A Splash of Color, A Leap in Independence

At Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, a palette of red, blue, orange, and green transforms simple primary colors into a system that unlocks independence and essential life skills. Stagg is proud to announce the launch of an innovative initiative aimed at empowering students with special needs through hands-on vocational and life skills training. Thanks in part to a $3,000 District 230 Foundation grant, the ULTIMA and Occupations Program has established a color-coded kitchen designed to enhance functional independence and employability for participating students.

This project, spearheaded by teachers Stephanie Young and Colleen Regan, provides students with special needs the opportunity to develop critical daily living skills, work habits, and soft skills essential for independent living and future employment.

Grant funding helped provide a fully-equipped kitchen, with matching tools, utensils, and silverware, where students learn cooking, meal planning, grocery shopping, kitchen safety, and basic cleaning.

The color-coding helps simplify tasks, using matching skills, which leads to higher participation, engagement, and confidence.

Teacher Colleen Regan said, “Color coding the kitchen has given our students the ability to be independent in maintaining the kitchen and the tools they use during cooking instruction. Students are able to use the color coding system paired with the visuals we have used to organize the kitchen to keep the space organized.”

Students are gaining employability skills such as communication, teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving. They are also master essential life skills like cooking, cleaning, and personal organization, fostering independence and reducing reliance on caregivers.

The program is helping prepare students for real-world jobs in food service, retail, custodial work, and more, while also improving their social-emotional functioning and self-esteem.

The skills acquired through this program will empower students to transition smoothly into adulthood, whether through independent living, supported housing, or employment opportunities.

Regan added, “Our students have taken pride in being able to participate in organizing the space. To prepare for a recipe, they will go to their assigned kitchens and locate necessary materials. Following a recipe, they wash, dry, and put the items away within the color-coded kitchen by using the visuals present in each kitchen. Students have also started to help one another find the correct place to put items, rather than looking to staff for direction.”

By fostering independence, adaptability, and resilience, the program lays the foundation for lifelong success and improved quality of life. The overall feedback from parents and caregivers is that they have seen an increase in independence and willingness to participate in these types of tasks at home.

“This project is more than just a kitchen or vocational space—it’s an investment in the dignity, self-determination, and future opportunities of our students,” said Stephanie Young, co-leader of the initiative. We are excited to see the transformative impact this program will have on their lives.”