Bearcat B.E.S.T Program

The Bearcat B.E.S.T. experience is individualized based upon each student’s specific assessed needs, but rests on the sure foundation of four pillars: Academics; Social Skills, Independent Living Skills and Vocational Skills.

Academic Skills—enable students to grow the academic skills necessary to live with maximized independence through instruction tied to the Pennsylvania Core standards in reading and mathematics.

Independent Living Skills—teach students the skills necessary to live in, and to make a meaningful contribution to, settings in which they live, be that with family or in group home or other residential arrangements.

Social Skills—train students in skills necessary to initiate and maintain healthy relationships, with particular emphasis on the development of self-advocacy skills, prepare students for community involvement.

Vocational Skills—enable students to explore and prepare for competitive employment upon completion of the Bearcat B.E.S.T. Program.

Bearcat BEST Course Offerings

BB100ID: Orientation Seminar
In this course students will explore the Saint Vincent College campus and familiarize themselves with the different buildings, offices, services, and resources available to them as students. Students will also learn about the various Saint Vincent traditions. In groups, students are required to complete a "Student Handbook" detailing various Saint Vincent locations, rules, and services. 

BB101ID: Study Skills & Organization I 
This course will enable students to maintain organization while meeting academic, professional, and personal deadlines. Students will become better equipped to independently manage time in order to effectively function in the home, school, and work environments 

BB102ID: Study Skills & Organization II 
This course encourages students to maintain organization while meeting academic, professional, and personal deadlines. Students become better equipped to independently manage time in order to effectively function in home, school, and work environments. Opportunities for 1:1 and small group tutoring promote academic success. 

BB201ID: Study Skills & Organization III 
This course promotes students’ success as they continue to maintain organization while meeting academic, professional, and personal deadlines. Students become better equipped to independently manage time in order to effectively function in home, school, and work environments. Opportunities for 1:1 and small group tutoring promote academic success. 

BB202ID: Study Skills & Organization IV 
This course continues to promote students’ success as they continue to maintain organization while meeting academic, professional, and personal deadlines. Students become better equipped to independently manage time in order to effectively function in home, school, and work environments. Opportunities for 1:1 and small group tutoring promote academic success. 

BB301ID: Transition Seminar 
In their final semester, students explore, develop, and cement relationships with adult service providers as they prepare to enter the world of adulthood. They explore post-secondary living and employment opportunities. 

BB101MA: Basic Computation I 
During this course, students receive direct instruction and practice in mathematical operations. Extending and firming their knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, the course prepares students for practical applications of computational principles. 

BB102MA: Introduction to Real World Measurement 
This course provides students with extended opportunities to apply the concepts learned in BB101MA: Basic Computation I through application to independent living and work situations involving time, various forms of measurement, and money skills. 

BB103MA: Advanced Computation I 
While extending their knowledge of the basic computational principles of addition and subtraction, including fractions and decimals, this course builds students' skills in the areas of multiplication and division. 

BB104MA: Basic Computation II 
Throughout this course, students receive direct instruction and practice in mathematical operations. Extending and firming their knowledge of addition and subtraction, students focus on multiplication and division operations. Additionally, this course prepares students to solve multi-step problems, while utilizing a calculator to check their work. 

BB105MA: Advanced Computation II 
This course provides students with direct instruction and practice in mathematical operations. Students extend their knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using whole numbers to decimals and fractions. Through the introduction of basic algebraic skills, students increase their ability to solve multi-step problems, while utilizing a calculator to check their work. 

BB106MA: Personal Finance and Banking Basics 
This course is designed to increase students’ banking skills, in regard to their personal lives. The course will begin with a focus on counting mixed coins and bills and transition into daily, weekly, and monthly budgeting. Students will also gain and understanding of writing checks, making deposits and withdrawals, and recording transactions in order to reconcile account balances, and utilizing credit and debit cards.  Students will explore online banking and apps used in their daily lives such as peer to peer mobile payment apps.

BB201MA: Integrated Math Applications I 
This course is the first in a two part series of integrated mathematics classes designed to combine the foundations of mathematic skills and everyday applications. This course will focus on building core math skills such as computation, money, measurement, and time and how these relate to our everyday lives. 

BB202MA: Integrated Math Applications II 
As the second in a two part series of integrated mathematics courses, this course continues to combine the foundations of mathematic skills and everyday applications built in BB201MA. This course will continue to enhance core math skills while teaching advanced mathematical skills such as decimals, fractions geometry and how it relates to our everyday lives. 

BB301MA: Applied Practical Math I 
This course is the first in a two part series of applied mathematics classes emphasizing the use of core mathematical skills to problem solve. The problem situations, models and technology used foster connections to various mathematic skills such as managing money, calculating area, and balancing checking and saving accounts, which will then be used to solve daily living problems. 

BB302MA: Applied Practical Math II 
As the second in a two part series of applied math classes, this course continues to use core mathematical skills to problem solve. The problem situations, models and technology used foster connections to various mathematic skills such as ratios, proportions and conversions, which will then be used to solve daily living problems. 

BB101LA: Language Arts Skills I 
Focused on the 5 essential skills of reading, this course provides students with opportunities to increase their skill levels in decoding, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 

BB102LA: Personal Writing I 
Creating ideas through the means of writing at the sentence level and building competence in writing at the paragraph level, students will focus their writing on personal experiences, attributes and goals. With an emphasis on using the writing process, including pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing to produce organized and coherent writing, students will begin a personal writing portfolio that they will develop and expand through their time in the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program. 

BB103LA: Survey of Literature through Reading & Language Arts 
This course provides a survey of the different genre of literature, with a focus on fiction, expository texts, poetry and drama as a means of further developing the essential skills of reading including decoding skills, oral reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. 

BB104LA: Language Arts Skills II 
This course provides students with the opportunity to increase essential reading skills including decoding skills, oral reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Students do this through an exploration of fiction and non-fiction literature. 

BB105LA: Survey of Literature II
Focusing on increasing the development of the essential skills of reading including decoding skills, oral reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, this course continues to explore the different genres of literature including fiction, non-fiction, comedy, drama and tragedy. 

BB106LA: Genre Studies I: Mystery and Suspense 
Continuing the development of the essential skills of reading including decoding skills, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, this course extends exploration to include consideration of the five elements of mystery stories: character, setting, plot, problem, and solution. 

BB107LA: Expository Writing through Professional Documents
This course demonstrates and offers practice in both the writing and organization of various documents in the professional setting. Students master the writing of professional documents, including the following: cover letters, resumes, professional emails, and letters of resignation. 

BB108LA: Research and Public Speaking 
This course provides information on and practice with various forms of public speaking, including informative, persuasive, motivational, influential, and entertaining speech. Students research the topics on which they present, utilizing various references for information. 

BB201LA: Integrated Genre Studies II: American Humor
This course will focus on the conventions and elements that tie together and characterize humor within the United States. Through the reading of various forms of literature, students will continue to strengthen their skills in reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development, and writing. 

BB202LA: Integrated Genre Studies III: Historical Fiction 
While focusing on stories that are written to portray an event or a specific time period, information about a specific time period, or specific historical event, students will be expected to analyze these works for accurate and authentic information in regard to setting. Students will strive to increase their skills in the following areas: reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development, and writing. 

BB301LA: Integrated Genre Studies IV: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
This course will focus on literary works that are believable, set in the modern world, and contain characters that could potentially be real. While exploring various types of literature within this genre, students will continue to strengthen their skills in reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary development, and writing. 

BB302LA: Genre Studies V: Expository Texts
Utilizing various forms of expository texts, students will be encouraged to delve into the exploration of the difference in tone, style, structure, and features, as opposed to narrative texts. Through the use of graphic organizers and note-taking strategies, students will increase their understanding in the following areas: identifying and analyzing problem and solution, cause and effect relationships, and comparison and contrast of two or more given variables. 

BB101SS: Building Healthy Relationships
This course deepens students’ awareness of social distance, relationships, authority figures in person and through social media and boundaries to facilitate inclusion in campus and community environments. Students will develop skills for positive and healthy interactions with peers, strangers, and authority figures, as well as for relating positively to the natural environment and animals.

BB102SS: Social Skills Practicum I Fitness Activities
This course assists students to develop healthy physical well-being through the participation in Yoga with a Twist or other integrated fitness activities while establishing an appropriate understanding of the college social environment with their like-aged peers. 

BB103SS: Current Events & Problem Solving 
Students will investigate current events that are relevant to their lives and develop their self-advocacy skills. Increasing their oral presentation and public speaking skills, students will present current news items, identify problems posed by the news stories and discuss alternative solutions to resolve scenarios described. 

BB104SS: Emotional Regulation 
This course is designed to increase students’ self-determination. Students will develop skills for self-regulation, in order to assist in coping both independently and interdependently with new and challenging life situations. 

BB105SS: Social Skills Practicum II: Continuing Fitness 
This course assists students in maintaining healthy physical well-being through the completion of Yoga with a Twist, while establishing an appropriate understanding of the college social environment with their like-aged peers. 

BB106SS: Project-Based Community Service 
Students in this course work with local organizations to promote positive change in the community.

BB201SS: Introduction to Self-Advocacy 
This course assists students in the development of self-awareness regarding their skills and needs to make a successful transition from school to adulthood. Students gain understanding of their exceptionalities, rights, and how to present themselves responsibly, as well as learn how to assertively advocate their needs. 

BB202SS: Social Skills Practicum III: Participating in Fitness Activities 
The purpose of this course is to educate students about concepts, techniques, safety precautions, and equipment needed to maintain a healthy life-style.

BB203SS: Community Relations 
This course assists students in developing relationships and life-skills needed to navigate safely and properly through the community with working professionals on an everyday basis. Strengthening concepts developed in BB101SS, students learn how to communicate properly with professionals (i.e. interacting with a medical professional), as well as being a responsible member of society. 

BB204SS: Social Skills Practicum III: Participating in Fitness Activities 
The purpose of this course is to continue to educate students about concepts, techniques, safety precautions, and equipment needed to maintain a healthy life-style. Building off of what students learned in BB202SS, students select from yoga, weight lifting, or swimming, with all three courses having them participate with their non-disabled undergraduate peers. 

BB301SS: Advanced Self-Advocacy

BB302SS: Human Sexuality 
In this course, students will learn how to address one’s sexuality in a healthy and safe way. Students use concepts developed in BB101SS to strengthen skills in relationship building. Students advance their skills learned in BB103SS to develop strategies and skills that will help them learn self-management skills. The goal of this course is for students to use the accumulation of skills to build healthy, intimate relationships. 

BB101IL: Introduction to Independent Living 
The focus of this course is on the skills related to living independently, as well as in group or family settings. Exploration of topics, including etiquette, personal hygiene, conflict resolution, personal safety and healthy decision-making, provide opportunities for students to develop and practice skills needed to transition from living at home to living in other settings. 

BB102IL: Introduction to the Contemporary Kitchen 
This course will familiarize students with the contemporary kitchen. Students will develop their food and kitchen vocabulary, as well as learn the cooking process, including ingredient preparation, cooking, and clean-up procedures. Students begin with no-cook meal preparation and simple meals, progressing to more complex entrees, nutrition and safety procedures. 

BB103IL: Personal Health & Hygiene 
This course directs students in the development of a healthy lifestyle, including but not limited to, proper nutritional choices, exercise, grooming and hygiene, as well as maintaining healthy living conditions. 

BB104IL: Kitchen II: Rangetop Recipes 
Building on principles mastered in BB102IL, this course teaches students to independently utilize a stovetop for cooking basic meals. Throughout the course, students work in small groups and independently to prepare course-selected recipes, while also focusing on kitchen safety, proper measurement techniques, and cooking vocabulary. Students compile these recipes into a book for future reference and use in their adult lives. 

BB201IL: First Aid and Community Safety 
The purpose of this course is to help students identify and eliminate potential hazardous conditions in their environment, recognize emergencies and make appropriate decisions for first aid care. The course will teach skills that participants need to know in order to provide immediate care to themselves or someone close to them until more advanced care arrives. This course will also address safety and first aid in the community as it relates to the students and their specific needs. 

BB202IL: Appliance-Based Cooking 
This course assists students in learning and familiarizing themselves with new cooking skills, while using concepts developed from BB102IL and BB104IL. Students continue building their food and kitchen vocabulary, as well as the correct preparation, cooking, and cleanup procedures. Students develop correct and safe use of different appliances in the kitchen, including (but not limited to): microwave, toaster, toaster oven, blender, mixer, crockpot, and air fryer. 

BB204IL: Household Management 
In this course, the students focus on skills needed to maintain a healthy and clean residential living space. Building off of their skills learned in BB101IL, students strengthen their cleaning and sanitation skills, while also developing household organization skills. Students also discuss concepts of living with others in regard to privacy/personal property, as well as other concepts needed for successful independent living. 

BB205IL: Oven-based Cooking 
Building on topics previously discussed in BB202IL, students take a deeper look in safe and proper use of oven-based cooking. Students use their skills gained in BB102IL and BB104IL and strengthen them by implementing these concepts into recipes centered on oven cooking. Students continue to build their recipe portfolios that began in BB102IL, as they develop skills needed to safely live on their own, while gaining the ability to cook for themselves. 

BB301IL: Consumer Nutrition 
This course aids students in their attempt to become healthy independent individuals. Students not only take a look into how nutrition is an important part of life, but the importance of routinely grocery shopping that is needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Students develop concepts needed to shop in a grocery store on a budget, while maintaining healthy choices. 

BB302IL: Transportation & Safety 
The purpose of this course is to introduce the importance of public transportation and how to use it in the proper and safest way possible. Students learn concepts to include the safe way to use a public bus, taxi, metro, subway, ride sharing apps, etc. Students strengthen safety concepts to use in public areas to keep themselves and others safe. 

BB303IL: Balanced Meal Preparation
Students will demonstrate their knowledge and ability of safety awareness in the kitchen, preparation of no-cook, rangetop, microwave, and oven-based recipes and meals, while increasing awareness of the effects on healthy eating habits across the lifespan. After exhibiting the ability to plan daily and weekly well-balanced meals, students will independently be responsible for preparing simple, yet delicious home-cooked meals. 

BB101VT: Employment Skills 
This course is designed to prepare Bearcat BEST students for vocational training field placements. This course will equip students with the necessary skills to obtain and maintain employment as well as to solve and troubleshoot common workplace situations they may encounter in their professional lives. Students will explore areas of vocational interest. 

BB103VT: Vocational Skills II 
This course prepares students for common workplace scenarios, including but not limited to workplace safety, social etiquette, professionalism, and time management skills. Students are encouraged vocalize their strengths, weaknesses, and concerns associated with their on-campus work placements, through BB104VT. 

BB104VT: Employment Skills Practicum 
This course places Bearcat B.E.S.T. students in on-campus work placements several days throughout the academic week. They are expected to report and perform as any professional in a typical workplace environment would. Throughout this experience, students have the support of job coaches who will provide assistance and mentoring as needed. Additionally, students begin to compile a professional portfolio, documenting key learning skills in order to assist them in obtaining future permanent employment. 

BB201VT: Vocational Skills III 
This course extends students’ exploration of workplace scenarios, including but not limited to workplace safety, social etiquette, professionalism, and time management skills. Students are encouraged to vocalize their strengths, needs, and concerns associated with their on-campus work placements, through BB203VT. 

BB202VT: Basic Technological Applications 
This course introduces word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation skills instruction using Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint to create, edit, format and store documents, worksheets, databases and presentations. 

BB203VT: Employment Skills Internship I 
This course expands the Bearcat B.E.S.T. students’ on-campus competitive employment placements to 3 mornings per week for a total of 9 hours per week. Throughout this experience, students have the support of peer job coaches who provide assistance and mentoring as needed, applying the skills developed in BB101VT, BB102 VT and BB201VT to troubleshoot common situations and issues arising in the workplace. Additionally, students continue to compile the professional portfolio they began in BB104VT, documenting key learning skills in order to assist them in obtaining future permanent employment. 

BB204VT: Vocational Skills IV 
This course extends students’ exploration of workplace scenarios, including but not limited to workplace safety, social etiquette, professionalism, and time management skills. Students are encouraged vocalize their strengths, weaknesses, and concerns associated with their on-campus work placements through BB206VT. 

BB205VT: Technological Applications in the Workplace 
This course builds on concepts and skills gained in BB202VT to provide additional word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation skills instruction using Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint to create, edit, format and store documents, worksheets, databases and presentations. Additionally students create a web-based template for presenting their professional portfolios. 

BB206VT: Employment Skills Internship II 
This course continues the Bearcat B.E.S.T. students’ on-campus competitive employment placements 3 mornings per week for a total of 9 hours per week. Throughout this experience, students have the support of peer job coaches who provide assistance and mentoring as needed, applying the skills developed in BB101VT, BB102 VT and BB201VT to troubleshoot common situations and issues arising in the workplace. Additionally, students continue to compile the professional portfolio they began in BB104VT and BB203VT, documenting key learning skills in order to assist them in obtaining future permanent employment. 

BB301VT: Employment Externship I
In this course, students are placed in integrated, off-campus employment placements 3 full days per week for a total of 15-18 hours total. Throughout this experience, students have the support of peer job coaches who provide assistance and mentoring as needed, applying the skills developed in BB101VT, BB102 VT, BB201VT and BB204 VT to troubleshoot common situations and issues arising in the workplace. Additionally, students continue to compile the professional portfolio they began in BB104VT and BB203VT and 204VT, documenting key learning skills in order to assist them in obtaining future permanent employment. 

BB302VT: Vocational Seminar I 
In Vocational Seminar I, students explore the issues that arise in their experiences in their Employment Externship I placements. Application of problem-solving skills is emphasized as students develop a digital version of their employment portfolio.

BB302ID: Study Skill & Organization V

This course continues to promote students’ success as they continue to maintain organization while meeting academic, professional, and personal deadlines. Students become better equipped to independently manage time in order to effectively function in home school, and work environments. Opportunities for 1:1 and small group tutoring promote academic success.

BB303VT: Employment Externship II

Students continue integrated, off-campus employment placements 3 full days per week for a total of 15-18 hours total. Throughout this experience, students have the support of peer job coaches who provide assistance and mentoring as needed, applying the skills developed in BB101VT, BB102 VT, BB201VT and BB204 VT to troubleshoot common situations and issues arising in the workplace. Additionally, students continue to compile the professional portfolio they began in BB104VT and BB203VT, 204VT andBB301VT, documenting key learning skills in order to assist them in obtaining future permanent employment. 

BB304VT: Vocational Seminar II In Vocational Seminar II, students continue to explore the issues that arise in their experiences in their Employment Externship I placements. Application of problem-solving skills is emphasized as students develop a web-based version of their employment portfolio and apply for jobs as they exit the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program. 

In order to be eligible for admission, applicants must:

• be 18 years of age or turn 18 years of age before the end of the first semester of enrollment;
• be diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability;
• be eligible to receive special education services in their home districts;
• be able to independently manage and self-administer medications, if prescribed;
• be able to successfully complete an admission interview and screening assessment.

Applications must be submitted by the student’s sponsoring school district, unless the student’s family is privately paying the tuition.

Pre-Admission Application List
Applications may be submitted prior to the student’s 18^th year of age, however, the student must be at least 16 at the time of application submission. The application will need to be updated during February of the calendar year in which the student hopes to enroll.

In order to ensure an optimal, personalized experience, program enrollment is limited to 24 students. 

Chad Bender, Employment Specialist

Mr. Bender started his working career in the maintenance field for 15 years. When his daughter was born, she had a lot of medical needs and where he found his passion for Occupational Therapy. Mr. Bender graduated from Community College of Allegheny County with a degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant in 2013. He worked for The Children’s Institute for 7 years after graduation as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.

He has also worked at Franklin Regional and Greensburg Salem school districts as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. He has coached Upward Sports basketball at Pennsville church for 9 years. Instructed archery classes at Mount Pleasant YMCA for 3 years. Started and is the Head coach of the Mount Pleasant Junior/Senior Highschool trap shooting team. Mr. Bender enjoys being in the outdoors with running, hiking, and hunting, he also likes running and going to the gym.

“Through my time as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, I have been taking note of the post-graduation needs for the students with intellectual and physical disabilities. Teaching these students how to become more independent and the need to learn job skills to achieve and maintain meaningful employment became a focus of where I wanted to go with my career. Becoming the Employment Specialist for Bearcat B.E.S.T. was a perfect fit for me. I can continue to use all my skills from Occupational Therapy to assist the students to continue to advance their abilities.”

Angela Beukema, Teacher

Mrs. Beukema graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Child Development and Family Relations and a Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has most recently worked as an early childhood educator as a nature-based teacher. She has earned her second master’s degree in special education from Saint Vincent College in 2025.

Mrs. Beukema enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons. She also enjoys bird watching and taking time to stop and notice the little things in life.

“Helping others to grow is my passion. Helping my students and children grow into kind successful individuals has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life. I have enjoyed watching the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program grow over the years and consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of students and staff.”

Kathy Burd, Classroom Assistant

Mrs. Burd graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She most recently worked as a Classroom Assistant in the Life Skills Classroom at Grandview Elementary School. She has also worked as a Personal Care Assistant at Derry Area School District, as Therapeutic Staff Support at Ligonier Valley Learning Center, and as a Preschool Teacher, Preschool Teaching Assistant, and a Childcare Supervisor in four child care facilities.

Mrs. Burd enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters traveling, watching movies, attending local theater productions and playing games.

“In the years leading up to working at Bearcat B.E.S.T., my employment path has taken many different directions, working with every age from infants through high schoolers. I have enjoyed learning new skills and meeting a wide variety of students and educators at each and am thankful for the path that has led me here. Working at Bearcat BEST has been the most rewarding job of all. We have a wonderful team and awesome students and I look forward to continuing the mission of Bearcat B.E.S.T. to help our students live fulfilling, successful lives.”

Alison Cox, Teacher

Mrs. Cox is a graduate of Clarion University with a degree in special education (2007) and a masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction (2010). In 2021, she completed her teaching certification in Pre-K to 3rd grade. Mrs. Cox taught for Greensburg Salem School District for 14 years as an inclusion teacher for life skills and autistic support. She most recently completed a year as an inclusion preschool teacher.

In her free time, Mrs. Cox enjoys camping and being outside with her family and pets. She is a library board member, and you often find her reading an array of books.

“I have a passion for helping others learn and grow to be the best that they can be. I aim to help all students and families to feel included and accepted in all areas of life. I teach intentionally with a positive attitude and using student strengths to grow their weaknesses.”

Amy Hildebrand, Executive Director

Mrs. Hildebrand graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Elementary Education and completed her Masters of Special Education, K-12 from Saint Vincent College in 2017. She is currently the Director of the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program and an adjunct faculty member at Saint Vincent College. Prior to working at Saint Vincent College Mrs. Hildebrand was a Math Specialist working for Title 1 in Westmoreland and Indiana counties.

Mrs. Hildebrand enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, swimming and traveling.

“How wonderful it is that we need not wait one single moment before starting to change the world.”  - Anne Frank

 Rev. Dr. Philip Kanfush, O.S.B., Senior Researcher and Chief Financial Officer  

Dr. Philip M. Kanfush is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the Doctoral Level and a licensed Behavior Specialist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Dr. Kanfush is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. He holds current Instructional II teaching certifications in the Commonwealth in the 10 areas of Early Childhood Education (pre-K to 3), Elementary Education (K – 6), Middle-Grade areas of English, Math, and Science (7 – 9), Comprehensive Social Studies (7 – 12), Business, Computer, Information & Technology Education (K – 12), Special Education (pre-K – 12), Reading Specialist (K – 12), and as a Program Specialist in English as a Second Language (K – 12). Dr. Kanfush earned Bachelor of Arts degrees at both the University of Pittsburgh and Saint Vincent College, and the Master of Business Administration and Master of Education in Special Education degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, he completed post-graduate studies in Applied Behavior Analysis at the Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology at the California University of PA. Dr. Kanfush completed the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees at Saint Vincent Seminary and earned his Doctorate in Education in Special Education at the West Virginia University. Dr. Kanfush is the founder, Senior Researcher, and Chief Financial Officer of the Bearcat B.E.S.T. Program at Saint Vincent College, where he holds the rank of Full Professor. He currently teaches undergraduate courses in reading instruction, multiple and severe disabilities, behavior and autism, and statistics and research design, and graduate-level courses in advanced clinical applications of Applied Behavior Analysis, mental health, typical and atypical human growth and development, transition through the life cycle, and statistics and research design. His research interests include literacy instruction for struggling readers and students with intellectual disabilities, life skills instruction for individuals with significant and multiple disabilities, and the treatment of behavioral disorders, as well as teacher development.

Philip Pisone, Teacher 

Mr. Pisone graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2011. He has most recently worked at Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children as a Personal Care Aide for students with special needs. He also worked for Community Living Care to help individuals make advances in social, safety, and daily living skills. He has also been the Assistant Coach for the Westmoreland County Special Olympics Basketball Team and has volunteered at Special Olympics Track and Field since September of 2013. He received his master’s degree in Special Education from Seton Hill University in 2015. 

Mr. Pisone greatly enjoys both playing and watching sports and participates in fantasy football, basketball, and baseball. 

“Becoming a teacher is a career path that I have been working towards for most of my life. Within the past years, however, my passion for working with individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities has truly grown. Helping every individual in this program become a productive and valued member of society is a goal that I will be working towards. It is a true honor to be an initial member and pioneer of this program, and I look forward to being a part of the growth and success of every student in the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program.”   

The following list represents our partners that offer externships to our students:

• Applebee's
• Beatty Point Village
• Bethlen Communities
• Brookdale
• Christ the Divine Teacher
• Dormont Manufacturing Co.
• Eat n' Park
• Fox's Pizza, Ligonier
• Giant Eagle
• Greater Latrobe Laurel Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Greensburg Hempfield Area Library
• Haircraft Salon
• Hampton Inn, Latrobe
• Independence Health: Latrobe and Greensburg
• The Kentlee
• Keystone Foam
• The Kinder Schull
• Latrobe Area Historical Society
• Latrobe Art Center
• Laurel Valley Graphics
• Ligonier Valley Learning Center
• Lindwood Farm, Inc.
• Main Bowling Center
• My Fitness Kitchen
• The Olive Garden
• Pizza Sienna
• Saint Vincent De Paul
• Salvation Army
• Springhill Suites by Marriott
• T & K Childcare
• West Media Group
• Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling

Funding for the Bearcat B.E.S.T. program is a matter between families and their individual school districts. Consequently, families should contact the Director of Special Education at their home school district to discuss the district’s policies regarding sponsorship and funding. There may be some expenses students are expected to pay.