The Culpeper County Public Schools Start on Success (SOS) program held its fourth annual end of year celebration on Friday, May 9, 2025 to recognize the accomplishments of the students throughout the year and to thank the community who supported them.
Five students were recognized during the lunchtime celebration at CTEC including Itziani Martinez Diaz, Eddie Vasquez Carrillo, Kaitlyn Johnson, Ben Montoya, and Julio Vasquez Diaz. Other attendees included the students’ families and teachers, CCPS School Board Members, CCPS Division Superintendent Dr. Brads, CCPS Director of Special Education Bari Nixon, members of the CCPS Special Education Department, and representatives from the organizations that worked with the students throughout the year.
During the celebration, teacher Kim Bledsoe presented a slideshow with highlights of the students’ journey this year through the highly structured school-to-work program. She explained activities that the students completed to learn important skills of the program including workplace ethics, conflict resolution, interview skills, and workplace safety. She also shared highlights from student work placements at Culpeper Parks & Recreation, the Town of Culpeper Public Works, Sycamore Park’s Loads of Love, and Wysteria Unique Boutique.
Bledsoe reflected on the students’ progress, stating, “As the students have worked hard during the classroom portion and the job site/work-based learning internship, they have begun to demonstrate that they are ready to enter the workforce and all that comes next. The skills, knowledge, and experience you have gained are just the starting point. To the students graduating this year, whether you continue your education, enter the workforce, or explore new paths, remember: you’re capable, you’re prepared, and you’re already on your way.”
She closed with an inspirational quote that resonated with the spirit of the day: “Learning gives you knowledge. Doing gives you wisdom. You’ve done both—and that’s powerful.” — Unknown
These students will be graduating on Saturday, May 17, 2025, and this program has given them many skills and tools to take with them as they embark on their next steps. Culpeper County Public Schools congratulates these students for all of their accomplishments and thanks the community partners who make this program possible.
About Start on Success
The CCPS Start on Success program is a collaboration coordinated by the VCU Center on Transition Innovations (CTI), Culpeper County Public Schools, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), and local businesses. In the program, students learn how to build and strengthen their employment skills by applying the skills and knowledge taught in the classroom while working in a paid internship with a local business.