Local businesses help Logansport High students gain life skills

Oct. 6—Anna Eurit, a Logansport High School student, sat in a booth at PolkaDot Cupcake Tuesday morning, Oct. 4, meticulously placing stickers on boxes.

It was part of her job training in the school's Community Based Education Program.

Anna has Down Syndrome. Amongst her classmates are students with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and autism. The program takes students to local businesses so that they can learn job skills, thus being better prepared to care for themselves once they graduate from the program.

A long list of local businesses and organizations provide learning opportunities for the students. They include Big Lots, El Arriero, McCord's, Logansport Church of Christ, D&R Fruit Market, Logansport Memorial Hospital, Burger King, Papa Johns, Bolin's Donuts, Home Depot, Mary Max Cinemas, Myers Sport Bowl, Cole Hardwood, Dairy Queen and the Logansport alternative school.

Students enter the program at the age of 14 and may stay until they are 22. Those extra years give students more time to mature and gain skills needed to live independently or semi-independently, said Brandi Rinehart, Crisis Prevention Trainer and Community Based Job Coach at Logansport High School.

"It is an excellent way to have students get hands-on, real-life work experiences within our community," said Logansport High School principal Matt Jones.

Anna, 18, is quick to tell you she is an adult and is ready to graduate. While the students won't earn an official diploma, they will be given a certificate of completion and get to wear a cap and gown and walk with other students during the graduation ceremony.

Students in the program do not exclusively work with one business. They go to different places throughout the week, therefore learning multiple skills and adapting to different environments. Sometimes they help clean. Sometimes they wrap silverware in napkins. The stronger students may do more physically demanding work.

The program works with six businesses per day. In the afternoon Cindy Wengert, an instructional assistant, joins Rinehart in mentoring students at the different businesses. They help the students learn the routines and keep the students focused and motivated.

There is no supervision required by the businesses and organizations, but those involved often come to adore the kids and are willing to help when needed.

Suzan Woodke, owner of the PolkaDot Cupcake, 919 N. 6th St., said she was motivated to be part of the program as she had personally seen how it helped a distant family member.

"They are really sweet kids," she said of Anna and her classmates. "That makes it easy."

Sometimes Rinehart will take students shopping for items to donate to Felix's Food Pantry at the school or for the life skills classroom.

On Fridays in the life skills class, the students get to make breakfast, learning how to make simple meals like pancakes, waffles and toast on their own. They help clean up, sometimes do laundry and also occasionally watch a film.

Rinehart has only been with the program for three years. This is the first school year she has been able to take students out due to COVID interrupting things the past two years.

She is perfect for the role, an enthusiastic mentor with patience and the ability to build a strong bond with a student. Anna grasped her in a comforting hug as they prepared to leave the PolkaDot Cupcake.

After graduating from Purdue, Rinehart took a job in the Pharmaceutical Sciences but left to focus on raising her children. She started substitute teaching when he children entered school.

"My supervisor said 'we want you fulltime and I think we have the perfect job for you,'" Rinehart recalled.

She said her favorite part of the program is working with the kids.

"A lot of time when you hear you have kids with disabilities there is an automatic tendency to want to assume they have severe limitations," she said. "A lot of these kids are capable in their own way but they have a huge skillset and just need a little bit of extra time to figure out how to maneuver. But they are so fun and energetic and entertaining. They keep me on my toes."

Students are not paid but earn credits toward their certificate. It's like an internship situation but better. Most of the time students leave after their shift with some sort of treat. Anna walked out of the PolkaDot Cupcake Monday with a cupcake adorned with a glistening white icing. Anna loves icing.

"It's awesome for them to gain skills to do the jobs they can do when they graduate," Rinehart said. "The Community Based Education Program helps the kids specifically build confidence in themselves. I think so many times they are told they can't do things because of limitations. This is a chance to get them out in the community and tell them they are doing a great job."

Not only is confidence a big focus of the program, but learning to advocate for themselves is also important. That comes in the form of asking for help, learning how to find answers to questions, knowing who to ask for help.

The success of the program can be easily measured. Two past students were hired on at Cole Hardwood. One was hired at McDonald's. Rinehart expects more positive results as the program rebuilds and adjusts to COVID.

"I'm hoping to see the same thing this year," she said. "I'm hoping to see these kids walk out of here and already have job assignments set up with them."

Rinehart said many of the kids are excited to work and have an income. Some are excited to live in a group setting or become more independent.

"They are excited about the same things other graduates are excited about," she said.

Rinehart said any business that might be interested in participating in the program may email her at rinehartb@lcsc.k12.in.us. There is always a mentor present with the students so businesses are not responsible for providing guidance. Businesses are also not liable should an accident occur.

"We are super grateful for the time (companies) commit to us," Rinehart said.

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