The Transition Fair Season of 2026-27 Has Begun!

Every year, transition fairs bring together students, families, and community resources at multiple campuses to answer one critical question: What happens after high school?

For Denise Sanetra, Transition Specialist at Autism Academy, organizing these fairs across the four campuses that have high schools — Tempe, Gilbert, Glendale, and Tucson — is both a challenge and a labor of love.

The goal is simple but powerful: make sure families know what’s available to them as their students prepare for post-secondary life.

What Happens at a Transition Fair?

On the day of the event, vendors, community organizations, and college representatives fill the space. Students rotate through by classroom at scheduled times, and parents can walk alongside their student or independently.

Vendors range widely:

• Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab)
• Employment-focused organizations
• Day programs and support services
• Driving schools
• Community colleges and universities

“The purpose is to see what’s available,” Sanetra explains. “Not so much to prepare them in one day, but to give them information and resources they didn’t know existed.”

Why Four Fairs Instead of One?

Each campus serves a different community with different local resources. Sanetra researches what’s accessible for families at each location, sometimes relying on local teachers and Voc Rehab contacts to identify relevant organizations.

Campus	Date
Glendale (West Valley)	November 13,2026
Gilbert	February 19. 2027
Tucson	April 9, 2027
Tempe	September 18, 2026

 

A Game-Changing Discovery: Bringing Students In

Our approach evolved during the 2024–2025 school year when our Tucson campus shifted to a morning format for transition fairs. By hosting the fair during school hours, teachers were able to guide students through the event and provide opportunities for them to engage directly with community organizations and resources.

This shift moved the focus away from parents being the primary recipients of transition information and placed students more at the forefront of planning for their own futures. The new format encourages greater student involvement, self-advocacy, and ownership as they explore opportunities and resources related to life after high school.

“It was the best fair. Our vendors loved it,” Sanetra recalls. The school quickly adopted that model across all campuses. Now every classroom has a designated time to visit, and vendors engage directly with students.

Seniors tend to be the most engaged, especially those planning to stay for the B.R.I.D.G.E. Program*, where post-secondary planning becomes more real. Freshmen and sophomores may not fully grasp the relevance yet, but repeated exposure pays off. “They pick up different things each time,” Sanetra notes. “They’ll say, ‘Oh wow, I didn’t know that.’ Maybe they’re interested in something new.”

More Than a Fair: Year-Round Support

The transition fair is just one piece of a larger support system. Throughout the year, our students participate in career development block, explore career clusters, and participate in transition planning to shape their post-secondary goals.

We also host parent meetings throughout the school year, covering topics families need most:

Date	Topic
October 23, 2026	College Concurrent & dual enrollment
December 4, 2026	Guardianship (with an attorney)
January 22, 2027	Voc Rehab & DDD support

 

What Families Wish They Had Known Sooner

When asked what catches families off guard, Sanetra points to a few recurring gaps:

• Guardianship
• DDD redetermination
• SSI and employment rules
• College  & Support services

The Power of Personal Connection

Perhaps the most defining element of Sanetra’s work at AAED is the relationships. She personally contacts every vendor, follows up, and calls to find the right person when staff changes.

“It really is all about that connection,” she says. “Which plays a big part in the success of each individual child.”

 

*The B.R.I.D.G.E. Program at AAED is a post-12th-grade program and offers specialized training, real-world experience, and comprehensive support. Most high school students in AAED participate in specialized autism programs geared toward career exploration and preparation.