates their value to a potential employer.

Mr. Liso is always seeking new community relationships that would benefit his students. He also helps students with building and cultivating relationships within the community, while teaching them to understand the importance of being part of a community. Mr. Liso’s students proudly work with the American Legion in Rochelle Park and Maywood to help the men and women that sacrificed for all of us.

“They say that teaching is a passion, and nobody epitomizes that more than Andy Liso,” said Mitch Badiner, BCSSSD Director of Instruction. “He truly cares about his students, and it shows in the effort that they give in each and everything they do.”

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As a young mom, she was helping a friend write a paper for Atlantic County Community College (ACCC). The paper earned her friend an A and inspired Jackie to submit an application to attend ACCC. Jackie’s application was accepted, and she signed up for night classes, earning her first 60 college credits.

Jackie was first introduced to special education after high school, after she had earned her first 60 college credits. Jackie’s mother was a school secretary at the time and encouraged her to get a substitute certificate. She decided to pursue that and applied for a position at a local school where they had just opened a program for students with autism. Within 10 minutes of starting this position, the teacher noted that she could see Jackie was meant for working in the classroom. Shortly after starting, the teacher took Jackie on a field trip with the students to the ACSSSD cafeteria. By the time she got on the bus to go back to her school, she had already filled out an application to work at ACSSSD. To this day, the administrators at ACSSSD value Jackie and her approach to teaching.

“Jackie is a valuable member of our team,” said Erin Lichtenwalner, Director of Instruction, Programs and Services. “We are lucky to have someone who not only has a wealth of experience but is also passionate about her career and helping others develop their own careers.”

Today, Jackie is a teacher in the same room where she started as a teacher’s aide, bringing her education and life-work full circle. Her classroom is known by the school community as a model classroom because of the effort and thought that is put into setting it up to serve the students in the best way. Jackie loves working with students, but she also enjoys being a teacher mentor as well.
“I would never want to leave the classroom, and I would only do it to teach the new teachers. I am passionate about helping teachers become better teachers,” Jackie said.

She knows there is still much to do and many areas where the special needs population needs greater support. Parents and caregivers need more support, and the students need state and legislature advocacy. Jackie provides in-home Application Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to students, which is based on the science of learning and behavior. She wishes to stay in this lane educationally and continue serving the autism population through applied therapy and support.

“I want to pay it forward. I didn’t believe in myself, and someone saw something in me and pushed me,” said Jackie with a smile. “I was harassed until I became a teacher, and we are still in touch.”

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