Four North Augusta High School students celebrated their plans for the future.
The students, Ryan Johnson, Jarius Roddey, Amelia Carpenter, and Evan Allgood, were accepted into the USC Aiken Pacer LIFE program and a celebration was held for them at NAHS on Wednesday, March 1. Dr. Melissa Martin, the Pacer LIFE Program director, said this is a two-year program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“(They) come learn academics, independent living and employment skills and the students would end after two years with a credential, the Pacer credential, promoting academic, community and employee readiness,” Martin said. “It’s not a degree program, but it’s more of an employment, independent living skills program.”
The students will take at least one credit at USC Aiken and specialized Pacer LIFE courses, which include cooking, how to do laundry, and other life skills, Martin said. The students will also get a job and live in a dorm on campus with other Pacer LIFE students and a LIFE resident assistant who will provide support overnight and on the weekends.
The NAHS students are four of 19 from South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina that were accepted into the first cohort that will start at USCA in the fall, Martin said.
For Carpenter, she said she was looking forward to living on her own and going to classes, including French and science.
“Just meeting new friends and starting over,” Carpenter said of what she’s looking forward to with the program.
Natrice Brighthop Carpenter said her son, Roddey, was excited for him to be in the program.
“We are just ready for this new chapter of his life to start and just excited that he’s able to have this opportunity, just so grateful,” Brighthop Carpenter said.
She added that Roddey was excited to get a job and experience campus life and join a club.
“I would just like to say that this program is an opportunity for children with disabilities, intellectual disabilities to have that college experience,” Martin said. “That’s one thing he’s always desired to do and that opens that door and gives him that opportunity. So I think this program is a true blessing.”
The program will accept up 12 students, Martin said. Applications for 2024 will go live on the USCA website in July.
