Program helps students with disabilities succeed

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but for people like Allyson Cundiff and Erin Straub, helping students with disabilities become employable is a year-round commitment.

Straub, a transition specialist in the Coupeville School District, supports a group of eight young adults who have completed their K-12 schooling but whose Individualized Education Program team has decided they need some extra support before they can walk out with their diplomas and begin the next phase of their young adult life.

With her help, students identify their interests and what skills and credentials they need in order to land the job they want. While some get food safety training, others can learn the basics of coding and earn a certificate through Google. Then, they learn how to write a resume and ace a job interview.

Inside Room 303 in the high school’s annex building, Straub oversees The Wolf Perk, a small coffee shop operated by students enrolled in the Reaching Independence through Supportive Education, also known as “RISE.”

Cundiff, who works as the district’s director of Special Education and Special Services, said these students have already walked on the stage on Graduation Day but will stay in RISE until they get the skills and credentials they need to land a job, or until they turn 22.

At The Wolf Perk, orders appear on a large interactive whiteboard. All staff members can order cold and hot drinks from the comfort of their office or classroom with just a few clicks, selecting their choice from a hefty drink menu that changes seasonally. Current options include dirty chai lattes, caramel macchiatos, eggnog lattes, Italian sodas, London fogs and more.

Alex Merino-Martinez, 18, enjoys making latte art. His colleague, 18-year-old Nehemiah Myles, is good at mixing ingredients, choosing flavors from a rainbow of syrups. On top of running the espresso machine, 19-year-old Dayvon Donavon delivers orders and mail to customers around the district.

Because this is part of their schooling, RISE students are unpaid. However, Straub said, the job helps them become more responsible and confident adults.

Under her supervision, students are tasked with checking inventory, ordering supplies, taking payments, returning change and counting end-of-day cash. They also get regular feedback from customers via Google Forms, and use spreadsheets to keep track of daily tasks.

The crew uses the earnings to buy ingredients and tools they think are needed, like the popcorn machine, Cundiff said. To avoid taking away work from local businesses, prices must be comparable to what is offered in town, she said.

Students also use the money to plan outings with other students in special education. Hobbies and leisure, Cundiff said, are important.

Most recently, students planned and paid for a trip to Mukilteo, where they held a picnic. Each student was given a sum of money to buy their own ice cream and practice paying by themselves.

“We don’t want our students with disabilities to get taken advantage of financially,” Cundiff said. “So we really try to teach them different strategies, whether it be using your calculator on your phone or rounding up to the next dollar.”

Additionally, students are taught life skills such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, paying bills and managing their money, Straub said. On top of that, they learn CPR and how to put out fires with the Oak Harbor Fire Department.

The district also partners with state agencies such as the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to place students in local businesses and train them on the job.

Nina Driscoll, 20, wants to become a dog groomer or own her own dog training business.

At the little cafe, she has baked brownies and dog treats. Through RISE, she currently works as a dog groomer at Critters & Co. Pet Center & Rescue in Clinton, supported by a caring team and a job coach from the Department of Disability Administration.

“She is amazing with animals,” Cundiff said. “She really has found her calling.”

Some students, like 17-year-old Nicholas Shelly, work at the school cafeteria as the result of a partnership between the district, the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and Northwest Educational Service District 189 — also known as NWESD 189.

According to Cundiff, this partnership is in its second year and has employed three students who work outside of their school schedule for up to 140 hours between October and September — summers included.

To qualify, students must have a disability, an IEP or a 504 and be at least 16, according to Cundiff. They can work in the kitchen, at the farm or with younger students, and are paid by the school, which is reimbursed through the DVR by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction — or OSPI.

Cundiff hopes the new contract, which is due soon, will allow the district to hire at least 10 students and expand the range of jobs available to them, like reshelving books at the library, cleaning the dining hall or whatever students might be interested in.

Shelly, who has previously worked in landscaping and retail, wants to attend welding school after he graduates at the end of this year. Still, he said he is enjoying food service, which has taught him cleanliness, a good work ethic and how to work efficiently — skills that can be transferred to any job.

Donavon has a few options after he is done with RISE. He could work at a local grocery store or coffee shop, study to become a gym teacher or fitness coach or attend a trade school. Merino-Martinez, who has also worked at the Flower House Cafe in Langley, has his eyes set on trading school.

Myles, who joked he is looking forward to retiring, might help his family business that sells house appliances.

Through the partnership with the NWESD 189 and the DVR, Coupeville students ages 14 or older also receive support in learning what career and educational options are available, participating in monthly meetings with local businesses, joining field trips to local colleges and trade schools or attending the annual Resource and Transition Fair, Cundiff wrote in an email.

While it’s too soon to assess the success rate of the jobs on campus, Cundiff said 75% of students in RISE have found employment after graduating, while 80 to 90% of students have had successful improvements in their life, social and emotional skills.

Straub said it’s important to welcome people with disabilities into the workforce. Her students, she said, are excited to work and put to use the skills they have learned. On top of being helpful, their enthusiasm brings a smile to people’s faces.

“They’re part of the community too,” Straub said.

Businesses in Coupeville and Whidbey can help by offering volunteer opportunities or, if they want to pay the student, by contacting the DVR directly and getting reimbursed for labor costs, Cundiff said.

Dayvon Donavon, 19, makes coffee. On top of preparing drinks, students deliver orders and mail to staff around the district, order supplies and are in charge of the money. (Photo by Luisa Loi)