Life Skills Centers

Game cancelled

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Tuesday's Life Skills Center of Summit County's basketball game was cancelled due to the weather.

Blood drive works for Toledo school

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:28:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Toledo staff and students gave 16 pints of blood during its recent blood drive.

"Our students really enjoyed the drive and several of them had given blood during past blood drives," Vocational Specialist Darcel Elliott said. "We have already scheduled our fall blood drive."

Blood drive planned

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:42:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Akron will hold a blood drive 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the school, 80 W. Bowery St., Ste. 400, Akron.

The school's goal is to collect 25 pints. No appointment is necessary to donate blood.

For information, call 330-376-8700.

Helping out

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:39:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Columbus North Administrator Joe Buckalew reported a successful Pennies for Patients campaign this year.

"We are extremely proud of our students who have donated approximately $700 to this organization which is devoted to helping children with leukemia," Buckalew said.

He promised his students that he would shave his head if they reach a goal of $1,000.

For information about the drive or to make a pledge, call 614-891-9041.

Showing support

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Blog backs Life Skills Center of Denver.

Read story here

Three in a Row!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:58:00 +0000

The Life Skills basketball team of Summit County won a low-scoring game, 41-33, against the All-Stars.

Damarious Wells led Life Skills (4-2) with 12 points and ten rebounds, while Cornel Jett added eight points.

"In the beginning, we were beating ourselves with mistakes,” Coach Robert Garnett said. Through adversity, we came together and got the victory. It wasn't pretty, but I'll take it."

The next game is next week against the Spurs.

Story about Trumbull County featured graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Tabitha Spithaler found the tools she needed at Life Skills Center of Trumbull County to build her career.

"I have the ability to work at my own pace here," she said. "I feel the teachers care more here and work with me."

Spithaler, 18, a Weathersfield Township resident, has attended the school for a little over a year after leaving the Trumbull County Career and Technical Center over an attendance dispute.

She also works with the school's YouthBuild program and is eyeing a construction career after she graduates.

"She's great," said her teacher Scott Davis. "She's married and has worked at two jobs. She also recently raised over $100 over the past two months by selling candy through the school's Operation First Response program to helping the military. She's also one of the people who helps interview YouthBuild applicants. She's managed to get a lot done in a short time."

"He'll help me figure it out without telling me the answer," Spithaler said of Davis.

"She has a willingness to learn in the classroom," Davis said. "She doesn't want the answer, she wants to learn on her own and really learn, not just going through the emotions."

Story about Springfield featured graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Megan Layton credits Life Skills Center of Springfield for giving her a second chance.

After dropping out of ECOT and being on drugs, becoming pregnant and having her boyfriend kick her out of her house, Layton said she couldn't live her life the same way.

"I looked at my life and thought I needed to make some changes," she said.

Layton said staff members at the school have been a major help.

"The teachers support me and allow me to work at my own pace," she said.

"The fact that she hasn't given up when she's had the opportunity to give up says a lot about her," said Administrator Edward Haskins.

After graduation, Layton said she's planning on attending Clark State College in Springfield to study journalism and mortuary science.

Story about LSC Hamilton County featured graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:30:00 +0000

After having a hard time with instructors at previous schools, Deanna Walker of Cincinnati has found success at the Life Skills Center of Hamilton County, where she plans on graduating in January.

"I like the class sizes here," she said. "They're not too big and the teachers know what they're talking about."

"She likes to be left alone and keep to herself," said her teacher Tim Bowman. "She's a miniature teacher who likes to keep order and the lab to be disciplined."

Bowman said Walker, 18, who is expecting her first child in February, has adjusted well at the school since first arriving in August.

"Despite the obstacles she has had with her pregnancy, she works hard and takes it seriously here," he said.

After graduation, Walker said she wants to attend college and study nursing and culinary arts.

Story about LSC Dayton featured graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:29:00 +0000

Danielle Stokes said she doesn't like traditional schools and loves the flexibility of Life Skills Center of Dayton.

"I never liked sitting in class seven hours a day," she said. "I have the option here to do what I need to do and go about my day."

Stokes, 17, came to Dayton from a charter school in Florida and plans on graduating in January.

"It's an intimate setting," she said. "The flexibility is what I like here. The teachers care about you and check after you. There's no drama like public schools."

"I appreciate her consistency and her ability to work on her own," said
her American Literature teacher Chris Massey. "She takes the ball and runs with it.
She takes her work seriously here."

Story about Columbus Southeast graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:27:00 +0000

A desire to graduate and get a high school diploma drove Sherrick Echols
off the couch and to Life Skills Center of Columbus North.

"I had dropped out of school," he said. "It wasn't important to me. But
I wanted to graduate and get that diploma, so I went back to school."

Echols, 20, of Columbus, has attended the school for 18 months.

"The teachers here helped me out better than a (traditional public
schools," he said. "They were there for me. The smaller classes helped
me get more attention."

"He started off kind of slow, but in the last three months he got
serious, quit playing and blew everything away," said enrollment
specialist Jordonna Wood. "It finally clicked in his head."

Wood said Echols' attitude toward education had progressed from apathy
to happiness.

"He was excited when he passed his OGT's," she said. "he went screaming
down the hallway."

After graduation, Echols plans to attend massage therapy school and
eventually attend college to study sports therapy.

Story about LSC Columbus North graduate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:26:00 +0000

A friend's encouragement is what Ali Oakes needed to go
back to high school to finish her diploma.

"Emilie told me this was my last chance," Oakes said.

So after moving to Columbus from Alabama, Oakes took
the opportunity and enrolled last June at Life Skills
Center of Columbus North.

"A high school diploma is pretty important to me," she
said. "It gives me the opportunity to get a better
job."

Oakes said she likes the pace of the school.

"She's a pretty hard worker," said her teacher Felicia
Smith. "She really puts in the time."

After graduation, Oakes said she wants to enroll in
community college and eventually pursue a career in
sports coaching.

Getting practice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Youngstown teacher Paul Furman said students from the school were recently selected to take part in a field practice Ohio Graduation Test which was held on Friday.

"This is designed to see how students around the state answer certain questions," he said.

The Ohio Graduation Test will be held March 3-21.

Hockey time in Youngstown

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Youngstown Master Teacher Paul Furman said 14 students and four staff members attended the recent Youngstown SteelHounds hockey Youth Day game.

"The kids had a great time," Furman said.

He added that students were eligible to go with good school attendance, behavior and earned credits.

Orange County commencement exercises

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Here are several pictures from the recent event.

Basketball team improves to 3-2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Summit County won its second straight game with a 50-47 decision over the Pistons Thursday night.

The game was close with many lead changes.

Matt Harris led Life Skills (3-2) with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Tim Phillis Jr. added 13 points.

"Once again, defense was the big factor of the game because for the most part we shut down their best player," said Coach Robert Garnett.

The team's Tuesday game was postponed due to the weather.

Life Skills will next play the All-Stars on Tuesday.

North Akron school taking part in program

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of North Akron is participating with the North Horizons Computer Learning Center in Cleveland.

According to Vocational Specialist John Stack, students are eligible to take advantage of a program held at the Jobs Center in Akron where 31 full-ride grants in medical billing and coding as well as information technology.

“These (students) can graduate from here and have a nice job ten months later,” he said.

For information, call 330-633-5990.

Hard at work

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:06:00 +0000

Students work on their lessons Thursday afternoon during an open house at Life Skills Center of North Akron.

Youngstown students enjoy hockey game

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:43:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Youngstown students cheer during a recent trip to a Youngstown SteelHounds game Feb. 5 at the Chevrolet Centre.

The SteelHounds defeated the Texas Brahmas, 4-1.

Elyria open house postponed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:08:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of Elyria has postponed its open house this week due to inclement weather.

Administrator Kim Sweigart said she hopes to reschedule the event for March.

Middletown school names top Feb. student

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Lab 1 student Lacey Cummins has been named February’s Student of the Month at Life Skills Center of Middletown.

Lacey, 17, came to Life Skills in September from Monroe High School.

“Lacey is a student who has shown consistent hard work and dedication to her academic success during the six months that she has been enrolled,” Administrator Charles Hall said. “She is on task and works steadily and efficiently towards completing her courses while maintaining a 97 percent attendance rate.”

He added that Lacey is nice and extremely respectful towards both staff and her peers.

“Every morning, Lacey arrives at school with a smile on her face and a positive attitude,” Hall said. “She is never a disruption in the lab. Lacey also volunteers after her session time assisting staff with various duties. Our staff finds her to be attentive and hard working and always putting in extra effort when necessary. Lacey is a positive role model for her peers to look up to as well as demonstrates leadership qualities.”

Chess tournament planned

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Life Skills Center of North Akron is looking at scheduled a chess tournament for students in March.

"Several students talked to me about setting up a date," Title One Tutor Mick Rogers said.

Rogers said the date of the tournament will be announced soon.

Middletown graduation video

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:42:00 +0000

Processional from January 2008 event

Elyria students complete Lego project

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Students at Life Skills Center of Elyria have recently completed a 1,000 Lego building that resembles the school.

"We did this in honor of the 50th anniversary of Legos," Administrator Kim Sweigart said.

College presenter offers job advice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:23:00 +0000

Mary Kazmir, High School Presenter for Ohio Technical College, came to Life Skills Center of Akron to speak to students about the various programs & opportunities available at the school.

She said OTC Offers programs in Automotive Technology, BMW Training, PowerSport Technology, Custom Paint & Graphics, Generator Power Systems, Diesel Equipment Technology, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology, Classic Car Restoration Technology, Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology, High Performance & Racing Technology.

The school offers Associate Degrees in just 18 months with classes Monday-Thursday, and tutoring available on Fridays, Kazmir said, and also assists with part-time job placement and career placement opportunities

To learn more about Ohio Technical College, students, and their parents are invited to attend an Open House on April 25.

"The presentation was interesting and informative, to those who know everything about cars, and to those who don't even have an interest," School Vocational Specialist Morgan Domokos said.

Kazmir's afternoon presentation will be rescheduled due to the weather.