Special-needs students are getting special attention, thanks to the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Transitional Living program.

During a typical week, a student will have worked at one of the program's job sites, visited community businesses, exercised at the YMCA, and spent the day at West Chester University with education majors who serve as mentors. The program is designed to help students aged 18 to 21 years, who are enrolled in a Chester County public school district, prepare for life after high school. Its main features include independent-living experiences, community interaction, self-care skill building, job training and work experience.

Instead of reporting to school each day, the students' home base is a house or apartment, depending on the program location. There, they assume shared responsibilities of adult living, such as household chores, meal preparation, and budgeting expenses. The program's first location was an apartment in downtown West Chester; it has since expanded to provide the same opportunities to students in southern Chester County with the addition of a Kennett Square location.

Student Amy Cortez, who has worked at Jennersville Hospital and Peebles, said she has also learned cooking and grocery-shopping skills. “My favorite part of the program is when we spend the day at West Chester University," she said. For more information on the Transitional Living Program, please visit http://www.cciu.org/TLP.

An apparent abundance of brazenness and lack of brains led to the arrest of an Avondale teen on burglary charges, police said.

New Garden Township police said they took Phillip C. Doty, 19, into custody on Friday after a report of a burglary at an occupied residence in the 100 block of Interlachen Court. Footprints left in the house and outside were followed to Doty’s residence, and the victim made a positive ID, police said. Doty was released after posting after posting $1,000 cash bail to await a preliminary hearing on April 20, court records said.

At the Chester County Community Foundation’s annual Sweet Charity fund-raiser on Tuesday at Waterloo Gardens in Exton, 19 pastry chefs vyed for top honors in front of a record-breaking crowd of 600, organizers said.

The winners included Cake Pops from Cakes & Candies by Maryellen, popular vote; Truffle Razz Pizzazz from Carlino's Specialty Foods and Catering, most creative; and Keys to My Heart from St. Peter's Bakery, professional judges' best dessert.

This year's event honored the late Linda LeBoutillier, who passed away last fall. Sweet Charity benefits the Chester County Community Foundation, which helps families and businesses become involved in long-term charitable by encouraging legacy gifts and increasing awareness of the needs and issues facing Chester County. The Community Foundation holds over 350 funds in trust and annually awards $2 million in grants and scholarships. For more information, visit www.chescocf.org.