Project Skills helps BVHS special needs students acquire on-the-job experience

Brandon Valley High School is helping to prepare students with special needs for their future and career, as well as setting them up for job opportunities by giving them a place to work and learn.

Victoria Orren is one of the special education teachers at Brandon Valley who helps to pair students with jobs through the school’s career exploration program. 

Orren said one of her goals is to partner with businesses to give kids experience in all kinds of jobs through a program called Project Skills, which differs from an internship, as it is paid and is giving the students real jobs. This program not only pairs students with employers, but also pays the students. However, employers aren’t financially responsible, making the program more accessible.

The program has numerous benefits to help prepare students for their futures with real world experiences. 

“Starting kind of on those basic level skills and slowly working our way up to being as independent as possible,” said Orren, explaining how the program helps students grow into independence. “It’s an awesome program, giving those kids a chance to experience what it’s like to have a real job and have a boss and things like that.”

Orren said she’s also noticed positive reactions from the students.

“They take a lot of pride and ownership in what they do,” she said. “Getting to see their confidence build and their willingness to try something, even though it might be hard for them, and just working hard to be able to complete the things that their bosses ask them to do more and more independently every day is so awesome to see.”

Orren tries to get her students jobs where they haven’t had prior experience. Even if they’ve already had a job, they will get a completely different job than what they’ve done before to build new fundamental skills.

Currently, 11 Brandon Valley students with special needs are involved in the career exploration program. They go out to their jobs four times a week during the school day, and according to Orren, “They’re actually doing so awesome.” 

At first many of the students required a job coach from the school to go into the business and help them, but now they are going independently, which is already building the goal of independent employment. 

“We always tell businesses that even though this person has special abilities, they can do any job within any business,” Orren said. “It’s just how we help accommodate them.”

Mary Spargur is the owner of The Effortless Bow, a hand-crafted hair bow business, in Sioux Falls near 41st Street and Kiwanis. Currently, Spargur has four employees with disabilities on her payroll. Spargur is a former special education teacher who has more than 10 years of teaching experience. She said it’s important to her for special needs students to have the opportunity to experience working, which is why she provides them through her business. 

“I provide a place of employment for those who need structured environments or more on-the-job training, and that training would come directly from me,” she said.

Spargur not only helps students get a feel for the workforce, she also sets them up for their future careers.

“If they’re looking for another job, I can write a letter of recommendation depending on where they’re wanting to go and what skills I saw here and really just working on that self-advocacy,” she said. 

However, she relies on staff when they’re working for her and hopes that they stay. 

“I have a few staff that when they are done with their program, I will completely hire them competitively and I don’t want them to leave. I need to keep them on,” she said, “even if they have significant disabilities or differences, because they’re so good at what we do here.” 

However, she’s willing to assist them in their future endeavors if staying on the job is not the path that they choose. 

“If they ever become unhappy and choose to leave, I would for sure write them a letter of recommendation or communicate with their future employer because they’re wonderful staff,” she said.

When teaching the students job and life skills, Spargur makes it a priority to make the workplace. Given her employee’s skill set, she knows that their personalities can shine even more in a happy environment. 

“There’s a place for them here,” Spargur said about employees of all skill sets, strengths, and capabilities. “The business itself, I couldn’t be doing the same without staff support. I need them, just as much as the opportunity that I’ve created here.”