Four new students accepted for Faith’s Mark 10:14 program for the 2015-2016 school year, and with only two graduating from the program this year they must find a way to manage it all.

Mrs. Lee Segalla started the Mark 10:14 program seven years ago when she joined the Faith family. Since then, Segalla strives for success for students with disabilities.

“Our goal here at the Mark 10:14 program is to prepare each and every one of these kids for the real world. We want them to have just as much success as any other person in this world would,” said Segalla.

Segalla wants each student that joins the Faith family to learn as much as possible by the time they graduate.

“We teach the kids exactly what other students would learn and even more. We teach them Math, Science, English, social skills, ect.” said Segalla.

As a student who needs to learn more than the average student, it can come is a struggle. Segalla explained the struggles of these students and how they overcome them.

“To our students, what they do is normal, and they do not think anything of it. It’s is not in any way their fault. To fix this we help them learn many things they will need,” said Segalla. “We teach them skills they will need such as buying their lunch, how to act, and where and when to be somewhere. What helps the most is being around other students and seeing what they do.”

The program has already experienced great success. Former Mark 10:14 students Clayton Rhodes, Luke Kecman, and Billy Wolfbrandt graduated at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Bailey Lamonte and Alex Simbal, seniors in the Mark 10:14 program, plan to graduate at the end of the school year.

The ratio of new Mark 10:14 kids coming in and graduating differs. Four kids will join the Mark 10:14 program for the next school year, while only two graduated at the end of the 2014 school year.

Teachers love to help out with the program as much as they can. They see it as a great opportunity for those with special needs.

“I love being able to substitute and help with the program so much. The program is so great overall. Mrs. Segalla works so hard to get the students exactly what they need to be ready for the real world,” said substitute teacher Ms. April Main. “The program really gives these kids a second chance, and lets them interact with the students like no other school does.”

Segalla said that when the new students join the program, they will spend a lot of time in the sixth grade classes. Sixth grade teacher Mrs. Ongman helps new students in the Mark 10:14 program in a different way.

“Mrs. Ongman has been such a huge help with new Mark 10:14 students. She lets them come in and interact with her classroom. It’s so great to have teachers with the patience and kindness to help these kids,” said Segalla.

Segalla said she wants the new Mark 10:14 students to have as much interaction as possible with other students. It helps the students with their social skills, but they need a lot of help to meet all of those goals.

“We have mentors come in and help the students with day to day activities such as reading the material they need to study or go to their next class.” said Segalla. “We look for high school students with experience, patience, kindness, and a lot of other special qualities to be a mentor.”

Segalla gets help from the students that interact with the Mark 10:14 kids on a day to day basis, and other staff that they appriciate so much. The program needs as much help as possible with the new students coming in.

“We appreciate all the help we can get to run this program. We are so excited for the new students, and we can’t wait for next year!” said Segalla.

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