Kean OT Students, Recovery High School Students, Learn Together

Graduate students in Kean's Occupational Therapy Department and high school students from New Jersey's first recovery high school came together recently at the Kean University Community Cares Clinic to learn and practice life skills, interact with one another — and share a meal.

The Raymond J. Lesniak Experience Strength and Hope Recovery High School (E.S.H.) opened in September 2014, originally on the Kean campus, to combine education with addiction recovery and support. The school, now located in Roselle, has collaborated with the Kean OT department since its opening. During the past spring semester, 19 high school students took part in the OT program. 

Through the collaboration, Kean OT students gain experience in teaching life skills to clients, which is a focus of their work. The Kean students research the high school students' needs, facilitate group activities, and more. The high school students, meanwhile, learn valuable life skills such as budgeting, cooking, and kitchen safety. "As a recovery high school, we find many of our students have missed out on learning many life skills we take for granted. This supplements their education in a meaningful way," said E.S.H. social studies teacher Lisa A. Michaloski.

During a recent field trip to Kean, the two groups of students teamed up and worked together to prepare a meal in the kitchen at the OT clinic. They measured and chopped.

Then, they cooked and cleaned up.

And they enjoyed getting to taste the day's work product.

The collaboration between the high school and the graduate school is valuable to both groups of students. "The Kean students gain valuable experience in their field," said Jennifer A. Gardner, OTD, OTR, an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. Professor Kelly Sullivan (looking on in photo above), who is instrumental in overseeing the program for Kean, said the Recovery High School administration understands the value of occupational therapy to support the adolescent students as they transition into young adulthood.

When asked if the two schools will continue to work together, staff at both the high school and Kean were enthusiastic. "Absolutely!" said Michaloski. "Our school has kept this partnership since we were located on the Kean campus." Gardner, pictured above in the top row, fourth from the left, was enthusiastic as well. "Yes! Our collaboration with Recovery High remains strong," she said.