Picking up Chicks

YOUNG ADULT TRANSITION PROGRAM

S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F Aloft Transitions INTEREST: J U L Y 2 0 1 5

 July 4: INDEPEND- ENCE DAY

 July 11: Picking Up Chicks Roaring Springs A demand for fresh eggs has led to a new project  July 12: at Aloft Transitions: raising chickens! AJ Gliottoni Swimming at spearheaded the initiative, and he was the one to Black Canyon pick out six chicks from High Desert Feed at the beginning of June Along with help from mentors,  July 18: AJ and other Aloft students have been learning Zoo Boise how to care for chicks as they grow into adult  July 19: chickens. Bike Ride on The chicks are named Batman, Three Piece, Dead- the Greenbelt pool, Deathstroke, Mystique, and Adam Lambert.  TBA: Horse- Soon, we will know the gender of our chickens. back Riding As the chicks continue to rapidly grow, we will Above: AJ Gliottoni holds up a chick shortly soon be building an outside chicken coop. Students after he brought the chicks to Aloft in early will be involved in the planning and construction of June. I N S I D E the chicken coop. THIS ISSUE:

Shout Out! 2

June 2 Snapshots

Thunder 3 Mountain

Roaring 3 Springs

Staff Update 3 Above left: The chicks’ early days with Aloft. Calendar 4

Above right: The chicks at the Work Scenes 4 end of June, having out- grown their first box.

Left: Kyle Knief and Olivia Kutner pose for a shot with a chick in late June.

P A G E 2 Shout Out!

Olivia Kutner is our newest Olivia is excited to make student at Aloft Transitions! friends at Aloft Transition and Olivia was born and raised in to discover more work and Chicago, where she volun- volunteer opportunities. We teered extensively for animal appreciate Olivia’s infectious shelters. Olivia is already tak- laughter, and we are so excited ing advantage of the volunteer to have you here in Idaho with opportunities we have here at us! Aloft, particularly with Simply Cat, a no-kill shelter in Boise. In addition to her love for animals, Olivia enjoys drawing, playing on the computer, ex- ploring the outdoors, and eat- ing food... Lots of food. Above: Connor Fields holds a three- foot-long Bull snake, a venom-less 1. Kyle Knief prepares fanged snake that mimics a rattlesnake’s to clean out the pond shake to warn off predators.. 2. Kyle with a chick on June Snapshots his back 3. “Bugs,” Aloft’s resi- dent rabbit that has eluded many a student trying to catch him 4. Adrian Klimetz by the river 5. Go-kart racing at Wa- 3. hooz Family Fun Zone 6. Kyle Knief, Adrian Klimetz, Connor Fields, and AJ Gliot- toni play a round of mini golf at Wahooz 1. 2. 4.

5. 6.

ALOFT TRANSITIONS P A G E 3 Thunder Mountain Line All aboard the Thunder Mountain Line! This scenic train ride starts in Horseshoe Bend and follows the Payette river to the small town of Banks, Idaho. Stu- dents were able to choose between air conditioned enclosed cars and open cars. The theme for the trip was Miner’s Express. The guided adventure taught riders about the area’s mining history and pointed out sights along the way. A train ride centered around mining is fitting, as Idaho is known as the Gem State. Almost every mineral ex- cept for oil, gas and coal can be found in Idaho. The discovery of gold led to the establishment of Idaho as a territory in 1863; today, silver reigns as almost 45% of all silver mined in the US comes from Idaho. Roaring Springs & Wahooz

Roaring Springs and Wahooz Family Fun Zone ticipants to choose from: Corkscrew are located next door to each other in Merid- Cavern, Cliffhanger, Thunder Falls, Vi- ian, Idaho. Aloft students have been partaking per’s Vortex, Mammoth Canyon, and our in activities at Wahooz year-round, such as favorite, the Avalanche. Students are mini golf, bumper boats, laser tag, and arcade eagerly looking forward to their next games. As temperatures climb into triple dig- adrenaline rush at Roaring Springs! its, students have been more interested in Top: Eugene Rozan and AJ Gliottoni ride the hitting up Roaring Springs, the northwest’s Avalanche at Roaring Springs largest water park. The park offers a large wave pool, a “lazy river” that meanders around Bottom: Adrian Klimetz, AJ Gliottoni, and the park, and plenty of thrilling rides for par- Kyle Knief wait for their turn at Wahooz Staff Update

abroad in beautiful Chile; he Congratulation to Pro- is fluent in Spanish, and he gram Director Daryn would love to return to Reiner! She welcomed a Chile someday. Robert en- beautiful baby boy, Mi- joys cooking, running, fish- chael Royal Reiner. Mi- ing, chilling out in the chael was born on June woods, gaming, and writing. 14th at 9am; he weighed 7 Robert is currently working pounds, 14 ounces. toward a college degree in Michael is keeping Daryn Meet our newest residential men- family and marriage counseling. We quite busy, as he always tor: Robert Hanson! Robert is a are excited to have Robert here at wants to be held. Like the native Idahoan to the core, having Aloft Transitions, as he is passion- rest of his family, he loves spent most of his life in the Treas- ate about fostering positive rela- being outside. Michael is ure Valley. Robert has had the tionships while keeping the atmos- Daryn’s second child. good fortune of spending two years phere lighthearted. P A G E 4

Schedule of Events

JULY 2015  July 4: Independence Day

 July 11: Roaring Springs Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat  July 12: Swimming at Black Canyon 1 2 3 4  July 18: Zoo Boise

 July 19: Bike Ride on the 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Greenbelt

 TBA: Horseback Riding

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

Work Scenes

One of the more unusual the move. work scenes was moving a Below: Jason Wood plays a piano Aloft purchased for tune as mentors Collin musically inclined students. Montgomery, Robert Han- Not surprisingly, the piano son, and students Connor was HEAVY and required Fields and AJ Gliottoni take all hands on board. At left, a break before hauling the staff fix up the piano before piano into the house.

Above: Eugene Rozan shows off a picnic table he built at Executive Director Jason Wood’s house. Several students have built picnic tables to give to family members or to sell for profit.

ALOFT TRANSITIONS