May 2008
William is excited to be exiting his adult
transition program. He is definitely ready to "get a
job." We are exploring appropriate day program that can
provide William enough supervision and support while
allowing him to be as independent as he is able. William
has the desire to "work" and to "make money" but he
lacks many of the skills that make good employees. We
think hooking William up with an adult day program whose
goal is to get clients out in the work force with
supported employment. William's last day of public
education is mid June and we hope to have him transition
immediately into an adult day program. In the meantime
William is looking forward to two short trips. He will
be gong to Las Vegas, Nevada for a few days in late May
with his friends and support staff from our supported
living group, a few of his brothers, and his dad. Then
in late June William has a short trip scheduled to
Laughlin, Nevada with several of his brothers and his
roommate.
February 2008
William has been working with the tennis coach at Fountain Valley High School. William is helping clean-up the tennis courts and organize the equipment. William is happy to have a job "finally"! Next semester he will try to get a volunteer job in the community. Last semester William had some behavioral issues that prevented him for participating in community job training.
William is planning on taking a weekend trip to Laughlin in the next few months. He will traveling with his Special Olympics bowling team. William loves to travel and this will be his first time to Laughlin. Hopefully this trip will be after William's 21st birthday so he can do a little gambling while he is there!
November 2007
William is back in school for his last school year in public education. William is in an adult transition program where he is learning job skills. William does not have a job placement as of yet but is eager to get started. William still struggles with serious behavioral challenges and self-control. William can be a very sweet and engaging young man but when he is upset or frustrated watch-out! We are working with the school staff on a behavior plan to assist William to make better choices during those episodes of explosive behavior. In the next several months we will begin looking for an adult day program that will be able to meet William's challenging needs after he exits the public school system in June 2008.
September 2007
William had a nice summer vacation. He saw a bunch of new movies, went to Wild Rivers, Knott's Berry Farm, the mall, the beach, and various other summer attractions. He spent some time helping with his younger brothers as well. William enjoys helping out, and is very attentive when pushing wheelchairs in the community. On the weekends, William is still participating wit the Special Olympics bowling league. As of late August William has returned to the adult transition program held at Fountain Valley High School. With the support of this program, he is looking forward to finding a paid job in the community.
July 2007
William is attending an adult transition program at Fountain Valley High School this summer and next school year. William is excited to begin a work training program. He enjoys working and especially earning money. William says he would like to work with his dad! William is also interested in working with children or even in a movie theater.
William loves to travel. In late June William went to Reno for a four-day vacation. He enjoyed looking around Lake Topez, historic Virginia City, the Wild Wild West Museum, and of course the gambling and trying all of the buffets. William is looking forward to his next travel adventure!
April 2007
William is looking forward to graduating from high school in June. Next year William will participate in an adult transition program before aging out of the public school system. William says he is ready for a change and is excited about participating in some vocational training programs.
William also had a great time on a short trip to Las Vegas with some of his friends with the supported living program. William celebrated his 21st birthday in Las Vegas. He enjoyed the buffets, the shows, and the lights while there. William says he cant wait to go back for another vacation.
February 2007
William has been helping a lot at home, especially with his little brothers on the weekends. Whether he is helping on an outing by pushing one of his brothers in his wheelchair or helping with housework, William is always ready to provide a hand. We definitely depend on William to be one of the helpers, especially when we are out in the community and there are simply not enough hands to push all of the boys who use wheelchairs. William is extremely cautious and safe when helping his brothers. William is also able to remain calm and follow directions in an emergency. Having these two simple skills makes him an extremely valuable family member, especially in a crisis. Recently when one of the boys was have an serious behavioral episode, William was able to calmly get help before anyone was injured. Jim and I were recently reflecting how much William has changed and matured since he joined our family at 17.5 years old. William is a testament to how adoptions of older special-needs children can really be successful.
December 2006
William is enjoying his job at Toys-R-Us especially during the busy holiday season. /many of our friends have seen William at work while shopping for the holidays. We have received so many positive comments on William's work skills. We are very proud of William.
William continues to be very loving with his much younger brothers. At several recent Christmas parties William has taken it upon himself to help his younger brothers with their meals or to comfort them when they are sad. William is also helpful and comforting with biological brother, Jimmy. This season seems to particularly upsetting to Jimmy and he often talks sadly about the death of his biological father. William seems to know just the right words to say to Jimmy in order to soothe him in his time of sadness. We appreciate William's ability to comfort and calm others.
October 2006
William is back in school and a graduating senior this year. William will receive a certification of achievement award for completing his course of study as outlined in his Individual Education Plan (IEP). William is excited to be a senior this year and to participate in many of the senior activities. William is also taking a Diversified Careers class after school with the ROP program. This class is teaching William the skills he needs to get and to keep a job.
Currently William is working at Toys-R-Us as the store gets ready for the holiday season. At a recent school meeting many of William's teachers shared how William has matured over the past few years. William is learning how to use public transportation, maintain a conversation by answering and asking questions, and to use his words to express his feelings. It was so wonderful to hear about all of the progress William has made since joining our family. It is great to see William gain more self-control and develop his self-determination skills.
July 2006
William is happy to be out of summer school and to
"finally get to enjoy the summer." William has a lot of
activities planned for the rest of July and August. He
is going to Catalina later this week. This is a first
visit to Catalina and William is excited to see where
Grandma Sue grew up.
William is also going to a
few amusement parks and water parks to ride some wild
rides and to take a trip to Ventura to visit friends.
Since we are experiencing a heat wave William and Jimmy
both said that they are trying to see all of the new
movies in an air conditioned theater to beat the heat.
Update: May 2006
William had a wonderful time at Six Flags Magic Mountain in late April. The Fox 11 News held a special day for all of the current and past "Wednesday's Child" participants. The Wednesday's Child program highlights a waiting child or sibling set each week. William and Jimmy were featured once many years ago. William was excited to be interviewed by the host of this weekly feature, Christine Devine. William loves amusement parks so it was especially great to get into Magic Mountain and get on some of the big rides before the crowds.
Earlier in April William has a wonderful birthday party at Soup Plantation. The whole family was there as well as many of William's friends. William received many gift cards and lots of new clothes. This party was filmed by Korean TV and will be featured as part of the documentary on the Silcock family to be shown sometime in May.
March 2006
William (19) says he is "looking for a job!" William has decided that he would much rather work than attend school. While William likes school, he would rather be out working and earning money. William will be exiting high school at the age of 22 and likely will be transferring to a community-based day program. Through the day program, William will be able to get a job and will be provided a job coach and any other support he needs to be successful. In the meantime William is able to participate in vocational training through the school program.
William is an excellent helper when he is motivated. William can be described as "Mr. Clean" when he is in the mood! He is also kind and patient with children and great with pets. Likely, next year, William will enroll in the Diversified Careers class through ROP (Regional Occupational Program). This class will offer William basic job skills and an opportunity to get on-the-job training. Eventually, the goal of this vocational program is to help the students get stable and paid employment. William can't wait to get started.
Update: January 2006
William did an excellent job in the play "The King and I." Although he was initially reluctant to participant in another play, once William started learning the music and the dance moves get got into the hang of it.
William easily makes friends with the other actors and actresses. This seems like a good outlet for some of William's creative and social skills. William is still working on not breaking character and not waving to friends and family members in the audience.
William is getting ready to start rehearsing "Alice in Wonderland"
beginning next month.
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