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Consumer Spotlight

Spotlight

May   April    March    February

May 2002
Jonathan Holmes, Kathy Church, Chris Smithmier, and Burt Tredway

In the spotlight is a fairly common place for these four consumers in recent history. All four, representing various disabilities and regions around the Bluegrass, were participants in the statewide conference last month in Louisville.

Jonathan Holmes, Kathy Church, Chris Smithmier and Burt Tredway were the four consumers of the Department to brave the firing squad made up of Assistant Director of Program Services Wade Bailey, who facilitated the panel, and about 500 curious employees of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Holmes, a resident of Franklin, Ky, gave the most testimony as he praised the Department and his counselors in Bowling Green for helping him work through depression to find a job that he says he now loves.

Holmes recalled his experience in the PACE program and his hiring and quick promotion during the discussion.

Church, a resident of Volga in Eastern Kentucky, was also a product of the PACE program. She spoke eloquently through an interpreter as she told how her inability to hear had not kept her from being able to shine as an employee at McDonald’s.

Smithmier of Murray and Tredway of Dayhoit, both told of their struggles and triumphs as well. Both answered candidly to questions like "Could you describe your VR experience?" and "What service was most valuable to you in regards to job placement?"

Bailey even asked the dreaded "What assistance was not provided that might have been helpful?" Luckily, all participants were reluctant to say anything negative about the Department. Tredway, however, did offer the advice to advertise more. He said it was a shame more people were not aware of the services provided by Vocational Rehabilitation.

The group was presented with a collection of new items containing the new Department logo after the program.

We certainly haven’t seen or heard the last from all of these consumers. Holmes’ picture and Smithmier’s story and picture appear in the new Department brochure coming out this month.

 

April 2002
Dan Riley

          Today, Dan Riley owns two growing Louisville-based businesses but a little more than a decade ago, Riley was in a serious struggle with the direction his life was headed.

In the seventh grade, Riley was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability that interferes with the processing of written words. He was also diagnosed with dysgraphia, a disorder that causes difficulty in writing words correctly.

Riley enrolled in a summer program at the DePaul School in Louisville that helps people deal with dyslexia. But once he entered high school, the disorder continued to tax his ability and his desire to learn.

"The academic challenges, compounded by several family relocations through my earlier school years - from Mt. Sterling to Ashland to Florida and then to Morehead - it was a continuous struggle," said Riley. "My teachers didn't understand what dyslexia was and how to handle an individual with dyslexia."

Riley dropped out of Rowan County High School at 17 and had brushes with law enforcement. He described himself as a "juvenile delinquent and truant."

“I was running out of options. I had no meaningful job. I had no idea what I would do," Riley recalled.

When he was 18, Riley decided to resume his education. He earned his GED and enrolled at Morehead State University. But the dyslexia still presented a major obstacle.

A Morehead University teacher told him about the Kentucky Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and how it might help him with his disabilities and his education.

Riley contacted Debbie Cochran, a counselor at the Morehead DVR office. "The department helped me pay for a tutor, tuition and books," said Riley.

A year later, he enrolled at Lexington Community College in hopes of raising his grades and attending the University of Kentucky.

Riley continued receiving tutelage and financial aid for school with assistance from his Lexington DVR counselor, Julie Hurst. He also underwent vocational testing and counseling. “DVR’s guidance ... helped me know what I wanted to do,” said Riley.

His grades improved, and he transferred to the University of Kentucky to study marketing and communications.

As a freshman, Riley participated in a program called "Destination Graduation," in which college students helped high school students who were at risk of dropping out of school. "The goals were simple: Convey the importance of education and help these … students stay in school and earn a diploma," Riley said. "It was ironic that a high school dropout was encouraging at-risk students to complete their secondary education."

Riley earned his bachelor's degree and graduated magna cum laude from the university in 1995.

After school, Riley was director of marketing for two Louisville-based businesses, but his goal was to run his own business. He and a friend began operating their own marketing firm from Riley's Louisville home in 1999.

Today, Riley, 30, has offices and employs seven people in his two businesses, Dysgraphic by Design, a marketing and advertising agency, and Tradeshowjoe.com, an on-line trade show display business.

Revenues have doubled each year, and Riley's on-line display business recently won a "Louie" award presented by the Advertising Federation of Louisville for the business's Web site design and interactive media.

Riley marvels at how education changed his life and how ironic it is that what once was his biggest obstacle, communicating effectively, is now his profession.

That's why he chose the unusual name for the marketing firm. He says it gives him a chance to educate people about his disorders and how it is possible to further your education despite overwhelming difficulties.

"I chose the name ‘Dysgraphic by Design’ to show … how a young, dyslexic man who once possessed great weaknesses in spoken and written language found his creative niche assisting companies with their marketing communication challenges," Riley explained.

Riley also credited Vocational Rehabilitation with helping him set a career path. “I’ve turned around 180 degrees from high school where I had nearly all F's. I give DVR a lot of credit for where I am now,” said Riley.

The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, a Cabinet for Workforce Development agency, assists Kentuckians with disabilities to achieve suitable employment and independence.

 


 

March 2002
Shannon Cashin
CDPCRC

Shannon Cashin is from Louisville, Kentucky. After completing the 11th grade he dropped out of school. He eventually sought vocational rehabilitation services with hopes of obtaining his GED. His DVR counselor, Mike Sanders, referred him to the Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center in April 1998 for vocational assessments. He then entered the center’s Work Adjustment Program, with part of his services being GED preparation. In September 1998 he completed his GED program and returned to his home area. Several months later Shannon realized that while a GED was helpful, he wanted some type of specialized training to prepare him for the workforce. He returned to the center again in August 2000 and enrolled in Diesel Mechanics Training at Mayo Technical College. Shannon says that "bit by bit" he is moving toward a career. He stated that he knows that enough small incremental gains will eventually add up and the results will be great. Shannon gets very excited when he talks about his Diesel Mechanics training and his present co-op program. Shannon seeks continuous improvement of skills and one way he does so is to participate in the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). On February 22, 2002 he participated in the local VICA skills competition, which provides a unique opportunity to showcase leadership and occupational skills either in competition or demonstration. The VICA experience is a valuable asset to students entering the work world. They not only gain poise and leadership skills but they make contacts that may positively affect the rest of their careers. Shannon entered the Diesel Mechanics competition, wherein he demonstrated competence that won him a 2nd place Silver Medal.

Shannon truly is doing his part and is headed in the direction of a positive outcome for himself and the lucky employer who hires him someday.

Submitted by
Bonnie Duncan
Admissions Counselor
Carl D. Perkins Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center

 

 

February 2002

Randall Lemaster
CDPCRC Graduate

 

There is no substitute for experience. Any employer will tell you that they prefer to have custodians and maintenance workers who have work experience or training in the maintenance field.

Randall Lemaster, a graduate of the Carl D. Perkins Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, definitely had experience after completing the Center’s Custodial/Maintenance Training Program. That experience did not go unnoticed by Prestonsburg Community College who hired him as a custodian soon after graduation.

Lemaster obtained a long list of credits for his resume during his time at the Perkins Center. He now can use a variety of machines including the low-speed floor buffers, carpet extractors and automatic floor scrubbers. He was also trained to do minor plumbing, electrical and interior painting while in the program.

Lemaster has been an employee at the Prestonsburg Community College for over ten years. For the first four years, his work was strictly custodial. Some of his job duties were to operate the floor machines and do general cleaning of the buildings.

Lemaster then moved to the position of utility man, where his job duties changed. In that position, the college counted on him for changing out light ballast, plumbing repairs and interior painting. He stayed in that position for three years.

As opportunities arose, Lemaster changed positions yet again. Currently he has risen to the rank of Maintenance Mechanic I. That rank carries even more responsibilities. Maintenance of all equipment, e.g. tractors, trucks, mowers, repair of HVAC motors, controls, belts and filters, minor repairs of plumbing and electrical fixtures and seasonal lawn work are just some of his many duties as a Maintenance Mechanic I at Prestonsburg Community College.

Even though his work schedule is as busy as ever, Lemaster still finds time to visit the Perkins Center’s Building Maintenance Training Program. He provides lectures on his work experience at the college, and what is expected of him and others who work in the field of maintenance.

Lemaster’s instructor Alfred Smith says he really appreciates him for the time he has donated to the building maintenance/custodial class. "Lemaster is giving the class some insight from his past training experience at the Carl D. Perkins Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center to his present work experience in maintenance at the Prestonsburg Community College, Smith said. "Mr. Lemaster has gained both education and experience, through the years, in the field of custodial and building maintenance to do an excellent job."

Lemaster is just one of many success stories at the Perkins Center and one of many more statewide from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.