Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Vocational program gives special-ed students a chance to work

Autism doesn't keep David Sims from being a star employee in the laundry at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville.

The 23-year-old Swansea man operates giant machines that fold and iron sheets, gowns, towels and other linens.

"When I saw a bath blanket was stuck, I stopped (the machine) and a co-worker got it out," he said proudly last week.

Sims also keeps employees entertained with recaps of his favorite TV shows, "Scare Tactics" and "America's Funniest Home Videos," and a seemingly endless supply of jokes.

"What is the hardest thing in skydiving?" he'll ask. "The ground. Why does the computer sneeze? It has a virus. What is a computer's favorite dance? Disk-O."

Sims is a former participant in a Belleville Township High School District 201 vocational program that helps special-education students get on-the-job training in the community.

Employers have the option to hire them after they graduate, usually at 22. That's what St. Elizabeth's did with Sims last year. He averages 32 hours a week.

"He has a good work ethic, and he's just enjoyable to be around," said laundry manager Glenn Reinneck. "He always greets you with a smile. He'll say, 'Have a good week!' or 'See you tomorrow!'"

The hospital signed on with the Assisted Learning Vocational Program three years ago. Today, it's one of 17 employers with 52 student workers.

District 201 hopes to increase the number of participating businesses and organizations. It pays minimum-wage salaries for one semester, then shares costs for another semester.

"Our goal is for (students) to be self-sufficient and self-supporting," said Vocational Coordinator Christine Gooding. "We want them to be productive members of society instead of graduating and just sitting at home."

'The animals love you'

Belleville Animal Clinic hired Susie Sodam, 22, of Belleville, last spring as a regular employee after she worked a year through the vocational program.

She waters and feeds dogs and cats, cleans cages, assists with bathing, stuffs envelopes, shreds paper and sorts supplies.

"Her skills have improved," said clinic administrator Cheryl Yarber. "We've moved her up the ladder. When she first came here, she was a little shy. We have 28 staff members, and it took awhile for her to get to know them."

Today, employees like working with Sodam because she's always in a good mood and never hesitates or complains when assigned a task.

Sodam was born three months premature with low cognitive functioning. She was placed at the clinic because of her fondness for pets.

"I came here, and the animals love you, and they like the attention," she said. "You get to pet them and help clean them."

Sodam works four hours a week. She uses her earnings to buy clothes for herself and toys for her cat, Blackie. She also opened a savings account.

"It helps her learn a little bit about the real world," said her mother, Cheryl Smith-Stacks, 53, of Belleville. "She's got the opportunity to work for a paycheck. She knows what money is and how to earn it."

Vocational program participation also has been a learning experience for Yarber. She sees benefits going beyond Sodam's initially-subsidized labor.

"It's also about helping Susie live a good life and be independent," she said.

'It gets me out of the house'

Hope Lennens, 22, of Belleville, is another animal-lover who received on-the-job training through the District 201 vocational program.

She worked at Belleville Area Humane Society for three years before the non-profit organization hired her as a regular employee last spring.

Lennens cleans cat cages, sweeps and mops floors and walks dogs.

"I like it here," she said. "It gets me out of the house. I don't have to stay there all day."

Lennens has bipolar disorder and high-functioning Asperger syndrome, a form of autism.

"It affects her social skills and her ability to deal with everyday situations," said her mother, Rita Francis, of Belleville. "She just doesn't think like everyone else."

But Lennens is taking an English class at Southwestern Illinois College and hopes to live on her own someday.

She rides her bike to the Humane Society on Fridays and Sundays and works 3 1/2 hours a day.

"We have to give her direction once in a while," said kennel manager Betty Tomlin. "But she pretty much knows what to do if she stays in the same area. If she makes a little mistake, it's no big deal. She's real polite, and she corrects it."

Lennens' favorite Humane Society resident is Queen, a German shepherd mix.

"She's real mellow," Lennens said. "She won't jump on you or anything like that, and when you walk up to her, she'll roll over and let you pet her belly."

'He's always on time'

Twelve vocational students are training and working at St. Elizabeth's Hospital this fall. Sims is one of three graduates hired as regular staff.

"If I was looking for an ideal employee, he would fit that spot," Reinneck said.

Sims was born prematurely to Geneen Harper, of Belleville, and later was diagnosed with autism. He always has lived with his grandparents, Lorraine and Lloyd Harper.

They estimate his mental functioning at an eighth-grade level.

"He gets caught up on one thing, and he goes on and on about it," said Lorraine Harper, 58, of Swansea. "We have to get him focused or interested in other things. Or sometimes we just have to listen."

Sims operates folding and ironing machines in the laundry but also helps with quality control, sorting out torn or stained linens.

He uses his earnings to go roller-skating, visit Six Flags St. Louis or buy video games and DVDs.

"He loves his job," Lorraine Harper said. "There's never a time when he doesn't want to go to work. He's always on time. His grandfather takes him, and David makes sure they leave when they're supposed to."

Students in the Assisted Learning Vocational Program are 18 to 22 years old. They work part-time while taking academic classes or developing "life skills" through District 201.

Gooding tries to place students with businesses and organizations that match their interests and skills. She also provides job coaches as needed.

"We have students who have the ability to work in a competitive environment," Gooding said. "They just need a little extra coaching and training."

Employers aren't required to hire vocational students after graduation.

"A lot of businesses are hesitant (to sign up for the program), but it pays off in the long run," Gooding said. "We've never lost any job sites."

For more information, call 222-3700, ext. 4479, or send an e-mail to cgooding@bths201.org.

Assisted Learning Vocational Program

Administrator: Belleville Township High School District 201

Purpose: Gives special-education students on-the-job training in the community

Number of students: 52

Ages: 18-22

Number of employers: 17

Employers: St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Belleville Animal Clinic, Belleville Area Humane Society, Four Fountains Convalescent Center, My Tutor Learning Center, Southwestern Illinois College Cafe, SWIC Kids' Club, Nice Twice, Belleville Township High School District 201, Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Co., Sycamore Village Assisted Living, Bel-Air Bowl, St. Clair County Regional Office of Education, Belleville East High School, Ameren IP, St. Paul's Church and Sandy's Back Porch.

Coordinator: Christine Gooding

Information: 222-3700, ext. 4479, or cgooding@bths201.org