At Vista Education Campus, students ages 18–22 are thriving, building independence, achieving confidence and improving real-world skills every day.
“The Vista is awesome,” said Vista special education teacher Allie Gunn, who has taught with the district for 14 years and been at Vista for six.
“We have so much fun here while working hard,” she said. “We learn real-life skills that are applicable to our students. In my classroom, students go out to job sites, explore the community, and learn skills that prepare them to be contributing members of society.”
Students feel the difference, too.
Dennis, a Vista student, shared, “You don’t feel like you’re all alone in something. You feel like you fit into something instead of going into regular schools.” He added, “The staff is phenomenal. They help us improve so much that now I can apply these skills in the real world.”
From cooking and shopping with a budget, to riding public transportation independently, Vista gives students hands-on experiences that prepare them for life after school.
Another Vista student, Lexi said, “There is just so much joy.”
At the heart of Vista is a community that celebrates every accomplishment, big or small.
“The thing that I love the most about my students is just how much they love me, and they appreciate me and my TAs and all that we do for them,” said Vista Teacher Kimberly Ricks. “ ... Making sure that they understand that we do care about them as people, not just as students, and that we support them in helping them to be able to become as independent as possible.”
For many at Vista, the work is personal.
Principal Neesha Killpack, whose son has autism, explained, “One thing that's really important for me and my personal connection to this place is, is I think of him and what are the most important things that we need to teach these kids here at Vista. And so, it's very personal to me. Because I think one of the biggest things we do for parents and for students is to provide hope.”