NESCA’s Newton, MA location has immediate availability for neuropsychological evaluations. Our MA clinicians specialize in the following evaluations: Neuropsychological; Autism; and Emotional and Psychological, as well as Academic Achievement and Learning Disability Testing.

Visit www.nesca-newton.com/intake for more information or to book an evaluation.

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7
high school student working as a grocery store clerk over the summer

What Should My High Schooler Do This Summer?

By | NESCA Notes 2025

high school student working as a grocery store clerk over the summerBy: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L
NESCA Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager

As summer approaches, many parents find themselves asking the same question: “What should my high schooler do this summer?” While it’s tempting to let the months slip by in a haze of late mornings and screen time, summer can be an incredible opportunity for teens to grow in ways that go far beyond academics. Whether your child needs to build their resume, explore career interests, or just enjoy some well-earned downtime, there are plenty of ways to use the summer months meaningfully. Here are six ideas to help your teen make the most of their summer break:

  1. Get a Job

It doesn’t have to be glamorous or connected to their dream career; just having a job can make a big difference in a teen’s development. Research shows that teens who work, even part-time in unrelated fields, often have better long-term outcomes, including higher earnings and stronger work habits. A summer job teaches responsibility, time management, and communication skills, while also boosting confidence and independence. Whether it’s scooping ice cream, lifeguarding, or stocking shelves, your teen will be gaining skills that matter.

  1. Volunteer

If a paid job isn’t in the cards this summer, volunteering can be just as valuable. Volunteer work offers teens a chance to develop important job-readiness skills, like collaboration, commitment, and leadership. It can also provide a strong sense of purpose and build self-esteem, especially when the cause is one they care about. From local food banks to animal shelters to community theater, volunteering helps teens learn what it means to contribute and be part of something bigger than themselves.

  1. Attend a Camp Related to a Career Interest

Is your child into coding, engineering, creative writing, or environmental science? Summer camps focused on specific interests or career paths can be an exciting way for teens to dig deeper into a passion. These experiences are not only educational but also energizing, they can spark new goals, introduce teens to mentors and peers who share their interests, and even inspire future college and career plans. Many camps now offer virtual or hybrid options, making it easier to find a good fit.

  1. Build Skills through Coaching

Summer can be the perfect time to focus on the skills that teens don’t always have time to develop during the school year. Executive function skills, self-determination, and future planning are all crucial for a smooth transition to adulthood. One-on-one coaching can help teens explore careers, practice goal-setting, and learn strategies for time management and self-advocacy. At NESCA, we offer a variety of summer intensives focused on transition planning, career exploration, executive functioning, self-awareness, and sexual health and relationship education. Many students benefit from individualized instruction in these areas to stay safe, informed, and confident. These short-term programs are designed to empower students and help them build a meaningful roadmap for the future. If you have any interest in these programs, NESCA’s intake form can be found here: https://nesca-newton.com/intake/

  1. Try an Overnight Experience to Practice Being Away from Home

Whether it’s a traditional sleepaway camp, a weekend college program, a college prep experience, staying with extended family, or planning a trip with friends, having an overnight experience can be a powerful step in your teen’s growth. Being away from home helps young people practice independence, responsibility, and problem-solving in a new environment. It can also reveal areas where they may need more support, like managing personal hygiene, communicating needs, or sticking to routines, giving families a clearer picture of what to work on before college or adulthood. Even short trips away from home can boost confidence and build valuable life skills.

  1. Allow Time for Fun and Independence

While structure and growth are important, don’t underestimate the value of downtime. Summer is also a time for teens to relax, socialize, and explore who they are without the pressures of school. Giving your teen some autonomy (whether it’s planning a trip with friends, trying a new hobby, or managing their own schedule) helps them build self-confidence and a strong sense of identity. Fun and independence aren’t just luxuries; they’re essential parts of growing up.

There’s no one “right” way to spend the summer, but with a little thought and planning, your teen can come away from the break with new skills, deeper self-knowledge, and renewed confidence. Whether they’re working, volunteering, exploring a passion, or simply learning how to manage their time, every experience counts. The goal isn’t to fill every hour; it’s to offer opportunities that support growth, discovery, and a smoother transition into young adulthood.

For more information about NESCA’s summer programming opportunities for students, check out our recent newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/nesca-newton/summer2025.

 

About Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L

Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L, Vermont-based Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager, is an occupational therapist who focuses on helping students and young adults with disabilities to build meaningful skills in order to reach their goals. She has spent the majority of her career working in a private school for students with ASD. She has also spent some time working in an inpatient mental health setting. Lyndsay uses occupation-based interventions and strategies to develop life skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation. While completely her doctoral degree at MGH Institute of Health Professions, Lyndsay worked with the Boston Center for Independent Living to evaluate transition age services. She uses the results from her research to deliver services in a way that is most beneficial for clients. Specifically, she focuses on hands-on, occupation-based learning that is tailored the client’s goals and interests.

Dr. Wood accepts Vermont- and Massachusetts-based transition and occupational therapy assessments. Her in-home and community-based coaching services are available in the greater Burlington, Vermont area. Dr. Wood can accept virtual coaching clients from both Massachusetts and Vermont.

 

To book coaching and transition services at NESCA, complete NESCA’s online intake form. 

 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; the greater Burlington, Vermont region; and Brooklyn, New York (coaching services only) serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

12

The Benefits of Volunteering

By | Nesca Notes 2023

By: Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S
NESCA Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor

Volunteering has many benefits for school aged students beginning to participate in transition planning. Many charities and organizations rely on volunteers to continue their services and reach more people. In general, volunteering is a great way to form community connections, achieve a sense of purpose, and boost confidence and self-esteem, all while helping those in need. In thinking about a child’s eventual transition to adulthood, there are many additional hidden benefits to volunteering.

  • Build social connections: Volunteering allows individuals to engage and connect with others in a structured environment. Working with others through task completion towards a common goal is a great way for individuals to form friendships and positive connections in a low-pressure setting.
  • Mental health benefits: Volunteering has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression and loneliness. Many studies have shown that helping others and carrying out altruistic acts makes you happier. In fact, some therapists believe volunteering should be built into a treatment plan in the management of depression.
  • Employment/Transition Skills: Volunteering can help individuals build various skills that will help them in future jobs. Volunteering can help develop leadership skills, one’s ability to work in a team, customer service, following instructions, and punctuality to name a few important pre-employment skills. Volunteering helps individuals learn what type of work they enjoy through exposure to various work activities and work sites. Consistent volunteer work can also help build a young person’s resume.

It may be decided that a good match leads to long-term volunteering; however, it does not have to be a long-term commitment. Consistent volunteering can be a helpful tool in the stressful seasons of the year. Helping others can help to clear your head, reduce stress, and bring a perspective that allows you to engage more fully in your other commitments.

If your child and or family unit is looking for volunteer opportunities, you can start by contacting local animal shelters, senior centers, public libraries, community centers, or food pantries. Other websites to locate family volunteer opportunities in the greater Boston area include:

https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/family-volunteering-boston

https://community-harvest.org/

https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/take-action/volunteer/

 

About the Author

Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S, has worked with transition-aged youth as a licensed School Psychologist for more than a decade. She has extensive experience working with children and adolescents with a range of learning and social/emotional abilities. Kristen’s strengths lie in her communication and advocacy skills as well as her strengths-based approach. She is passionate about developing students’ self-awareness, goal-setting abilities, and vision through student-centered counseling, psychoeducation, social skills instruction, and executive functioning coaching. Mrs. Simon has particular interests working with children and adolescents on the Autism spectrum as well as individuals working to manage stress or anxiety-related challenges.

Mrs. Simon is an expert evaluator and observer who has extensive working knowledge of the special education process and school-based special education services, particularly in Massachusetts. She has been an integral part of hundreds of IEP teams and has helped to coordinate care, develop goals, and guide students and their families through the transition planning process. Mrs. Simon further has special expertise helping students to learn about their diagnoses and testing and the IEP process in general. She enjoys assisting students, families, and educators in understanding a student’s disability-related needs as well as the strategies that can help the student to be successful in both academic and nonacademic settings. Mrs. Simon has often been a part of teams in the years when students are initially participating in transition services, and she has helped countless students to build the skills necessary to be part of their first team meetings. She is committed to teaching students—as well as parents and educators—how to participate in student-centered team meetings and the IEP processes.

At NESCA, Mrs. Simon works as a transition specialist and psychoeducational counselor. She works with adolescents, their families, and their school communities to identify and build the skills necessary to achieve their postsecondary goals. Mrs. Simon provides transition assessment (including testing, functional evaluations, and observations), program observations and evaluations, case management and consultation, and individualized counseling and skills coaching.

To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s transition specialists, please complete our online intake form. 

NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton and Plainville, Massachusetts, Londonderry, New Hampshire, and Burlington, Vermont, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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