*Former Falcon News reporter Quinton Buckland contributed to this report
Youth Transition Program (YTP) Specialist Cody Brock joined the Elmira High School staff this year after helping with the basketball program since 2021.
Brock started this year as a instructional assistant, but applied for the position of YTP Specialist after Candice Stansell resigned from the position at the start of the year due to family reasons.
Brock’s job duties include helping students that are on an IEP or 504 plan transition into post high school life. The help he provides could be with getting a job or applying for post high school education that may not be a four-year college or university.
He also works with seniors to set up job shadows, which are a graduation requirement. This also includes organizing and hosting a career fair and job interviews.
Through his position, Brock works with students at the EHS Falcon Corner Cafe to give the opportunity for job experience.
Brock graduated from Umpqua Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in 2013.
Before joining EHS, Brock worked full time at The PAC in Salem, where he trained around six basketball teams a season.
Brock helps coach both girls and boys basketball at EHS. Brock loves what he does and plans to do it for a long time.
“Working with kids and having the ability to coach is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Brock told Falcon News.
Brock is familiar with the local community. His wife graduated from Elmira High School in 2011 and he graduated from Hillsboro High School west of Portland.
Currently, Brock is thinking about bringing a radio station class to Elmira for students to gain more experience.
Additionally, after the departure of librarian Tessa Slager to fill a vacant spot at Fern Ridge Middle School, Brock has been filling in as part-time librarian.
