SALEM, Ohio — Kitty Kromer is an employment and transition coordinator at Columbiana County Educational Service Center. 

What You Need To Know

  • The downtown Salem-based retail store “Reach for the Stars” continues to grow
  • The program and store were made possible by an $890,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education
  • The Reach for the Stars store is located at 440 East State S. in downtown Salem

  • The store's transition program focuses on students with developmental disabilities, who have completed high school and are between 18 and 21 years old. 

For the last five years, she's watched the downtown Salem-based retail store “Reach for the Stars” continue to grow. 

“These are students who are looking at possibly entering the workforce in the future and also learning extended living skills. So we do some cooking, some shopping, menu planning, health care,” said Kromer. 

Many of the products sold at Reach for the Stars are made by students and local artisans. 

The store's transition program focuses on students with developmental disabilities, who have completed high school and are between 18 and 21 years old. 

Dillon Hunsbarger is a first-year student who on this day is helping to print T-shirts and sweatshirts to be sold at Salem High School's football games. 

“It's good for the community and it's also good for all the local schools here in the county,” said Hunsbarger. 

“We have several students from our program who have been hired by Salem Hospital, Giant Eagle, Goodwill. Our next goal is to try and look at other (industries),” said Kromer. 

Kromer said most of all, besides breaking down stigmas, students learn invaluable social and communication skills they can carry with them throughout their life. 

“Willing to learn and they're the best employees you can ask for because they want to work and they want to be a part of a team,” said Kromer. 

“Yeah, for the next four years or so, I'll be on my way,” said Hunsbarger. 

The Reach for the Stars store has upwards of a dozen students each year and is located at 440 East State S. in downtown Salem. 

The program and store were made possible by an $890,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education. 

For more information on Reach for the Stars, click here.

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