Students with Autism build career skills from grocery store simulator at a school in Abington Township, writes Matteo Iadonisi for 6abc.

Rachel DiCerbo, an occupational therapist at The Nexus School has her dream job helping autistic students learn career skills by participate in a grocery store simulation, called Nex-Mart, in their own school building.

Students can now students can work on vocational, community and shopping skills in the comfort of their school.

“During COVID, we lacked opportunities to take our students out into the community,” she said. “It kind of led us to building this whole store to practice life skills, to practice vocational skills before going back out into the community,” she notes.

We do have some community-based jobs that we take our kids out to,” said special education teacher Justine Valenza. “And any business that is willing to let us come in and teach our students and be out in the community, we will find a way to make it work.”

The Nexus School is devoted to educating children within the autism spectrum, and this store helps with developing skills.

Find out more about how Nex-Mart at The Nexus School is helping their students in Abington Township at 6abc.