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Darke DD Summer
Youth Program
The “Switching Gears” Summer Youth Program through the Darke County
Board of Developmental Disabilities (Darke DD) helps students focus on
career exploration, employment preparation and life skills. The
five week program ran Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 12
through August 11, 2016 and was open to Darke County students, ages 14
and 15, who receive services from Darke DD. Most sessions were
held at Edison State Community College’s Darke County Campus.
Students participated in a variety of activities to help them build
skills in communication and teamwork. Continuing to fund,
coordinate and support a variety of programming to individuals with
disabilities, this program is just one way Darke DD assists individuals
with transition skills and with coordinating services between school,
home and job-readiness training to help students develop a
post-graduation plan.
During their first week students focused on communication by
participating in hands on activities, listening to a guest speaker and
completing a business tour. One favorite activity was “People
Search Bingo” where students cover a bingo square by finding someone in
the class with whom they have things in common. Although the
students attend six different schools, this activity allowed them to
learn more about one another and to develop bonds. Another
activity was titled “Marvelous Me” whereas; each student received a
snack sized bag of M & M’s. Before eating each M & M the
students answered a question aloud based on the color of the
candy. These activities and others helped them practice talking
about their strengths, abilities, and interests. The guest
speaker for week one was John Rediger. John previously worked
with Darke DD to assist in his job search and was more than happy to
share his experiences of working at Kroger, volunteering, driving, and
being engaged in his community. John encouraged the students to
aim high, work hard and never give up on their dreams. On
Thursday, the students enjoyed a tour of The Merchant House.
Cassie Campbell, Managing Partner, and her team treated the students to
a delicious pizza that the students topped themselves. While
touring the Merchant House they learned about a variety of jobs in food
service and what it takes to be successful in that field.
Teamwork was the focus on week two and students competed to build the
tallest structure using marshmallows and spaghetti. Throughout
this activity the students learned the importance of working together
and practicing clear communication to reach their goal. On
Thursday, students visited Brookdale Senior Living Solutions to learn
more about job opportunities in the health care field. Tina McClanahan,
Sales Manager, provided a tour and told students about the jobs and
skills needed for entry level positions.
Life skills and self-advocacy was the focus for week three. On
Tuesday, students met in the OSU Extension Learning Center where they
prepared their lunch of Taco Grande and Simple Apple Pie. This
activity taught them the importance of food safety, hygiene, kitchen
cleanliness, using measurements and following a simple recipe. On
Wednesday, Sue Huston, Darke DD Community Connections Coordinator, and
Brett Brinley, self-advocate, shared with the students about the
importance of advocating for oneself throughout their entire
life. Students learned how to participate in their Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) meetings and how to speak up for themselves during
life’s transitions. Brett also shared with the students about his
disability, his strengths and the many large and small ways that he
advocates for himself. On Thursday, Kristen Alspaugh, Employee
Relations Manager, guided students through a tour of the Greenville
Kroger store. Associates in each department shared their job
duties and stressed the importance of customer service and giving back
to their community.
Weeks four and five included more cooking classes at the OSU Extension
Learning Center, more hands on learning experiences and a tour at
Whirpool. Assuredly, the students learned more invaluable
information regarding Darke County commerce and the skills it takes to
be successful in their community. August 11 concluded the 2016
Switching Gears summer youth program and the students deserved a day
filled with games, stories, learning exercises, graduation events and a
pizza party!
The 2016 Switching Gears summer youth program has been a huge success
for the students and staff alike. Darke DD could not have made
this event a success without having wonderful partnerships with Edison
State Community College, The Merchant House, Brookdale Healthcare, OSU
Learning Center, The Kroger Co., Whirlpool, Marcos Pizza, Petermann
Transportation and the Darke County Community as a whole. For all
of your accommodations and support, Darke DD would like to give a huge
THANK YOU to all!
Darke DD serves approximately 325 individuals with disabilities in
various areas including; service and support administration, transition
services, employment supports, volunteer coordination, and community
connections. For more information, visit our website
www.darkedd.org and be sure to like us on Facebook! Those who
would like to learn more may also contact Rodney Willis, Community
First Director at 937-459-4626 or rodneyw@darkedd.org.
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