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The district’s Adult Transition Program helps young adults with disabilities build confidence, job skills, and independence through student-run enterprises.
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The district’s Adult Transition Program helps young adults with disabilities build confidence, job skills, and independence through student-run enterprises.
REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands Unified School District’s BRIDGE Adult Transition Program has received the 2025 Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association, earning statewide recognition for its innovative approach to preparing young adults with disabilities for independent, meaningful lives.
Serving students ages 18 to 22, the BRIDGE — which stands for Building Resilience, Independence, and Daily living skills for Growth and Empowerment — combines classroom learning with hands-on job experience. Students gain practical, social, and vocational skills through on-campus enterprises and community partnerships designed to help them thrive beyond graduation.
“We believe every student deserves pathways that empower them to learn, contribute and thrive as independent, confident members of our community,” Superintendent Juan Cabral said. “Our Adult Transition Program is a shining example of that belief at work. This Golden Bell Award honors not only innovative instruction but also the dignity, pride and real-world success our students experience every day.”
The BRIDGE Program operates across Redlands High School and Citrus Valley High School. Its work-based learning classes include three student-run businesses: Studio 24 Restaurant, Terrier Grrrounds & Coffee Co., and Terrier Blooms & Garden Co. Each provides real-world training in customer service, teamwork, and problem-solving — with students taking on responsibilities from budgeting and baking to floral design and gardening.
Studio 24, founded nearly two decades ago by retired teacher Judy White and now led by teacher Sarah Ostash, has long served as a model for the district’s work-transition efforts. The restaurant opens several times a year for special events, where students plan menus, prepare and serve meals, and manage every aspect of the dining experience.
“When students learn what they’re capable of, you can see their confidence grow,” Ostash said. “They realize trying, failing and adjusting is part of how you learn, and that gives them courage to try other things.”
When Studio 24 isn’t open for special events, students continue honing their culinary skills through the Special Kneads Bakery, making cookies and other baked goods sold at district events and through Terrier Grrrounds. This year, the class also launched a bento-box lunch service for Redlands High School staff, giving students more opportunities to practice communication, customer service and money-handling.
Student Dylan Davis said the best part of Studio 24 is “when we all work together as a team,” adding that each role — from cooking to serving guests — contributes to the restaurant’s success.
Nearby, Terrier Grrrounds & Coffee Co. gives students another opportunity to develop communication and job-readiness skills. The coffee shop, founded by teacher Natalie Kling, serves 20 to 50 customers daily and provides drinks for district meetings and community events.
“When students step into the coffee shop, they’re in work mode,” Kling said. “That sense of responsibility changes everything.”
From budgeting and shopping to brewing and serving, students handle every part of the operation at Terrier Grrrounds. Each shift builds confidence and communication skills as they learn to adapt — whether it’s remaking a drink, managing a rush or finding creative fixes when supplies run low. The mix of real-world experience and food-safety training gives them practical tools for both work and life beyond school.
Student barista Ariel Morales said the class helped her feel more confident and independent as she prepares to graduate this December.
“When I’m making coffee, I feel comfortable and I know what I’m doing,” she said.
The program’s newest enterprise, Terrier Blooms & Garden Co., launched in August 2025 under teacher Samantha Wierenga. Students learn floral design and horticulture skills while maintaining campus gardens and creating arrangements for district and community events. Through a partnership with Trader Joe’s in Yucaipa, they repurpose donated flowers into bouquets for local hospice and senior care facilities.
“My students want to give back, not just receive,” Wierenga said. “When they deliver bouquets to hospice or senior homes, you can see how proud they are to be the ones giving joy to someone else.”
Student Savannah Rowe said she especially enjoys making floral arrangements for events like Judy White’s PRAISE Day Program ribbon-cutting ceremony and creating arrangements to share with loved ones.
“I feel happy, and the arrangements look really cool. And I got to give an arrangement to my mom, and my mom loved it,” Rowe said.
As the class grows, Terrier Blooms & Garden Co. is working to secure additional resources – from floral refrigerators to gardening equipment – to build capacity and give students more opportunities to learn, create and share their work with the community.
This year, the program introduced “Terrier Carriers” – gift bundles featuring drinks from Terrier Grrrounds, cookies from Studio 24’s Special Kneads Bakery and an arrangement from Terrier Blooms.
At Citrus Valley High School, BRIDGE students with moderate to severe disabilities receive individualized instruction focused on daily living, communication, and community engagement. Teachers and paraprofessionals guide students in building routines, practicing social interaction, and developing independence through tailored lessons and activities.
Together, the district’s BRIDGE classrooms exemplify inclusive education that connects learning to life.
Redlands Unified will be recognized alongside other California districts during the 2025 Golden Bell Awards ceremony in February 2026, celebrating excellence in public education.
For more information about the BRIDGE Program or Redlands Unified School District, visit www.redlandsusd.net.
This article was written from a news release from Redlands Unified on Nov. 7, 2025.
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