Special needs students in the program of Career Awareness and Job Exploration (CAJE) of the Harrison County Board of Education are receiving personal care kits from the Children’s Health Pantry, a ministry of the Bridgeport Presbyterian Church funded in part by the Social & Ecumenical Ministries Committee (SEMC) of the Presbytery of WV.

The mission of the CAJE program is to prepare students to make the transition from the world of school to the world of work by focusing on a strong foundation of accountability, responsibility and integrity.

A new component of the program focuses on personal hygiene, grooming, and dress. The five area high schools provide shower and laundry facilities. The Children’s Health Pantry provides age- and gender-appropriate personal care kits. The Clarksburg League for Service provides clothing from Amy’s Attic. The students shower and dress at school prior to going to an interview or work. Three certified teachers transport students to their job interviews and placements.
 

Donna Jo Young, the CAJE Coordinator, said "the personal care kits from the Bridgeport Presbyterian Church make the students feel more special, be more accepted, be more confident, and have more training and job opportunities."

 

Victor Fisher, Supervisor of Pupil Services, wrote: "They (students) learn that the community as a whole cares about them and wants them to succeed. They learn that many adults give back to the community by helping others. These are life lessons that will last far beyond the students’ time in school."