San Jose

San Jose Unified School District hosts fair to help students with special needs

NBC Universal, Inc. The San Jose Unified School District hosted a gift fair on Friday, during which adults with special needs could sell handmade items. Ian Cull reports.

The San Jose Unified School District hosted a gift fair on Friday, during which adults with special needs could sell handmade items.

The Ace Holiday Fair featured 25 students from the Liberty Alternative School who made items all year to sell at the annual event.

"It's fun, so you can learn how to do it yourself," said Elizabeth, a student at Liberty.

All students who participated are in the Ace Program at Liberty. According to Julian Kong, a special education teacher at the school, the program is meant to help young adults aged 18-22 transition successfully into employment.
Kong said the fair helps students practice what they've learned in class.

"We want to teach them to save their money and budget what they earn, so they learn how to use those skills for when they transition off our program afterward," Kong said. "They care about practicing their vocational skills, which is what we're trying to preach to them in the program."

The students keep the money earned at the fair. Elizabeth said she wants to use what she earned to pay it forward in the community.

"Just to help with the people who are sad and they don't have a home. So I'm just trying to help the homeless people," she said.

The school will host another event on Wednesday, Dec 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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