Nov. 30, 2023
Hundreds of students and family members attended the fall ESE Fair to learn about opportunities for students with disabilities.
The event, which took place on Wednesday at Pinellas Technical College in Clearwater, was created to help students with disabilities and their families plan for the future.
The fair featured more than 75 community partners and district resources aimed at supporting students in grades 6-12 and students in Extended Transition programs.
Kristin Curvelo came to the event to support her 17-year-old son and was amazed by the volume of resources.
"I was surprised how large (the fair) is and the number of resources," said Curvelo, a PCS Occupational Therapist. She was able to access resources to help her son and her students, she said.
The fair also featured various recreational and camp opportunities.
Amanda Kellogg came with her daughter, Morgan, who was highly interested in Theatre eXceptional, a program that provides performing arts opportunities for people with disabilities. They came last year too and got Morgan a tricycle through the Wheelchairs 4 Kids program. "She loves that tricycle!" Kellogg said.
Every year, new and different resources are added based on feedback from families. This year's event offered expanded career training and college opportunities and emphasized options for children who are turning 18 or moving on from Extended Transition programs.
Linda True came to the fair to find options for her granddaughter Hannah Johnson, 17, who attends Countryside High and "has a lot of abilities." Hannah was especially interested in PTC's Culinary Arts program, she said.
This is the eighth fair since PCS kicked off the event several years ago. Since then, resources have doubled, and the fair has been expanded to serve middle school students. The event serves Pinellas ESE students who have a wide range of needs and various disabilities. "We try to find agencies to address that variety," said event organizer and ESE Specialist Katia Roussos.
Another fair is planned for the spring. If you have questions, please contact Roussos at RoussosK@pcsb.org or 727-588-6482.
