Mutually Beneficial Headshots
For the past several years, AbleVoices has been honored to partner with the Williamson County Schools Transition 2 program, a program that helps special education students ages 18-22 years build vocational and life skills as they prepare for adulthood. Through Transition 2, students gain hands-on experience working at local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, senior living facilities, and other community settings. At the end of each school year, students are recognized at a special celebration honoring their achievements with special attention given to those exiting the program and entering a new chapter of their lives.
Several years ago, our founding Board President, Marie Wicks, and I began discussing ways AbleVoices could contribute something meaningful to these students as they prepared to enter the “real world.” We thought about the importance of having a professional headshot- something many people may need for a LinkedIn profile, job application, workplace ID, portfolio, or future opportunity. From that conversation, a collaboration was born.
The project became a natural fit for the AbleVoices Photo Academy program, which provides work-based learning doing photography in a professional setting for our photographers with disabilities. Each year, professional mentor photographers work alongside our AbleVoices photographers to provide headshots for Transition 2 students. During these sessions, our photographers gain valuable real-world experience learning how to set up studio lighting and backdrops, greet portrait clients, help clients feel comfortable, pose subjects, troubleshoot challenges like glare on glasses, and create a variety of professional portraits. Just as importantly, they have opportunities to connect with others, share about AbleVoices, and also practice portrait photography.
This year was especially meaningful for me personally because several of my son Aidan’s friends are exiting the Transition 2 program. I was grateful to personally photograph many of these students and celebrate this important milestone with them. I had planned to bring Aidan to the celebration as well, but unfortunately we were unable to attend. Over the past five months, Aidan has been undergoing a difficult chemotherapy treatment, and some days he feels stronger than others. Like many families of individuals with disabilities, we continue to balance moments of joy and celebration alongside very real challenges.
One of the things I appreciate most about this collaboration is that the impact extends far beyond the photo session itself. After the portraits are taken, our AbleVoices Studio Assistants work alongside staff and mentor photographers to select the best image for each student, crop the photographs to 8x10 format, print them, and carefully mat them for presentation at the celebration.
We employ our Photo Academy photographers as AbleVoices Studio Assistants who are also part of our Supported Employment program. Through this program, we hire, train, and support our photographers with disabilities as they develop vocational, creative, and professional skills through meaningful work opportunities. Studio Assistants help operate many parts of AbleVoices behind the scenes, including editing and printing photographs, preparing online store orders, assisting with photography programming, helping manage social media content, maintaining the tech in our two photography studios, organizing photography equipment and supplies, and supporting community projects like the Transition 2 headshot collaboration. Through this process, they gain valuable experience in photo selection, editing, printing, production, and customer-focused work while contributing in meaningful ways to the organization and the community.
AbleVoices Studio Assistants- Nicholas, Jack and Charlie- modeling the new summer 2026 AbleVoices Photography Club t-shirts.
As a result, this partnership is meaningful for our photographers and the subjects alike. Transition 2 students receive a professional portrait to take with them into adulthood. AbleVoices photographers gain valuable experience working on a professional headshot shoot. Our Studio Assistants strengthen editing, printing, and production skills through meaningful work. Most importantly, students and photographers with disabilities are working side-by-side in ways that highlight their ability and professionalism while building connection and community.
Collaborations like this remind me why I founded AbleVoices. Photography is not just about creating images. It is about creating opportunities, building confidence, developing practical skills, fostering relationships, and helping people be seen.
I am thankful for AbleVoices’ ongoing partnership with Williamson County Schools and the Transition 2 team. And I congratulate the Transition 2 students who are graduating and beginning a new chapter of their lives. I also want to congratulate all graduates across Williamson County and throughout Tennessee as they celebrate their accomplishments and look ahead to new opportunities and experiences!
Aidan at the 2024 WCS Transition 2 celebration with his teachers and friends.