Rachel graduated from Project SEARCH* Friday night. It was a lovely celebration. She was very proud. The other graduates, all of the employees, and family members were proud. We were and are super proud of Rachel. Still, this wasn’t Rachel’s plan.
Because of our work in the Down syndrome community, my blog, and our willingness to put a lot about ourselves out there (we hope to help others), people usually start asking me about Rachel’s next transition months before it happens. When Rachel was approaching high school graduation, everyone was asking because that’s kind of a common questions for graduating seniors. Everyone was asking me what Rachel will do. That topic got a lot of blog attention.
Rachel always wanted to go to college, and we wanted her to go to college. It is more complicated for her because of the supports she needs, the limited availability of programs that fit her needs, and the outrageous cost. If you think it is expensive to send your typical kids to college, because we are so “special”, we get to pay even more. And there are not a ton of scholarships to help. We thought Rachel was going to be a Hog like her parents, but in the end another program was the one she/we chose. As she did with high school and all of the important things in her life, she fully embraced her new school and was/is a proud Bear.
Midway into her 3rd semester COVID hit, and everyone returned home. She finished that semester and COVID raged on. With all of the unknowns that were happening, we had applied to Project SEARCH because no one knew what anything was going to look like. Eventually, we made the decision that she would take a year of medical leave from college, and she accepted her spot in Project SEARCH. She wrestled with this because she really loved being a college girl.
In reality, COVID kind of helped us because we (her parents) were quite disappointed with her college experience. Based on our experience and observations, there was a serious lack of understanding of how to support Rachel, what appropriate supports were needed, and in general, it didn’t feel like they were delivering on what we believed was promised specifically in the area of employment. BUT and this is a big one, that is not my story to tell. It is Rachel’s story so I will leave it at that.
Project SEARCH wasn’t Rachel’s plan and wasn’t necessarily our plan, though I have always been a big fan of the Project SEARCH model and even more so now. Rachel has a great ability to pivot. Even though she missed being on the college campus, her friends, and her boyfriend, she dedicated herself to Project SEARCH. She worked extremely hard, and she learned a lot.
The Project SEARCH staff and trainers are hard (in a good way) on the interns. They are working to help them learn transferrable job skills and figure out the different supports and accommodations they will need to be able to be successfully employed in competitive integrated employment. They know what they are doing. They respect these young adults, but they understand that most of them have a circle of support needed to help provide the support they need to be successful. There were some bumps. There were some tears. There were some experiences that Rachel didn’t like so much. Isn’t that true for all of us though? It’s all part of the learning process. I’m sure glad that every move I’ve made in my employment journey or really any journey hasn’t been on display and critiqued.
Project SEARCH is an internship-based program. Rachel did three rotations. Her first one was in dining services at the local hospital. Next, she was at the Embassy Suites working as a Houseman. She enjoyed being at the Embassy but didn’t like working alone, which surprised not one of us. Her final rotation was at a Price Chopper, local grocery store. Overall, she probably liked it best because she was with people. Rachel really wanted to work up front at the hotel or in banquet and events. However, COVID made that impossible.
Rachel learned a lot about herself. She learned some coping mechanisms for managing anxiety. In her second rotation, she overcame some of her fear of heights so she could clean the windows on the upper floors. For her, this was a very big deal. She also earned certificates for a computer class through Johnson County Community College and a first aid class.
I want to give a huge shout out to our local Project SEARCH. I thought they did an admirable job of navigating this most unusual year. At times, they were unable to place interns in the exact jobs they wanted to, but they pushed on and make it work. Friday night at graduation, the a great sense of accomplishment and celebration was felt all over the room.
Following the graduation, one of Rachel’s trainers told her that she was on her Project SEARCH Wall of Fame for her hard work, positive attitude, and growth. She received an award called “The Keep Swimming Award.” She was particularly giddy about it. For years, I have told her that when things get tough or don’t go as planned, we just have to be like Nemo and keep on swimming. The certificate says to “remember what you have learned, continue to be a great self-advocate and “keep swimming.”
We aren’t exactly sure what is next. She still has her work at Olive Garden. She had a job interview on Friday, but we are unsure if we can navigate the transportation issues. We have a few other things we are checking out, and she has an employment specialist assigned to her to help us find that meaningful employment match she is looking for. So, while I do not know exactly what is next, I do know two things. God has a plan. And Rachel? Well, Rachel will pivot when necessary, and she will keep on swimming.
