RISE (Reaching Independence through Structured Education) is LHS’ special education program aimed at helping students with cognitive disabilities achieve greater independence. The school also hosts Best Buddies, which is a club that allows RISE students to participate in activities with other students like basketball or show choir. One student who has benefited greatly from this program is Eli Tornow. The story of Tornow’s transformation is not one of a single person or activity but interwoven in the support of a welcoming school community, tailored guidance from the RISE program and meaningful friendships.
The staff involved in the RISE program are not only there to help fellow students in the program succeed, but they also find joy in getting to know each student and their unique personalities.
“Eli is a very quiet kid who just enjoys life every day. He finds joy in everything, whether it’s a big thing or a little thing. He loves to hang out with his best buddies at school and loves the Best Buddies program with the basketball team and the Unified Show Choir,” said Deb Tornow, Eli’s mom.
Students involved in the RISE program are faced with various challenges that often require a great deal of effort and support to overcome as time goes on. This can sometimes seem like it will stick around forever, but the RISE staff does a great job of challenging students to push past their boundaries and exceed expectations.
“When Eli came in as a freshman, he didn’t always have the confidence to assert himself in certain situations,” said Mary Alexander, teacher at LHS. “Anytime we would ask him a question the answer was always an automatic ‘I don’t know.’ But once he learned that ‘I don’t know’ was not going to get him anywhere, he started blossoming.”
From a teacher’s perspective, the RISE program is different because it allows students to learn at their ability level. In practice, this means that some students receive full-day support while others receive a mixture of classroom learning and real-world experiences. They have practical methods of helping students learn over time.
“We use a lot of repetition because sometimes when we teach a concept to our students, it’s pretty common that they don’t remember it the next day. So, we use a lot of repetition and structured schedules because a lot of our students do better with a structured routine, so they always know what’s coming next,” said Alexander.
While the approach to learning varies from student to student, the natural desire for life-giving connection and friendship applies to all students, regardless of whether they are in the RISE program or not.

“In Lincoln, every little gesture, from saying hi in the hallway to working alongside local businesses, teaches our students essential social skills,” said Alexander. “Each one of our students is really like a normal teenager. They all crave friendships. They all want the same things.”
Staff help students in the RISE program to grow in their capacity to make social connections with others and cooperate, especially through certain students who volunteer in the Best Buddies Program.

Rhea Petersen, who joined Best Buddies after hearing an invitation during the school announcements, is one of Eli’s best buddies. While her schedule does not allow her to participate in Unified Basketball or Unified Show Choir, she spends as much of her time during the school day with Eli as she can, along with some outside-of-school hang outs.
“We do try to encourage hanging out outside of school, maybe getting their number, their parents’ number just so you can communicate that way. And if that’s not possible, then that’s totally understandable. There’s other ways to hang out at school, whether it’s through our meetings or even just saying hi in the hallway,” said Petersen. “We all hung out one time for his birthday party at Thunder Road. I could just tell he was really just having a great time, smiling so much, he seemed really happy.”
“For Eli, the social skills he learned in high school are as much or more valuable, even than some of the academics that he will learn. For him to meet Petersen and some of the other best buddies has been wonderful,” said D. Tornow.
For a program that started when Eli was a freshman, Best Buddies, along with Unified Show Choir and Unified Basketball, has had a profound impact on him. While it may be nerve-racking for new students to join, especially if they do not really know anybody in the club, it is a great place to meet new friends.
“I hope [the Best Buddies students] find out that trying it may be something new and exciting and giving kids in the RISE program an opportunity to form a friendship and to do something different means the world to them, even if they aren’t able to express that to those students,” said D. Tornow.
Looking ahead, the community remains optimistic about Eli’s future path after his time at LHS.
As Eli continues on his path, his transformation is not just a personal victory, but a testament to the impact of consistency, encouragement and the unwavering support of those who believe in him. With every step forward, Eli is building not only skills but also a future where he can truly thrive.

This story was originally published on The Statesman on May 1, 2025.