Jennifer McCans remembers the discussion where she learned about her daughter Kiersten’s visual disability like it was yesterday.
“We were told by a doctor when Kiersten was three months old that she had ocular albinism,” she said. “He told us everything that she would not do. I just sat and cried.”
But the new mother found determination amidst despair. After a follow-up consultation, Jennifer got Kiersten involved in community programs for children with disabilities and sought out resources to help mainstream her daughter in elementary school.
“We expected her to do anything that a sighted child could do,” explained Jennifer. “She just has to do it in a different way.”
Kiersten used magnifiers and other implements to learn alongside her fellow students, but still dealt with social insecurity and bullying. By the time she reached high school, she was shy and uncertain about what her future would look like.
The young student began to overcome both of those struggles when she joined Wakulla County’s High School High Tech program for students with disabilities. Today, Kiersten is preparing to start her second year as an elementary education major at the University of West Florida (UWF) in Pensacola.
“High School High Tech gave me a good community full of other people who were disabled like me,” said Kiersten. “It made me more sure of what I wanted to do.”
Administered by The Able Trust, High School High Tech provides opportunities to explore career training and postsecondary education options in a structured, supportive environment. This helps students strengthen communication skills, develop confidence and self-advocacy, and build the independence needed to transition successfully from high school to further education and the workforce.
The change did not come overnight: “At first, Kiersten was kind of in a shell by herself,” said Sharon Scherbarth-Simmons, Wakulla County’s program lead for High School High Tech through a partnership with Ability1st. “She worried about what people thought of her and her disability.”
Through High School High Tech, Scherbarth-Simmons helped Kiersten to find and use her voice. The scholar went on to become a leader and mentor for younger students in the program, volunteer her time with the Special Olympics and Florida Youth Leadership Forum, and even participate in school and community theatre productions.
But Scherbarth-Simmons knew Kiersten had turned a corner regarding her future when she took the initiative to ask her own questions during a college fair.
“Sometimes students go and pick up the information and kind of move on, but she had some specific questions for the different colleges,” said Scherbarth-Simmons. “I could see her really start to think ‘I’m going to do something after high school. I’m going to have a career.’”
High School High Tech gave Kiersten hope, guidance, and the tools and the confidence she needed to prepare for college. It’s helped her with the whole process.
The process of applying to colleges led to another revelation—one that touched Scherbarth-Simmons’s heart.
“Kiersten wrote a letter about wanting to be a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) like me,” she said. “That made me super proud that she wants to give back and help people who are in a similar position.”
Patricia Bodiford, who worked with Wakulla High School High Tech and Ability1st prior to becoming the bureau chief for the Florida Department of Education’s Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, was likewise thrilled to learn of her former student’s career interest.
“I was like, we need her to come talk to the Bureau about wanting to be a TVI or an Exceptional Student Education teacher in and of itself, because that’s the highest need right now in Florida,” said Bodiford. “We need more people like Kiersten in the field.”
Kiersten ultimately chose to attend UWF, where she earned all A and B grades as a freshman.
“I can definitely now see myself being a teacher and helping other children with disabilities,” said Kiersten.
Scherbarth-Simmons is happy to witness students like Kiersten taking charge of their futures during and after their time in the High School High Tech program.
“All the different pieces to the High School High Tech puzzle really make a difference—getting out there and being a little more social, finding out about careers and colleges,” she said. “Kiersten really put all the pieces together and developed this sense of independence.”
Jennifer McCans knew her daughter was in good hands and building toward a promising future in High School High Tech.
“We want her to live a full, safe, rich life,” said Jennifer. “High School High Tech gave her hope, guidance, and the tools and the confidence she needed to prepare for college. It’s helped her with the whole process.”
Reflecting once more on the pediatric meeting where she learned of Kiersten’s visual impairment, Jennifer recalls her resolution to support her daughter’s journey regardless of the circumstances.
“I thought in my head, Kiersten’s going to be able to do anything that anybody else does, and we’re going to make sure that happens,” she said. “And now she’s surpassed it.”
Kiersten’s story shows the impact of High School High Tech’s structured, skills-based approach to connect education to meaningful career pathways. Through the program, students gain the confidence, experience, and direction needed to pursue college and careers while preparing to fill critical workforce needs across Florida and inspire the next generation.
The Able Trust’s High School High Tech program serves students with disabilities from Miami to Pensacola and all across Florida. Learn more at www.abletrust.org/high-school-high-tech.
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