Learning Life Skills

Students in Hauppauge High School’s Vocational Skills Program recently enjoyed a special field trip to Cause Café in Fort Salonga, New York. Cause Café provides job training to young adults with disabilities who are integrated with young adults in an inclusive setting to promote job skills and independent living.

Teacher Angela McElroy Braun and Speech Therapist Michelle Petraco worked with the students in the High School’s Vocational Skills Program on developing community and social skills in preparation for their visit to the restaurant.

The students used Google Maps to research the distance in miles, traveling by car/bus/foot, to Cause Café. They then researched the menu, selected an item and practiced the dialogue for their order. They also learned about various social skills, such as: appropriate restaurant behaviors, conversing in a public setting, proper table manners, paying for a meal, collecting their change and tipping.

“The students greatly enjoyed their Cause Café experience, and the snow added a special element of festivity and fun to the day,” described McElroy-Braun. “It also was educational for the students to see other young adults with disabilities in an employment situation.”