Transitions

Transitions student Andrew was excited to be a part of the ribbon-cutting event for the newly dedicated Harry M. Steven III Flame Recording Studio at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts! Andrew is a vocalist with FLAME The Band, which benefitted from a generous donation from Harry M. Steven III and his family, leading to the renaming of the recording studio. At the private ribbon-cutting event, Andrew and bandmate Michelle performed two songs and invited Harry to play the bongos with them. Thank you to the Steven family for their support of Flame! See below for some videos of the ribbon-cutting event.

Transitions is excited to be a part of Charity Motor Club's Rally To Saratoga! this weekend! Not only are 12 of our students volunteering at the event, but our program was also selected to be a recipient of 12.5% of the funds raised there! The Charity Motor Club raises money year-round through meals and car-themed events and donates it to a selection of 12 local charities. The Rally to Saratoga will be a full day of cars, music, history, food and scenery, with a drive startin...g in Utica or Albany and ending at the Saratoga Auto Museum for lunch, a tour of the museum and a viewing of over 200 antique and classic cars from the Antique Automobile Club of America. We are so grateful for the club’s generosity and can’t wait to participate in the rally on Saturday! Special thanks to Transitions photography instructor Todd Bailey, one of the coordinators of the Rally to Saratoga, for connecting us with this awesome event. If you would like to participate or get more information, please visit their website at www.charitymotorclub.com/rally-to-saratoga.

The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts just debuted its 2021 Regional Art Show, which features the work of several #TransitionsUSA students! Pictured is Ben, a talented amateur photographer, with his piece Desolate Farm at the show’s Meet the Artists Opening Reception last Thursday. Also featured in this show is a mixed media piece by student Rhiannon, a watercolor landscape by Rachael and a collaborative collage of miniature mixed media canvases by Emily, Rhiannon, Lacy, Matthew, Morgan, Victoria, Kristen and Jess. If you are in the area, please stop by to see the students’ beautiful work at the Nigra Arts Center, 2736 State Highway 30, Gloversville, before the show ends on July 8!

#TransitionsUSA supports all of its students to learn how to live independently, teaching everything from cleaning and laundry to cooking and budgeting to managing one’s own health and transportation. Students have the option to live in apartments with roommates, supported by peer mentors to take charge of every aspect of their lives and day-to-day responsibilities. Transitions students quickly learn the skills they need to be safe, self-sufficient and confident in navigating the real world on their own! Learn more about Transitions’ independent living supports at transitionsusa.org/residential-life, or call (518) 775-5384 or email [email protected] to learn more about how to join our program.

We are honored to announce that #TransitionsUSA student Eric has graduated with honors from Fulton-Montgomery Community College, earning his associate degree! He has also completed all the necessary coursework to graduate from the Transitions program, receiving a Certificate of Completion in Career and Life Studies from FMCC. Eric is an exceptionally gifted singer, speaker and student. His professors say he is incredibly intelligent and one of the most intellectually stimulating students they have ever taught. Eric is currently choosing the next school he will attend to earn his bachelor’s degree. Congratulations to Eric on achieving this great milestone we look forward to seeing what is next for this bright young man!

We are proud to announce that #TransitionsUSA student Olivia has graduated from SUNY Schenectady County Community College with a degree in music and has also completed all the necessary coursework to graduate from the Transitions program, receiving a Certificate of Completion in Career and Life Studies from Fulton-Montgomery Community College! Olivia is a very talented young woman and an accomplished singer who has shared her many performing talents in venues large and small. She now works in a medical practice and continues to sing professionally for community events and businesses. We are so happy to recognize Olivia’s achievements through the years and excited to welcome her into the Transitions Graduate Program, where she will continue to contribute to our community as a role model for her peers!

On Friday, Shaloni Winston, the founder of Transitions and the Executive Director and CEO of our parent organization, Lexington, Chapter of The Arc New York, was honored by the Capital Region Chamber's Women's Business Council by being named one of six Women of Excellence in the Capital Region! In her remarks, Shaloni praised the people she supports, including the Transitions students, for being the driving force behind everything we do, and our employees for the great things... they make happen every day. She also shared her dream that someday all people with disabilities would be accepted by everyone and that even a woman with autism or another disability might one day accept the same award as her. Please enjoy this video of Shaloni's remarks (with Lexington Board member and parent of a Transitions student Dr. Rinaldo Esposito) and her acceptance speech! We also extend congratulations to the other award winners: Elizabeth Smith-Boivin, Alzheimer's Association of NENY; Drue Sanders, Drue Sanders Custom Jewelers; Coumba Ndoye, GlobalFoundries; Dr. Joanne Porter, Albany Medical Center; and Theresa M. Skaine, Esq., Pierro, Connor & Strauss, LLC. Congratulations to Shaloni and thank you for your leadership, vision and commitment to Lexington and Transitions!

January is National Mentoring Month! We at #TransitionsUSA are so grateful for our amazing team of peer mentors. This past year was obviously very challenging for all of us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but our mentors truly stepped up to support the students through it all. They encouraged students to reach out to friends and family, helped with the transition to online learning, facilitated new and meaningful ways for students to stay connected with each other, and made sure all the students maintained their professional, academic, social and independent living skills while in lockdown. Thank you so much to all of our mentors the Transitions program would not be possible without them!

January is National Mentoring Month! The peer mentors at #TransitionsUSA support our students in all aspects of their lives year-round, but they became more crucial than ever during the pandemic. Not only were our mentors a consistent, supportive presence during a tumultuous time, they also worked hard to make sure our students never became isolated from other facets of their lives. Mentoring programs around the world have had to make big adjustments to continue supporting mentees during the pandemic, but in this time of isolation and hardship, mentors are essential. Click below to read about the differences various mentoring programs have made in the lives of young people over the past year and beyond!

Lexington, Chapter of The Arc New York , the parent company of #TransitionsUSA, is included in Phase I of New York's COVID-19 vaccination program along with other essential healthcare workers across the state. As such, Transitions employees who interact directly with the students are able to get vaccinated if they choose! Getting vaccinated helps keep both them and the students they support safe and healthy, and it gives staff and mentors an opportunity to role model making g...ood medical decisions based on research and individualized advice from doctors for the students in the program. Nicole MacGregor, Transitions’ Coordinator of Student Life, recently received the COVID-19 vaccine. Of her decision to get the vaccine, Nicole said, I contacted my doctor weeks before getting the vaccine and talked with her about my health and whether or not she thought it would be a good idea for me. I also watched Dr. Cope's video about the vaccine (https://youtu.be/WudH0x2oEV0), which answered questions that I had about side effects and was super informative with the research he has done. I also did research on my own to help me make a final decision. I ultimately felt that this was something I could do not only for myself but to help keep the students who I work with safe. This is the light at the end of the tunnel that we all desperately need."

We at Transitions are so grateful to the doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in our community who have worked so hard over the past year to support the community through the COVID-19 pandemic! Writing letters is the least we can do to show our appreciation for all they have done throughout the pandemic, from caring for the sick to now administering life-saving vaccines. Thank you to St. Mary's Healthcare, Amsterdam and all medical facilities for everything they do!

Beautiful pieces please stop by and see them in person

Three Transitions students Ben, Maddie and Tyrel have artwork on display in the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts' 2020 Fall/Winter Art Show! These three beautiful abstract paintings were created during a Transitions art enrichment class that explored the fluid dynamics of colored dyes on a water solution. It is the first time any of them have exhibited work at the Nigra Arts Center, and the first show overall for Maddie and Tyrel! Ben is a talented photographer who has had work featured on various websites and in local shows. This exhibition, and the students’ work, will be on display at the Nigra Arts Center until January 22, 2021. The public is welcome to come view it weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or at the Opening Reception tomorrow, November 19, 3-7 p.m.! Congratulations to Ben, Maddie and Tyrel!