UEC 2019-20 Yearbook

Damon believes the most valuable thing about UEC is the experience he gained while working. He said, “Working is balanced out with the learning quite nicely, and I appreciated every bit I could get.” &nbsp; Mr. Verdesca has enormous admiration for Damon. He said, “I really enjoy that Damon comes off the bus smiling in the morning with a happy, sincere greeting and leaves at 3:30 with that happy demeanor still in place. Damon is pleasant to all whom he interacts with and truly enjoys working at Fast Food Boulevard. Damon's positive force was contagious, and it was hard to be in a bad mood around him." Damon's mentor, Kyle notes that Damon is always so positive and happy. He said, "I wish we could celebrate this accomplishment together, but I look forward to seeing him around UO once we’re all back on campus."

Andy especially values that UEC, “Inspired me to try to do the absolute most possible.” Andy’s mentor Eric said, “I always admired how he takes in any advice or information I gave him, and I know he has a bright future because he is smart, coachable, and takes action on the things he wants.” Maria, our Universal liaison added, “Andy has such great acting skills, coupled with his unique and great sense of humor and his kindness to others. He will be a great success!”

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Photos, yearbook layout, and design by Mr. Jay Verdesca

Nick said he's learned a lot while attending UEC, especially from his mentor. "It’s funny, my mentor is my opposite. He’s very outgoing, and I’m more quiet. He taught me that&nbsp;if you don’t take a chance now, you might not get that chance again."&nbsp; Nick's managers love the excellent job he does. Jeremiah said, "I have heard nothing but good things about Nick. He is a hard worker and consistently has a positive attitude." At the school, we've all enormously enjoyed Nick's artwork, his (surprise!) singing talent, and his kind, gentle disposition.

Tyler believes UEC and his job will help with his future. In particular, he learned&nbsp;“how to communicate with co-workers and make professional relationships.” Our Assistant Principal Mr. Webster-Gardiner admires Tyler&nbsp;“for the same thing that will make sure Tyler goes far—he is real. What you see with Tyler is what you get—no pretense, no show, nothing fake. Tyler will tell you what he thinks, and the world needs people to be as real as he is.”

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Talara’s mentor Eliza knows that Talara will succeed because “wherever she goes, she goes with all her heart!” Eliza respects Talara’s ability to overcome adversity and persevere. Talara’s former counselor Brandi agrees and loves that Talara’s smile can brighten up any room!

During distance learning, we were able to get yard signs donated for all the seniors. On May 12th, we delivered a gift including the sign, gift bag, and senior t-shirt to each senior.

    In thinking about how UEC prepared him for the future, AJ said, “The work experience is valuable because this is something that you can use in the future.” He also encourages students new to UEC to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

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While at UEC, Danny says he learned a great many things and would also advise rising seniors to, “Not to get caught up with getting out of school. Enjoy the time while you have it.” Danny’s mentor Ryan admires this about him: “His maturity at his age. He is light years beyond me when I was 17 and 18.” Ryan added, “I think he is going to absolutely take off with his career beyond anyone's expectations."

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When thinking about how UEC taught him lessons for his future, Gabe said, “I learned to always value the connections you have with people.” One of those connections is with his mentor Dan, who loves talking with Gabe about his plans for the future. Dan says, “Gabe is really starting to see and apply his potential.”

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Valencia Admissions

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UEC helped Jevonte “to be more responsible and more open with people.” Jevonte also said he loved, “all the good laughs my friends and I had this year … and there were a LOT.” &nbsp;Joshua, Jevonte’s mentor, said, “He is willing to learn and stay disciplined to achieve his goals. Anything he puts his mind to, he will be able to accomplish because he will put in the work to do it."

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An experience that really stood out to Chevanique at UEC was this year's Black History Month celebration.&nbsp;She said, “It was the best unity that I experienced with my classmates. After performing the play, I felt accomplished because of the hard work we all put in, and the end results were great.” &nbsp;Anie, Chevanique’s mentor, says that Chevanique, “has so much determination she doesn't only reach her goals, she exceeds them.”

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Assistant Principal Mr. David Webster-Gardner

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Ms. Forbes thought that the activities we were doing this year should be documented and shared with our UEC family. She donated her time to collaborate, write, and publish our first four editions to rave reviews. Mr. Verdesca provided the photos. Editing assistance by Mr. Webster. Please follow links to see each issue:

 Quarter 1

Quarter 2

Quarter 3

Quarter 4

Samaria is a second year UEC student who has shown growth at work and at school. As a member of SGA she continued to push for activities and involvement from her peers. She frequently was recognized at work for her leadership. She was usually the first to turn in assignments and volunteer when help was needed. Samaria plans to continue working at UO while taking classes starting in the fall.

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By most accounts the 2019-20 school year was the best in our history. New initiatives included the school website, newsletter, student assemblies, tutoring, Remind app, Parent and manager Open Houses, reading and library project, SGA leadership, lead mentor position and much, much more. With our students moving to $13.00 an hour, our students earned over $242,000 this year.

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Johnathan really values our program’s mentors and the opportunity to gain work experience. He said, “I probably wouldn't have gotten great advice from someone like Keith or even gotten the chance to meet so many new people or get job experience without this program.” Johnathan’s mentor Keith said, “Johnathan is a soft-spoken, well-mannered young man who is very intelligent, caring, and a friend to all. He carries himself with confidence and has the potential to go far in life.”

76 hours donated 280 lbs of trash collected 33 students appreciated nature

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Thank you Gate 2 security for helping us make UEC one of the safest schools in OCPS.

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Mrs. Forbes, her work experience teacher, loves Ellyana's maturity and proactiveness. "She is always first.&nbsp;First to volunteer, first to turn in work, first to encourage a new student. Ellyana has been a cornerstone of our school, and we will miss her!"

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Jankarlo wants future UEC students to&nbsp;“stay focused, enjoy yourself, and enjoy every moment.” His mentor Aiden loves chatting with him about economics and watching him work hard at his passions. Aiden said, “He knows how to use what he learns in school in the real world and has a lot of passion about doing the right thing and being the best at everything he tries.”

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Ryan Cole, our lead UO mentor, represented the UEC mentor program when it was recognized by OCPS as the outstanding Partnership-In-Education in business for the 2019-20 school year. The award ceremony was held at Seaworld. This was a huge recognition for the work our mentors do to support our program.

Ms. Castro lead our SGA for the second year with great participation from all members. Unfortunately many of our biggest planned events were cancelled: Bowling night, Prom, Grad Bash, Senior week and more. Our SGA did a great job in supporting all we could do this year. 

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Caleb appreciates that his venue supervisor “really took the time to sit down with me and help me map out a future at Universal.” Caleb’s mentor Michael loves Caleb’s drive and confidence and says his future is bright because “he has a positive attitude and definite ideas about what he likes to do.”

AJ's English teacher Ms. Wilhite said, "I really enjoy AJ’s positive attitude and enthusiasm. I’m going to miss our conversations before class began where he introduced me to some amazing books, racing, video games, and superheroes. He is extremely smart and kind. I’m so proud of his work ethic, and I know AJ is going to have a bright future." AJ's mentor Shaun shared that, "AJ has been a phenomenal mentee. He has so much passion and enthusiasm for Universal, UEC and life in general. I enjoy the fact AJ knows what area he would like to focus on for his career, and you can see the passion he has every time we talk."

A challenge Brianna faced was “getting work done on time. I overcame that struggle by learning time management.” She also appreciates acquiring new job skills. Ms. Castro has loved getting to know Brianna these last two years. She said, “Brianna is a smart, respectful, and caring student. She keeps a positive attitude through any situation and is also a great listener. I am so proud of how she has broken out her shell and is showing her amazing talents. Bri has an amazing future ahead of her!” Briana's mentor Daphne admires that Brianna always stays true to her character and is a loyal friend. She added, "She has great aspirations, and I wish her all the best to her successes."

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At UEC, a school-to-work program, student spend half their day in the classroom and half their day working in the theme park. Students get real-world customer service training on a daily basis.

Jake believes the most valuable thing about UEC is how students simultaneously work and complete school, all with the support of a mentor. His mentor Alex likes "that Jake has a good head on his shoulders and has a mature perspective on life." He added, "I really enjoy spending time with Jake;&nbsp;he is a friend first and mentee second!"

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While at UEC, Robyn especially valued&nbsp;the time she spent with her mentor, Natalie. “She always made herself available to me throughout the whole time I was a student here, and I really can't be more appreciative.” And Natalie’s favorite thing about Robyn? “The kindness and friendship she gives to others.”

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ESE Ms.Debbie Hammonds Ms. Leslie Richardson

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Elizabeth wants new UEC students to know they should&nbsp;“never be afraid to reach out for help. There is always someone in school that can help you solve an issue or just talk to you about some of the problems you have at school, at work, or even in your home life.” Her mentor Erica (pictured here with Elizabeth)&nbsp;loves that&nbsp;“Elizabeth is never afraid to be herself. She has grown and changed over the last two years but has always stayed true to who she is.”

Noah finished his online courses earlier in the school year and chose to work more hours. Noah plays the drums for his band and continues to practice and perform locally. We are pleased to have Noah return for our virtual graduation.

While at UEC, Ellyana felt particularly supported by her mentor. She said, “She always encouraged me to do my best and was there to talk to me whenever I needed to.” Ellyana also learned at UEC to “go after all good opportunities that presented themselves and always try my best because I never knew what could come of them.”

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Janice appreciates that attending UEC helped her&nbsp;improved her social skills, as well as&nbsp;learning&nbsp;to manage her time. She also credits her mentor for helping her with career planning. &nbsp; Her mentor Carla particularly respects Janice’s core values because “they are based on empathy and truly caring for others. She will stand up for what is right and enthusiastically defend it from the heart.”

Mr. Alcin is one of the unsung heroes for the Universal Education Center as an OCPS bus driver. He is stern and well respected by his daily riders. His day starts around 3:30 a.m. to be up and ready to get to his first student’s pick up location for the day at 4:27. According to his Route Detail Report, Mr. Amaury drops off his last student right where he started his day at 6:51 p.m., approximately fourteen and a half hours later. We are proud that Mr. Amaury has chosen our school to drive for, as we know that our children are in safe hands each and every day! Thank you for your dedication to our UEC students.

Our fabulous UO mentors help our students get to the finishline!

Elias emphasizes the most important thing about UEC is the teachers. He said, “They put in a lot of one-on-one time with you to give you the best situation possible for your specific needs.” Matt, Elias’s mentor, enjoys spending time with him “learning about his successes and what he has going on that excites him and causes him to be successful.” Matt is also enthusiastic about Elias’s future as a firefighter. “He will be saving lives and helping people!”

Advice Samaria would offer to younger UEC students is to&nbsp;“always be yourself. Don’t let anyone change who you are. Also, always be about school because everything else can wait.” Her mentor Candi knows Samaria has an amazing future because&nbsp;“she is willing to learn and has taken the time to reflect on who she is and where she wants to go!”

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