Second Annual ‘I Belong’ Youth Summit Empowers Maine Students with Disabilities to Dream Big

(Students from the Deering High School Unified Cheerleading Team pose with Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.)

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education held its second annual “I Belong” Youth Summit at Central Maine Community College on Thursday, May 29. This event brought together students from across the state with individualized education plans (IEPs) for a day dedicated to empowerment, connection, and celebration of student voice. Student participants ranged in age from 10 to 22 years old.

The summit is an initiative that happens through the Transition Maine program, which was developed by the Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education to provide accessible and inclusive transition services for students moving from high school into adulthood. The Executive Student Transition Committee, a team of students who assist with the Transition Maine program, plays a large role in the organization of this event, designed to amplify the voices of youth with varying abilities.“To see our students meaningfully engage and included in hands-on activities to help them imagine their future makes me and our team very proud,” Executive Student Transition Committee Co-Chair Connor Archer said, reflecting on the success of the summit. “As someone who received special education services right here in Maine, I know how unique and powerful this experience is.”

The system allows voters to mark their ballots using a touchscreen or keypad, and it includes audio instructions for those who are visually impaired. It then prints a paper ballot that can be scanned and counted. Bellows emphasized the importance of civic participation and ensuring that all Mainers, including those with disabilities, have full access to the process.

The daylong event allowed students to discover post-secondary opportunities through engaging, hands-on activities. Career paths in trades, culinary arts, agriculture, health care, media, and more were highlighted throughout the day. Students practiced knife skills with chefs, pulled lobsters from traps, and planted vegetables. They participated in Central Maine Power’s “Safety City” demonstration, regarding safety around power lines, and joined the Maine DOE Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) team, along with the Student Leadership Ambassadors of Maine (SLAM) from Nokomis High School, for mock media interviews, designed for those interested in journalism and broadcasting.

L.L. Bean introduced the students to the world of retail through an interactive clothing activity that focused on merchandising and apparel knowledge. The iconic “Bootmobile” was also on display, drawing students in and sparking conversations about careers in retail and outdoor recreation.

“I want to become an EMT. If that doesn’t work out, I want to work in a mortuary,”  Abagail Giles, a student from Stearns High School, shared in an interview with NEWS CENTER Maine.

Educators and business partners at the summit emphasized the importance of creating inclusive pathways to employment.

“There is a ton of value, skill, brainpower, and I think it’s essential not to exclude a segment of the population,” Kim Cotta, Talent Development Manager at Darling’s Auto Group, said.

Titus O’Rourke, the Transition Specialist with the Maine DOE, emphasized the goal of the event in an interview with NEWS CENTER Maine: “[These students] belong in every single career pathway, and it’s important for students to understand what is available to them.”

By connecting students with real-world experiences and professional mentors, the “I Belong” Youth Summit helps to ensure that all Maine students with IEPs have the tools and confidence they need to shape their futures.

The third annual “I Belong” Youth Summit is set to take place in the Bangor area next spring. Due to the strong student participation from across the state for this event, Transition Maine and the Executive Student Transition Committee have plans to expand the “I Belong” Youth Summit.

For more information about the Maine DOE Transition Maine program, click here. Educators interested in connecting with someone about the Transition Maine program may contact her Titus O’Rourke at titus.orourke@maine.gov.