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Guest Speaker at Kilo MS FCP: Empowering Students for the Future

Guest Speaker at Kilo MS FCP: Empowering Students for the Future

Once a month, Kilo Middle School celebrates Future Friday, inviting a guest speaker to share insights with the Functional Core Program (FCP) scholars about life after middle school. Recently, Alex Motteler, an Advocacy Specialist at Trillium Employment Services, had the honor of speaking to students about self-advocacy and his personal experiences as a person with disabilities who successfully navigated college and career paths.

Students were eager to hear Alex’s journey of overcoming barriers in school and adulthood. Using an iPad to communicate and a wheelchair for mobility, Alex shared relatable experiences that resonated with many students. In his work, he focuses on building self-advocacy skills for people with disabilities and educating legislators on impactful policies. Alex takes pride in sharing the challenges he has faced, using his story to promote high expectations for people with disabilities and advocate for the supports needed to help them achieve their goals.

Alex’s work is instrumental in promoting the future of employment, especially for young individuals who may be uncertain about their paths after school or who lack role models in the workforce. “Some of them might go to college,” shared Karen Williams, Executive Director at Trillium Employment Services, which serves South King County.

Trillium collaborates with the FWPS Employment Transition Program (ETP) to help connect students with their first jobs after graduation. “I love that (FCP teacher) Kari Williams had the vision to expose her students early on and get them thinking about ‘What can I do now to build my future career?’” Karen emphasized the importance of this forward-thinking approach, which also encourages students to consider living independently.

“The Federal Way School District is truly a leader in the state,” she continued. “We work with various school districts across Washington in various counties that Trillium serves. We consistently use the Employment Transition Program as a model for how we can best partner to maximize the investments made in special education. Our goal is to ensure that the skills students have learned translate into success in adult life, whether through employment, community engagement, volunteering, or simply living their best lives.”

Through initiatives like Future Friday, Kilo MS is making strides to empower students and prepare them for the opportunities that lie ahead.

 

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Alex Motteler from Trillium Employment Services speaking to FCP scholars at Kilo MS.