New Heights: Forging Friendships, Gaining Independence and Developing Critical Skills

When Jonathan McCoy ’98 established the New Heights program at Le Moyne in 2016, his vision for it was simple, yet powerful. McCoy wanted to provide the 18- to 21-year-old special education students he teaches in the East Syracuse Minoa (ESM) Central School District with the opportunity to experience life on a college campus, as they worked, socialized and grew surrounded by their peers. It’s safe to say he’s achieved that aim. Nearly 20 students have gone through New Heights and become part of the Le Moyne family. They have started nearly every day with a warm, informal meeting in the College’s Dolphin Den, before setting off to jobs around campus, including in the recreation center, dining hall and mailroom. They also take courses led by McCoy on topics including English language arts, social studies, consumer math and transition planning. Along the way, these young people have forged friendships, gained independence and developed critical employability skills.

New Heights students have interacted with Le Moyne students from the departments of Education and Occupational Therapy, as well as with those enrolled in COR 100: Renaming Intellectual Disability. The course is taught by Maura Brady, Ph.D., associate professor of English, who says she values New Heights not only for the curricular, extracurricular and job-training opportunities it provides, but for the ways in which it enriches the entire campus community. It has provided her students with an opportunity to learn about the mission of New Heights, and what it takes to make it a success. Several of Brady’s undergraduates have served as mentors for students in the program.

“In my class, we study the history of intellectual disability and the close connections between language and social practice,” Brady said. “My students  learn as much from the New Heights students as they do from our class readings and discussions about what inclusion really means, and what it takes. Having this group as part of our campus community sends that message to everyone at Le Moyne.”

Looking back, McCoy is grateful to have partners both at ESM and Le Moyne who have supported New Heights and encouraged him personally as he has led it. He is proud of the ways in which it has helped so many students become more independent and confident as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. And he is not done growing the program yet. McCoy is always looking for ways to develop connections between New Heights and prospective partners in ways that are mutually beneficial. For example, he would love to see New Heights expand to include an independent-living or unified sports component at some point in the future. He is committed to providing participants with as many opportunities as possible.

“I like to shoot high and I’m driven to create a transformative experience for both ESM and Le Moyne,” he says.

Above: Students from Le Moyne and the New Heights Program prepare a meal in the Drescher Community Room on campus.