Two Dade Seniors Prepare for Job Success Through Project Search
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
Photo courtesy of Project Search – Skylar Ball vacuums at his job, and he hopes to eventually work on video games, cars, or in landscaping.
In partnership with Walker County’s school system, two Dade County High School students, Skylar Ball and Michael Bradford, are participating in Project Search. This nonprofit places high school seniors with disabilities in jobs where they can learn important workplace skills and prepare for a career after graduation.
Ball is working at North LaFayette Elementary School. His daily tasks include cleaning windows and floors, sanitizing doors and drinking fountains, vacuuming, and unpacking boxes. Ball reported, “I enjoy most things I’m doing [at work], such as my coworkers, socializing, and feelings of accomplishments at the end of the day.”
Bradford splits his time between City Club Gym and a church in LaFayette, cleaning the equipment at the gym and vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting the church. He said, “I love the feeling of accomplishment.”
Susan Reyes, director of special programs for Dade County Schools, explained that while Dade doesn’t have enough students to have our own branch of the program, Walker County was happy to have our students join.
Casey Payne, the Project Search instructor, explained that the nonprofit works through whatever avenue is available. In Walker County, the school system happened to be that avenue. Currently in its ninth year, the Walker County program is one of the 700 Project Search branches worldwide.
Photo courtesy of Project Search – Michael Bradford cleans a church as part of his job through Project Search. He says he enjoys feeling accomplished in his work and plans to find a job he enjoys after graduation.
According to the Project Search website, “It all began in 1996, when Erin Riehle was Director of Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Department. Erin felt that, because the hospital served individuals with developmental disabilities, it made sense that they should commit to hiring people in this group. She wondered if it would be possible to train people with developmental disabilities to fill some of the high- turnover, entry-level positions in her department, which involved complex and systematic tasks such as stocking supply cabinets.”
Payne reported that the first Project Search worker was a young lady with Down syndrome who began working at the hospital, and she still works there today. He explained that the one-year program is for students who are in their final year of high school. Students are viewed as interns with high expectations of professionalism.
Ball and Bradford reported that Payne and the Project Search team help guide them, with Ball saying, “Mr. Payne and others have helped me through the adjustments and my routines.” Bradford said, “They come and check on me and help when I have questions.”
Payne explained that he and a job coach run the program. Students meet with them at the beginning and end of each day to work through a curriculum and debrief as needed. He and the job coach visit the students at their job sites throughout the day and check in with supervisors.
Curriculum topics include dressing for work, how to communicate with coworkers and supervisors, writing resumes, and interview skills. The students recently started a unit on internet and social media safety.
Photo courtesy of Project Search – From left, Bradford, Payne, and Ball have worked together since the start of this school year. Payne is excited about the growth he’s seen in both Bradford and Ball.
Payne explained that the first two weeks of the program are dedicated to adjusting to an employee routine, since it is different from what students are used to in the classroom.
He added, “We review proper communication and boundaries. For example, what do you do if a coworker says something you don’t like? Handling it as an employee is very different from how you would handle it as a student.”
Reyes said, “The students have reported that they are excited to meet new people (employers and employees/students) from outside Dade County and how proud they are to learn new skills.”
Both students’ families have already witnessed a growth in confidence in their sons because of Project Search. The Balls said, “This program has been such a God send. We have watched Skylar grow overnight in maturity, self-esteem, willingness, and it’s helped him feeling needed and being needed. Having a purpose has shown him that though he might not be able to do everything he wants to, there are no limits.”
The Bradfords said, “The program has been good and has taught Michael about work ethic and communicating with people on the job. He has had experiences that he otherwise would not have been able to. We have noticed that Michael has been more driven to succeed with Project Search.”
After graduating from high school, Ball would like to customize video games, work on cars, and do landscaping, and Bradford plans to find a job that he enjoys.
Payne enjoys working with Project Search interns because he witnesses a “transformation from day one to graduation.” He also enjoys helping individuals find options for work and preparing them with needed skills. Having worked in special education for ten years before joining Project Search, Payne has seen that people with disabilities are often forgotten after high school.
Of the four Dade interns last year, two had jobs lined up before graduation. One of them works at the Trenton Food City to this day.
Reflecting on Ball and Bradford, Payne said, “The biggest change I’ve seen is their comfortability with us and letting us push them in ways they may not have been pushed at school. They’re learning how to accept feedback from supervisors and that instruction and correction is not a bad thing.”
He continued, “It’s great for Skylar because he’s learning to consistently work on a task and transition from one to the next once each is completed. Michael was just recently named intern of the week. Of all the weeks so far this year, he’s scored the highest on our rubric.”
Reyes reported that in future years, Dade will continue to partner with Walker County so students have access to Project Search.
