Work Simulation Competition Winners

Watch Digitability's Work Simulation Competition Feature on News 12 New Jersey!

Congratulations to the 2023 Digitability Winners!

The Digitability team was extremely impressed with the hard work and hustle teachers put into their projects, while simultaneously navigating the many challenges this year presented. 

Each school year presents another opportunity to strengthen student portfolios and workplace readiness training through each Work Simulation experience. For many special education departments, Digitability provides a new foundation for rethinking the model of transition training, while incorporating new tech skills and a portfolio development process.

Our 2023 Winners

Completed-Marlene Morales - Career Workshop

Grand Prize Winner: Career Vocational Workshop by Marlene Morales

Edison Township Public Schools, NJ

Students produced a website to showcase what students do in the classroom, what they focus on and what they learn. Each student got to partake in creating a portion of the website to show themselves and their strengths.

Grand Prize Package includes a $2000 Cash Prize for Classroom, $100 Amazon Gift Card for Teacher, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card for Each Student.

Completed_Angela Almodovar - Lucy's Cafe

2nd Place: Lucy’s Cafe by Angela Almodovar

Future Foundations Academy Piscataway, NJ

Every other week, students worked on essential life skills by working on food preparation, kitchen safety, money skills, customer service, and social skills. The students loved participating and preparing the food as it helps build skills and confidence in many areas.

2nd Place Package includes a $1200 Cash Prize for Classroom, $75 Amazon Gift Card for Teacher and $5 Amazon Gift Card for Each Student.

Russel Schwartz - Eagle Express

3rd Place: Eagle Express by Russell Schwartz

Edison Township Public Schools, NJ

This school has multiple businesses, including candy and candle making, holiday wreath sales, shredding services and more. Students made one central website to process orders and manage the many workshop businesses where they intern.

3rd Place Package included $600 Cash Prize for Classroom, $50 Amazon Gift Card for Teacher and $5 Amazon Gift Card for Each Student

Completed-Marlene Morales - Career Workshop

Community Choice Award: Career Vocational Workshop by Marlene Morales

Edison Township Public Schools, NJ

Students produced a website to showcase what students do in the classroom, what they focus on and what they learn. Each student got to partake in creating a portion of the website to show themselves and their strengths.

Honorable Mentions!

VIDEORESUME_STEINWART

Tech Savvy Award

The students at Blue Valley are working on creating video resumes with text, music, and special effects. Their videos highlight their unique learning experiences and special skills- such as writing, creating slides in Google, filming, and editing.

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Successful Service Award

Classes will be able to bring their laundry to SudZ N' DudZ where students will be there to greet them and collect the laundry, wash, dry, and fold the clothing, and then deliver clean garments back to their owners.

Completed-Stacy Juliani - CubHub_paw

Entrepreneurial Spirit Award

Stacy Juliani created two work simulation projects to ensure all students were able to participate successfully- Pawsitivity Sweets and Cub Hub.

Most Awarded School District

Public Schools of Edison Township, NJ

Most Active State

New Jersey

2021 Work Simulation Competition

Our 2021 Winners

Edison Twp Public Schools_Edison High School_Thumbnail

Grand Prize Winner: Java Lounge by Lauren Alvarez

Edison Township Public Schools, NJ

Lauren's class has created a website to advance their coffee business. Students are now able to advertise and take online orders.

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2nd Place: Muttstang Barkery by Michelle Cohen

Black Horse Pike Regional School District, NJ

Students at Triton High School had an existing dog biscuit business on campus. Now, they have brought their business online with a new website. The goal is to increase their business by reaching new customers online.

Balance Autism

Tied for 3rd Place: Independent Living by Bridget Quinn

Balance Autism, IA

Adults at Balance Autism have created a domestic maintenance training website to increase at home independence. The website includes how-to photos and videos, so future adult participants can use the site as a guide.

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Tied for 3rd Place: Project Pieces Apparel by Lauren Lopez

Edison Township Public Schools, NJ

Lauren's class is innovating their existing T-Shirt business by bringing it online. Students were introduced to essential new tech training during COVID and are now applying this new literacy to streamline the ordering and management process of their business.

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Community Choice Award: Braves Bistro by Stacy Zentz

Monroe Township School District, NJ

Students in this Occupational Transition (18-21) Program are promoting their bistro delivery service to increase revenue. Their snack cart services are now featured on their new website and future social media marketing. They use the proceeds of their business to help fund community-based learning.

Honorable Mentions!

Burlington County Special Services School District_Transitions at Burlington County Special Services_Thumbnail

Partnership Award

When it comes to post-graduation transition programs, families have a choice. Students at The Las Vegas Academy created a website to showcase all the career and community opportunities available through their program.

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Big Vision Award

Students in Guy Thielman’s 18-21 Program Approach to Career Education (PACE) Classroom at Southwest Career and Technical School, have a dream of starting a Food Truck Business. To get them started, they conceptualized a website for this potential future business that features a delicious menu offering, truck locations and more.

Edison TWP School District_Edisons High School_Thumbnail

Big Business Award

Students in the High School Vocational Training Classroom with Russell Schwartz and Yarida Mendez at Edison Township School District in NJ created one central website to manage the many workshop businesses where they intern. Eagle Express businesses include candy and candle making, holiday wreath sales, shredding services and more.

Burlington County Special Services School District_Transitions at Burlington County Special Services_Thumbnail

Cleanest Website

Students in Jess Jeitner’s 18-21 Transition Program at The Burlington County Special Services School District in New Jersey, brought tech to tidying up. While students developed domestic skills as part of their independent living training, they used their knowledge of household routines to create a website training guide. This website will be shared with families to support at-home practice of these skills.

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Rookie of the Year

What a year to become a teacher! Students in Megan French’s High School Life Skills Classroom at Black Horse Pike Regional School District used the employment training knowledge to build a website. This site introduces current and future students to each of the specific workplace tasks and expectations.

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Resilience Award

With the global pandemic's impact on emotional health, this 18-21 Emotional Support classroom at the Intermountain Centers in Arizona, created an outlet using art therapy. Together students designed a website to promote local art and healthy expressions. The class initially created their own pieces of art to feature on the website.

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Community Award

The students in Susan Kern’s Community Pathway Program at Pinelands Regional High School in the Pinelands Regional School District developed a website to share valuable information about community resources such as transportation, banks, restaurants and local community events. These important resources are now available to students long after they graduate from their program.

Most Awarded School District

Public Schools of Edison Township, NJ

Most Active State

New Jersey

What is Demo Day? Think of it as a classroom version of Shark Tank where students give a presentation to report on their work progress, where they describe their job role, problems encountered and how they collaborated to successfully complete their work. Each student will interpret feedback given to them by their co-workers (peers) and their employers (teachers). 

Here’s a short sample of what a Demo Day looks like for a High School Life Skills Classroom.