Dear WRA Families & Supporters,
Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time for a fresh new perspective about our goals, mindsets, and dreams for the future! The world around us is awakening and preparing for new growth, just as we are continuing to open our minds to new ideas, concepts, and skills that will prepare us for a new season of excitement and wonder!
“When you’re in a growth mindset, what that means is that you choose to see struggle and challenge as an opportunity for growth and for learning and development.” - Chris Bertram
Here at the Work Readiness Academy we utilize “teachable moments” to demonstrate and highlight not only how to overcome adversity, but also to remind ourselves that although our journey may be ongoing, it is important to take the time to look back and see how far we have come, how hard we have worked, and the undeniable growth we have achieved! Just as spring flowers grow to face the sun, we here at The Work Readiness Academy have continued to work on staying positive and are always searching for opportunities to grow our confidence, self-advocacy skills, and communication abilities. We continue to find ways to use our voices to share our visions, thoughts, ideas, and opinions for how we plan to impact the world and become active participants and contributing members of our local and school communities. We continue to look forward to sunny skies and warmer days as we head into the spring season!
Save the Date!
Our End of Year ceremonies are confirmed and will take place on the following days:
Work Readiness Academy - Wednesday, June 18th at 6pm (at Holy Spirit Church Cafegymatorium)
- ALL students will be recognized and honored
- Graduating students will receive a special recognition
Project SEARCH - Monday, June 16th at 3pm (at Overlook Medical Center's Bouras Auditorium)
Congratulations to Alejandro Colon for being named one of Union County's 2025 Unsung Heroes by the Union County School Boards Association. More details and pictures are featured further down in this month's newsletter.
In keeping with our new tradition, we invited David Alzate - another one of our exiting students - to join us for a picture this month. David is looking forward to pursing paid employment in retail or electronics once he leaves our program at the end of June.
Please enjoy the rest of this month's newsletter and as always, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at jbornstein@ucesc.org or rricher@ucesc.org if you have any questions or want to discuss your child's program. We can also be reached at (908) 633-2704.
Josh Bornstein, Director
Rachel Richer, Supervisor of Instruction
UCESC Work Readiness Academy
Attendance Reporting
In the event that your child will be absent, arriving late, or picked up early, please send us an email at AttendanceWRA@ucesc.org. You may also call our main number at (908) 633-2704. If it is before 8am, please leave a message.
Sharlene's McQuade's Class...
During the month of March, the students in my class have been focusing on updating their resumes to reflect their new internships, researching entry level jobs, learning time management skills, and celebrating Women’s History Month by creating Google Slides about how women have made impactful contributions to the business world. In financial literacy, we are developing an understanding of how to use credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets, and recognizing safety precautions to take when using each form of payment.
Our students have also been hard at work in their fitness classes! They have been participating in cardio drumming - a low impact workout used to help increase cardiovascular endurance and coordination. Students use drum sticks and a stability ball to drum to the beat of a song while completing different exercises. They definitely rocked it!
Additionally, the students in my homeroom are excited to have partnered with three local businesses in downtown Cranford (Vinny’s Pizza and Pasta, Cake Artist Cafe, and Mr. J’s Deli), to resell their school-based product...“Furlicious Dog Treats”. They have also been selling our treat to the staff and families of UCESC. Our students have learned how to develop a product, name their business, create a slogan, market, advertise, and write a business plan! Additionally, our students worked as a team to test recipes and bake our dog treats in The Work Readiness Academy kitchen. I am very proud of all that my class has accomplished this month!
Sharlene McQuade
Work Readiness Academy Teacher & WBL Supervising Teacher
Amanda Rosen, Speech-Language Specialist
Current position at UCESC? I am a Speech-Language Specialist. I currently work at WRA, Crossroads, Westlake and LMA!
How long have you worked at UCESC?
April will be my one year anniversary at UCESC.
What do you love most about your job?
One of my favorite things is helping students develop communication skills they need for real world success. Whether that’s advocating for themselves, navigating workplace interactions, or interviewing. I also love establishing strong relationships with all of my students and helping them gain confidence, independence and watching them succeed!
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy spending time with my son, husband, and our French bulldog. Recently, I started to play pickleball and I am a big fan of Rumble boxing classes. I'm also a huge fan of true crime documentaries! And when it comes to unwinding, retail therapy is my favorite activity!
What is one thing that would surprise people about you?
I have a twin sister with whom I share an incredibly close bond. She also has twin children, and I consider them like my own. We share a truly special and unique relationship.
This month the Project SEARCH interns became the first cohort to become certified in CPR-Heartsaver! The training was made possible thanks to support from the AHS PEACE Grant team and the education staff at Atlantic Mobile Health. The students will also be utilizing a new modified CPR and AED Basic Skills Game to reinforce the content learned at the training. The game was provided to the program as part of funding from the New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
The Project SEARCH Program at Overlook Medical Center is now in its 9th year. The one-year immersive program provides intensive, hands-on training for students ages 18-21 with disabilities who are motivated to work and eventually seek paid employment in the community.
For more information about Project SEARCH, or to access the application for the Class of 2026, please visit our newly update website at:
https://www.atlantichealth.org/professionals/residencies-fellowships/project-search
Celebrating Women's History Month: Honoring Trailblazers, Changemakers, and the Future of Equality
Cake Artist Cafe
This month we're pleased to spotlight the Cake Artist Cafe, located at 8 Eastman Street in Downtown Cranford! Liga and Rui DeJesus have been operating their business since 2011. They have been fantastic mentors to our students over the past several years, including helping to teach entry-level bakery decorating skills.
When asked what they enjoy most about this partnership, they said, "Just getting the pleasure of being able to help!" A little-known fact is that both Liga and Rui speak four different languages; English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Afrikaans.
For custom cakes for every occasion, check out the Cake Artist Cafe. You can visit them at:
Savor the Flavor in the Cooking/Baking Club
Each year In collaboration with the New Jersey School Boards Association, the Union County School Boards Association recognizes an Unsung Hero from each of Union County's high school programs. Nominees are those who have made outstanding contributions to their schools and communities but are often overlooked by other traditional student recognition programs. They may have overcome difficult academic or personal challenges including a disability, modeled good citizenship, or demonstrated spirit of quiet strength that has inspired others.
This year, the Work Readiness Academy nominated and honored Alejandro Colon at a ceremony held on March 12th at Kean University's Liberty Hall Academic Center.
About the Work Readiness Academy
The Work Readiness Academy serves students ages 18-21 with disabilities and provides a comprehensive employment training experience that incorporates both classroom-based instruction and community-based work-learning experiences. While in the training classroom, students work cooperatively with similar aged peers to learn critical skills related to employment and socialization. Students also work on career exploration and planning, including the development of a person-centered, post-secondary vision and plan with clear goals and action steps. Program staff remain on-site during the internships to provide and fade support and assistance as needed. Students also participate in field trips focused on career discovery, independent living skills, recreation and independent travel training.
For more information or to make a student referral, please email Rachel Richer at rricher@ucesc.org
Email: jbornstein@ucesc.org
Website: https://www.ucesc.org/schools/the_work_readiness_academy
Location: 970 Suburban Road, Union, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-633-2704
