SHOP@USC program earns national award
Upper St. Clair School District’s SHOP@USC program was recently selected as one of three national Grand Prize Winners in the 23rd annual Magna Awards program.
Sponsored by the American School Board Journal, the Magna Awards recognize school districts and their leaders for taking bold and innovative steps to improve the lives of their students and their communities. One of 33 award-winning school districts, USC was formally recognized the NSBA’s 77th Annual Conference March 25-27 in Denver.
During Upper St. Clair School Board’s March 28 meeting, Superintendent Patrick O’Toole recognized the SHOP@USC program and the staff associated with it.
SHOP, an acronym for Showing How Opportunity Pays, is a student-run business, which operates through the collaboration between students with significant disabilities and their same age peers without disabilities. Established in the fall of 2014, the program currently serves 17 students who are part of the school’s Life Skills Support program with various special needs and abilities and 21 of their non-disabled peers. Students receive two credits for the year-long elective course, which is open to all high school students.
Within SHOP, students create, design, fabricate and market a variety of products, including greeting cards, business cards, signs/banners, laser-engraved items, and USC spirit wear merchandise. At the same time, they are gaining skills and making friends.
“SHOP@USC is a truly unique program, which has impacted the lives of many students,” assistant superintendent Sharon Suritsky said. “SHOP combines the best of inclusionary programming with best practices from STEAM and technology.”
Michelle Zirngibl, SHOP@USC coordinator, agreed, adding that students are receiving valuable experiences in fabrication as well as sales.
“In addition, it’s the soft skills such as teamwork, communication, professionalism and enthusiasm that students also gain experiences in learning,” she said. “Whether you are a student with autism who needs to practice appropriate social skills or a student who is college-bound wanting to experience a work environment, there is something to be gained for everyone.”
Zirngibl said she was honored to travel to Denver to accept the award for the district and for the students, adding, “The kids are really what make the program special.”
SHOP@USC is one component of the Innovation Hub @ Upper St. Clair High School, which also includes an MIT-certified FAB Lab. Through the efforts of Sheila Gorgonio, USC’s director of advancement, the program was made possible through more than $250,000 in monetary and in-kind contributions from founding donors. Subsequently, donations from other community members and organizations have continued to enable SHOP@USC to expand its fabrication capabilities and opportunities for students.
“SHOP@USC highlights the importance of bringing folks together in a community,” O’Toole said. “It is a shining example of how public educations works at its best.”
Following the success of the high school’s SHOP@USC program, plans are underway to expand the concept to Boyce and Fort Couch middle schools.
As the Grand Prize Winner in the under 5,000 students category, the SHOP@USC program is highlighted in the April 2017 issue of the American School Board Journal magazine. The district received a $5,000 contribution, which will be reinvested back into the program.
This is the second Magna Award recognition for the Upper St. Clair School District. In 2013, the district was named a first-place winner for its Student Leadership Academy, which helps students understand how they can change the world through their leadership.