Possibilities

Center for DisabilitiesCenter for Disabilities1400 West 22nd Street • Sioux Falls, SD

A publication by the Center for Disabilities about the state’s abundant opportunities for people with disabilities.

South Dakota

The Center for Disabilities would like to thank all of the people and organizations who connected us with their communities to make this publication possible.

LifeScape: Sarah Conrad, Deidrea Peabody and Jackie Stratman.

Brad Konechne for his feature and Dan Rounds with Transition Services Liaison Project for putting us in contact with each other.

Independent Living Choices: Vicki Kerkvliet for helping us connect with Troy Osterloo.

Beau Brady for agreeing to his feature and Ernetta Fox of USD’s Disability Services for her knowledge in helping create this feature.

Black Hills Works Industries: Amanda Harvey for being a contributing writer to the publication in her article about Sarah.

Black Hills Special Services: Dave Halverson, Gloria Pluimer and Heather Schopp for putting us in touch with the Tridle family. Special thanks to Deb Tridle for all of her information that made the

article, and to Trevor Tridle for allowing us to tell his story.

Brett Glirbas for agreeing to be featured and telling his powerful story.

Project Search: Angie Mulder and Julie Benz for working with us to communicate their program’s ins and outs, and for putting us in touch with Kelsey Peterson and her family, who is featured in the article.

Career Advantage: Matt Simet and Andrea Enockson for connecting us with Steve Simons and also for giving us some insight into how they help prepare clients to re-enter the work force.

South Dakota Division of Rehabilitation Services: Bernie Grimme for helping us with feature story ideas and also to his staff who played an integral part or had a significant role in the successes of many of these stories.

Executive Director, Center for Disabilities: Wendy Parent-Johnson

Executive Director, South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities: Arlene Poncelet

Principle Writer / Managing Editor: Derric Miller

Contributing Writers: Ryan Bartz, Amanda Harvey, Lacy Knutson

Design and Photography: Eric Dalseide

Center for Disabilities Health Science Center, 1400 W. 22nd St., Sioux Falls, SD 57105

Phone: 605-357-1439 • Fax: 605-357-1438 • cd@usd.edu • usd.edu/cd Twitter: @CD_SouthDakota • Facebook: The-Center-For-Disabilities-South-Dakota • YouTube: /Center4Disabilities

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© 2015 Center for Disabilities, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

This publication is available in alternative format upon request.

This publication was made possible in part using federal funds through a grant from the South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities. Visit their website at http://dhs.sd.gov/ddc.

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What you are holding in your hands right now is the story behind a number of South Dakotans with disabilities, the organizations from all over the state that act as a resource for them, and most importantly, how individuals with disabilities have used these statewide resources to find success in their lives, be it employment, a more independent life or going to college.

We are grateful to be able to share these stories with you. Knowing the daunting nationwide trends, that labor force participation is typically two to three times lower for people with disabilities than without, the obstacles these individuals face could seem overwhelming.

But not in South Dakota.

Here in South Dakota, as recent as 2014, Gov. Dennis Daugaard presented awards to 20 business who competitively employed the most individuals with disabilities. From Watertown to Pierre to Vermillion to Aberdeen, and elsewhere, these businesses were honored for their exemplary employment efforts and their understanding that everyone can contribute and has various abilities … and also, that they can be great employees.

You are going to meet some impressive South Dakotans in this magazine. When you read their stories, our hope is that you can see the “roadmap to success” they took, how they met obstacles, moved them aside, overcame, and determined their own direction in life. If you read the story and think “That’s like what I’m going through right now,” then you have before you the information needed to find the success you are looking for in life, too.

It’s South Dakota … anything is possible.

Possibilities • 1

Table of Contents2

Helping Shape Employment Success in South Dakota

5Brad Konechne: It Might Take

a Little Longer but...

8How to Live Independently

and be Successful at it

12Beau Brady: Overcoming

Challenges to Graduate College

15When Finding a Job Doesn’t

Mean Finding THE Job

16The Weight of Autism?

Or Lack Thereof…

18Brett Glirbas: Using Self-

Employment to Become Successful

20The 411 on Project SEARCH

23The Advantage of Coming Full Circle

Welcome to South Dakota Possibilities!

2 • Possibilities

Helping Shape Employment Success

in South DakotaBy Derric Miller

So What IsSupported Employment?Many people supported at LifeScape choose to participate in training opportunities that prepare them to find competitive employment. Others utilize employment services to support their current employment or aid in the search for community employment.

Employment Preparedness:• Training and skill development• Understanding of the workday, breaks, and use of sick/vacation days• Feedback on job performance• Pay for actual work completed while learning skills• Training for catering, baking and food preparation services, custodial

and maintenance services, clerical, data entry, and pre-sort mail services

Community Employment:• Employment Specialists help create career goals, perform assessments,

work with area businesses, and provide job coaching• Currently support over 90 people working in the community• Have relationships with over 60 businesses

To learn more about LifeScape’s Employment Services, call Patrick Derrick at 605-444-9974.

go in the direction she wanted—finding a job. Brittany is currently employed at Perkins,

a family restaurant, in Sioux Falls. In order to make this happen, she participated in LifeScape’s Supported Employment program and worked with Employment Specialists Deidrea Peabody and Sarah Conrad. Through this program, a person is taught “how to succeed” at any particular position. In Brittany’s case, it was how to clear a table, take plates away, help the customer have the best customer experience, and find things to do during slow times. It’s a different experience for every person, as skill sets for each person differ and employment positions can vary.

Brittany has been happily employed at Perkins for over two years. She is currently in training to become a hostess as well as a busser; she has wanted to be a hostess since she first started working at Perkins. Brittany is a Special Olympics athlete and competed in and won the 2015 Miss Amazing South Dakota Pageant, Junior Division.

John Javer and Scott Knopf followed a similar path to community employment. Both are currently employed at Daktronics and have become very efficient at what they do. Together as a team, they recently set the record for unloading 5.2 million LEDs—quicker than any other team ever had.

Scott was referred to LifeScape by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), and then went through a situational assessment. This helped LifeScape’s Employment Specialists determine what Scott’s interests and talents were. They then contacted Greg Vander Feen, Daktronics inventory supervisor, to see if there would be an opportunity for Scott to work there. Daktronics agreed to give it a try and they have been happy with their decision ever since. As a result, it wasn’t difficult for Vander Feen to agree to another position when

Possibilities • 3

In any story, the most important aspect is the characters. Well, and the ending. Narration and descriptive writing is fine, but if the characters aren’t memorable, the story doesn’t stick.

We would like you to meet Brittany Lambertz, John Javers, and Scott Knopf. All three individuals were assisted by LifeScape to find competitive employment in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Brittany Lambertz had prior experience using state resources when she lived in Texas. She was in a school system program called Community Works, whose job coaches worked with individuals with a disability to place them in jobs around the community. She also worked through Austin Community College in a program called VoCAT, but her family didn’t feel that she was adequately prepared and trained for a job in the community.

That all changed when they moved to Sioux Falls. Originally, Brittany’s family wasn’t familiar with LifeScape; they merely knew where the building was located. After arranging a tour of LifeScape and learning more about the programs

and services offered, they felt that it was the right fit

to help Brittany

In any story, the most important aspect is the characters. Well, and the ending. Narration and descriptive writing is fine, but if the characters aren’t memorable, the story doesn’t stick.

LifeScape contacted them about John.“It’s awesome,” said Deidrea Peabody.

“Both are very successful, make a great hourly wage and are treated just like everyone else at Daktronics.”

The responsibilities of a job coach (Employment Specialist) at LifeScape is to act as a liaison between the employee and the employer. The job coach conducts assessments and may even recommend certain accommodations be made. During the first 90 days, the job coach works directly with the employer in order to make the transition successful. For example, if new responsibilities are added, the employer can review these with the job coach and see if any new accommodations need to be made. If after 90 days everything is working out, the case is closed through VR. (Even after a case is closed the employer can always contact LifeScape and the job coach can go back to assist with new supports.)

Vander Feen is very pleased with the work that Scott and John do daily. Their duties continue to expand and they have adapted

well to Daktronics’ ever-changing processes and products. “They show up to work each

day with positive attitudes and perform their tasks at high levels,” Vander Feen

said. “They simply do not have ‘bad days’ at work.”

Every story should have a memorable and happy ending, although in real life that is obviously not always the case. By working with LifeScape, the trio of Brittany Lambertz, John Javers and Scott Knopf all found their fairy tale ending. •

About LifeScapeLifeScape formed in mid-2014 when Children’s

Care Hospital & School and South Dakota Achieve joined together. They are an independent, non-profit

organization, serving adults and children in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The center in Rapid City provides therapy and psychological services for children on an outpatient

and outreach basis. For more information, go to www.lifescapesd.org or call 605-444-9500.

4 • Possibilities

Possibilities • 5

Brad Konechne: It Might Take a Little Longer but...

By Derric Miller

During his birth, his umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck, cutting off oxygen and circulation to his brain, which killed sections of his brain. At first, the doctors thought he would not survive the trauma. But he did, and the parts of his brain that were oxygen deprived impacted his speech, and some of his physical abilities.

Just not enough to stop him. “When I was five years old, I used a walker,” said

Konechne. “The doctor gave up on me and advised my dad that I’d be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. My dad said ‘no way’ he can walk.’”

Looking back, that was Konechne’s first memorable introduction to advocacy, and he has taken on the mantle of self-advocate ever since.

His first real success as a self-advocate came when he was just 16 years old. He’d been wanting to drive “since forever,” in his words, but his parents made him wait until he was 16, because a part of them struggled with the idea that he could drive.

“If someone says I can’t do it … yeah it may take me a while but I will get it done,” said Konechne.

Brad Konechne – currently employed as a benefits specialist with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative in the

organization’s Brookings, S.D. office – took a long, challenging road full of doubt (but not self-doubt) to get to where he is

today. He’s had his fair share of naysayers as a child and as an adult, but in the end, Konechne is where he wants to be.

6 • Possibilities

Today, when he and his mom are together, she always gives him the keys to drive.

Growing up in Kimball, S.D., as a student he was not aware of any network of services in South Dakota that serve as resources for people with disabilities, even though he had a teacher with a disability.

When he made it through high school, his mom wanted him to attend college. With a difficult time reading on his own, Konechne thought college would be too much for him. He thought he’d just live at home and raise dogs with his dad, but his mom didn’t approve of that idea.

When he was a sophomore, his family learned about the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) camp, a camp for young adults with disabilities that provides the opportunity to learn technology and services that help individuals with disabilities to overcome barriers, meet successful adults

with disabilities, role models, and also to make friends and learn from one another.

Konechne did not want to attend. The first year it was brought up, they later found out he was too young to attend.

“I was like ‘Yes! I don’t have to go to camp!’” he recalled.

But a year later, he was a year older … and old enough now to attend.

“Mom remembered, and I ended up going to YLF that year,” he said. “I learned so much about various disability organizations and I met so many people with disabilities.”

One of the first-year highlights was when a Dakotalink employee showed the campers different kinds of technologies that would help with reading. That’s when he

Possibilities • 7

began thinking, “Maybe I can go to college …”

Konechne attended as many YLF camps as he could through the years—first

as a student delegate and then moved up the ladder being an assistant team leader and

a mentor.He went to apply at a community college

after high school, and the family advocated for Konechne to complete a two-year degree in three

years. But the college was blunt, and said that he didn’t have the grades and basically that “he wasn’t

smart enough to attend college here.” So Konechne went to Southeast Technical Institute.

He took the entrance exam, passed it, and “graduated with honors by working my butt off.” He was chosen in 2006

for the Sunshine Award, a student of the month honor. And then, like most people looking for

employment during the recent recession, he found employment hard to come by.

“I applied everywhere related to my degree,” he said. “I just couldn’t find a job. So I moved back home.”

He eventually ended up working at a car lot, called Overweg Repair, cleaning cars and parking them out on the lot. He

also built them a website, delving into his other talents, and was employed there for

five years. Then, an opportunity in Chamberlain, S.D.

found him, with Dakota Milestones, an organization that works with members of a community who have disabilities become more independent and find their place in that community. It soon turned into a full-time position.

Unfortunately, as anyone in the workforce can tell you, not all jobs are a perfect fit. So Konechne started looking elsewhere.

When he first thought about applying for his current position, he didn’t think it sounded quite like a perfect fit either.

“I knew I had to work with consumers who were on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security

Disability Insurance (SSDI),” he said. “I was on SSI in the past and even I didn’t fully understand it.”

He brought up the point that he disliked being on SSI so much that he found a full-time job as a benefits specialist just so he wouldn’t have to deal with it any more. Then he questioned why he’d want to work in that field as a professional, working with SSI and SSDI every day.

“But you like helping people,” his mom said with encouragement.

Today, Konechne is knowledgeable in the field and enjoys helping people.

When asked if he could try to find any downside to full-time employment, he half-heartedly tried to find something.

“Sometimes I miss working outside during nice summer days … but I like my job,” he said.

Konechne noted that when he looks back, he had a strong support system around him. His family didn’t see him as a person with a disability, and treated him like “just another kid.”

“I think YLF changed my life forever,” he said. “I always enjoy going back to camp and seeing all of the liaison staff and friends that I made over the years.”

Today, life is good. Socially, Konechne said one of his best friends shares the same disability, and when the two of them get together, “watch out.”

Future plans include staying on his career path and maybe starting a family one day.

Konechne can hear and understand anyone and everyone without a problem; but he is not going to always follow the advice offered to him. New people that he meets may have a difficult time understanding him, because they are not used to his speech impediment. Konechne asks for everyone’s patience and he will be happy to try another way to deliver his message. His journey was filled with a few dead-end streets, a few doubters along the way, and some of the same kind of struggles every person on the planet experiences. The difference is, the harder the universe pushed him down, the harder Konechne pushed back, and didn’t listen to anyone when they told him “you can’t.”

It may take him a while … but he’s going to get it done. •

A friendly, generous, easy-to-work with personality and a die-hard country music lover is what best describes Troy Osterloo. He first moved to Sioux Falls in 2012 after he graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall, Minn. He graduated with two bachelor degrees in Justice Administration and Political Science, and a minor in Sociology. He also has a disability called cerebral palsy (CP) which affects a person’s ability to move around and maintain their balance and posture.

Independent Living Choices:At age 18, he started using services from Independent

Living Choices (ILC). Osterloo first heard about ILC by reading a brochure through another adult-service agency.

“As a matter of fact, I motivated myself into living independently. I got tired of my mom doing things for me and I like to do things my way and when you live with your parents, you don’t get a chance to do things your way,” said Osterloo.

The services and programs that he uses are the Medicaid Waiver Program, which pays Personal Care Attendant’s (PCA) and tells how many hours a week you can use the PCA, and the Peer Support Visitor Program. The Peer Support Visitor Program allows people who can’t get out of their homes a visitor to come in their homes, or to talk to them on the phone. Osterloo also sees an independent living specialist about three to 12 months

during the year to make sure his needs are met and he gets to hire and train his own PCA.

One of the many challenges of living on your own is getting an apartment. From being on waiting lists, to signing a lot of applications and documents it can be like going to college for the first time.

“You have to be accepted into an apartment building first, and then you have to register and fill out paperwork to actually getting an apartment. I have also been told that not every apartment is accessible and fits everyone’s needs,” says Osterloo.

Osterloo also points out that you have to find and get things done effectively and safely; but by being persistent and patient, you can accomplish any goal you want.

Employment at Sanford Pentagon and Denny Sanford Premier Center:

Currently, Osterloo works at the Denny Sanford Premier Center as an usher/ticket taker and does some security work.

“I really like working there because of the big events that draw more people to come here and I like meeting new people and helping them enjoy their experience at the Premier Center,” says Osterloo.

In addition to working at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, he also works at the Sanford Pentagon as an usher. He started working there when it first opened its doors last

8 • Possibilities

How to Live Independently and be Successful at it

For many people with disabilities, living independently can be a great opportunity to be a part of the community; however it’s not always an

easy task to live on their own. For one Sioux Falls man in particular, he likes to do things his way and has been very successful at it.

By Ryan Bartz

fall. Some of his duties include making sure other employees are checked-in for work, scanning tickets for different sporting events, and monitoring the crowds on the second floor to make sure fans are enjoying their experience at the Pentagon.

“I like the people I work with and I get nice compliments from the fans and it’s a great chance for me to get out of the house and earn some money,” says Osterloo.

Some of the benefits of working a job is applying for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit lets employers hire certain groups of people (i.e. people with disabilities) that have faced significant barriers of employment.

“I think that people with disabilities should feel empowered when it comes to employment because then they can be like everyone else who doesn’t have a disability,” says Osterloo.

ADA Accessibility Review Board: In Sioux Falls, there are not a lot of boards for

people with disabilities to make their voice heard. For Osterloo, he is very fortunate to be an active member of the ADA Accessibility Review Board for the City of Sioux Falls. Some of the duties he’s responsible for are monitoring the city’s transition plan to make public areas ADA accessible as well as assessing city buildings, programs, and services for any accessibility problems they have.

“It really makes me feel good to give back to the community because I get to meet new people from all different walks of life and I want to make Sioux Falls a better place to live,” said Osterloo.

From being an active member of a city board, to volunteering at the Banquet, Osterloo says that people with disabilities should be motivated to volunteer in their communities.

“If they get a chance to volunteer, then they will get a chance to network with future employers which could lead into employment,” says Osterloo.

Osterloo will be serving on the ADA Accessibility Review Board until June of 2017.

Possibilities • 9

Transportation Services in Sioux Falls: Osterloo gets around the Sioux Falls area by utilizing

Sioux Area Metro Paratransit, which allows people with a disability to ride the bus for only two dollars a ride.

“It allows them to be part of an inclusive community that Sioux Falls really takes pride in,” says Osterloo.

He first used paratransit three times a week to go to work and when he gets off work but with new bus routes he has now cut his usage to two times a week.

“I mainly use it to go to City Hall, doctor appointments and going out to eat,” says Osterloo.

He also thinks that people with disabilities should have full access to the city bus services.

“If Mayor (Mike) Huether sees that people with disabilities are using these services, then the city might increase funding for these services,” says Osterloo.

While Sioux Area Metro Paratransit only operates during the daytime hours, Osterloo has another option to get home late at night. He uses Siouxland ParaTransit Services, a new transportation service for people with disabilities to get around the Sioux Falls area 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Siouxland Paratransit Services provide two vans with an attachable ramp and they let people book rides and appointments within a month in advance.

“I have found them beneficial to the community because of how your schedule works and what they can accommodate you. The plus side of this service is that it is much safer to get somewhere (doctor’s office, church, grocery store, etc.) than anything else I have tried before,” says Osterloo.

Life Lessons and Life Skills: Since he first started accessing services from ILC,

he has learned a lot about basic independent living skills such as using a microwave, emptying out the dishwasher, and money management. “I have also learned in life that mistakes aren’t a bad thing; in fact, mistakes make you become a stronger person,” says Osterloo.

If he could give any advice to anyone who wants to live independently, he says that living on your own isn’t really a bad decision to make in life.

“Living independently encourages people to make

10 • Possibilities

yourself a stronger and self-sufficient person. There are support services out there that are willing to help you achieve the goal of living independently,” says Osterloo.

In the end, when it comes to independent living, Osterloo is inspired by a famous Frank Sinatra quote: “To think I did all that; And may I say—not in a shy way, No, oh no not me, I did it my way.”

Self-Advocacy 101: One of the many first steps for someone with a

disability to live on their own is to become a self-advocate. Vicki Kerkvliet, who is the Independent Living Services Director at ILC shares some tips on how you can become a self-advocate:

“A person with a disability should learn about what their disability is and what their strengths and weaknesses are, so that they can be confident in their own skin. They also need to think about how they want to live their life and we encourage them to attend public meetings to become an engaged citizen of our community,” says Kerkvliet.

Vicki Kerkvliet with ILC executive director, Matt Cain

Kerkvliet also mentions that they also need to make short-term and long-term goals that include maintaining a budget to knowing where you want to live. She also says that desire and motivation is a must for living on your own and you don’t have to go through the process alone.

“When they see other people with disabilities living on their own and being successful in the community, they can see that it’s possible for them to be on their own. They also should find role models and mentors through programs such as Youth Leadership Forum, Partners in Policymaking, etc. as well as family and friends for their success in living independently,” says Kerkvliet.

While ILC’s central location is in Sioux Falls, there are six other ILC offices in Yankton, Mitchell, Madison, Aberdeen, Watertown, and Huron, S.D. Western Resources for Independent Living, located in Rapid City, S.D. serves people with disabilities living in the western part of South Dakota. Native American Advocacy Services, located in Herrick, S.D. serves Native Americans with disabilities that live on the nine reservations in South Dakota.

Summer Transition Program: During the month of June, ILC hosts a Summer

Transition Program for high school students through age 21. In the program, students learn about how to be independent as well as independent living skills such as personal hygiene, budgeting, and daily recreational activities. Jeremy Neuheisel, one of the students in the program, was encouraged to apply for the program by his Vocational Rehabilitation counselor at the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Sioux Falls and has learned a lot about himself from taking part of the program.

“The areas that I have learned the most of are First Aid and Finances. I have also learned what the difference between what a federal credit union and a bank is,” says Neuheisel.

Neuheisel also describes what a typical day is like in the Summer Transition Program:

“We first start the day by discussing what’s on the schedule for the day, and then the rest of the time we learn about daily living

skills through guest speakers, field trips to Hy-Vee, Sanford Wellness Center, and apartment complexes. We try to incorporate everything we learn in the classroom and apply it to the real world as much as possible,” says Neuheisel.

Since attending the Summer Transition Program, he has been making goals for not just independent living but goals he wants to make in the future. Some of his goals are getting an apartment, getting a part-time job, applying to college in the spring of 2015, and starting college at the University Center in the fall of 2015 and then transfer over to the University of South Dakota.

“My best advice for someone interested in the program is to apply even though you might think you know more about daily living skills, but you don’t know it all. If you don’t know or understand something in class, ask for help—most of the classmates are very supportive and are willing to be a helping hand,” says Neuheisel.

The Summer Transition Program is not just held in Sioux Falls; it is also held in the ILC offices in Aberdeen, Mitchell, and Watertown, S.D. For more information about the Summer Transition Program visit the Independent Living Choices website (www.ilcchoices.org) and click on the “Summer Transition Program” tab for all you need to know about this program. •

Summer Transition Program

During the month of June, ILC hosts a Summer Transition Program for high school students through age 21. In the

program, students learn about how to be independent as well as independent living skills such as personal hygiene, budgeting, and

daily recreational activities. Jeremy Neuheisel, one of the students in the program, was encouraged to apply for the program by his Vocational

Rehabilitation counselor at the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Sioux Falls and has learned a lot about himself from taking part of the program.

Possibilities • 11

12 • Possibilities

Meet Beau Brady, from Yankton, S. D. His journey began back in the fall of 2007 when he started college at Black Hills State University and then transferred to Northern Arizona University from 2008-2009. In the fall of 2009, he suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after he was in a hit-and-run car accident with a drunk driver in Sioux Falls.

“It took a while for me to understand what had happened – immediately afterwards I was induced into a coma for three weeks. I didn’t realize the extent of my injury,” explained Brady.

After the incident, he had speech rehabilitation first at Select Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls, then at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, before going to Quality Living Inc. in Omaha, Neb. During his time with Quality Living Inc. he underwent both speech and physical therapy, as well as taking an online course to prepare for school.

He underwent more therapy at Sanford Hospital in Vermillion and at the University of South Dakota (USD).

Nine months later, he decided to go back to school and attend USD in 2010. His decision to attend USD was based on the fact that he has family, friends, and relatives in the Vermillion area and calls it his second home.

“They have always motivated me to go to college and have supported me during the most difficult times in my college career,” says Brady.

Strengths/Obstacles:During his time at USD, Brady had to face a lot of

little obstacles that everyone (with or without a disability) faces.

“There are certain things that I naturally do slower such as understanding complex topics (i.e. difficult problems, reading, taking notes, etc.), grabbing numerous items before leaving my house, or just any form of multi-tasking,” says Brady.

The biggest hurdle he faced was managing his own medications.

“I’m on a variety of medications and I have to be responsible for all of it—if I’m forgetting one-eighth of my medications, then I don’t feel right,” said Brady.

Throughout college, he was very successful in overcoming these obstacles through the help of Quality Living, Inc. Quality Living, Inc. is based out of Omaha, Neb. that helps TBI patients like Brady to live independently and also encouraged him to be organized.

“I dedicate my time to going to the gym, the pharmacy, and the library each week. Making lists has also helped out a lot because of my TBI—my short term memory isn’t as good as it was,” says Brady.

Disability Services:Before he transferred to USD, Brady wasn’t aware of

Disability Services and what services they can offer him in an academic setting. Fortunately, USD’s Disability Services

Beau Brady: Overcoming Challenges to Graduate College

Being a college student can have its fair share of victories and challenges, especially for students with disabilities. But for one recent college graduate, he has used his strengths to overcome obstacles

in a college setting, which led to better results for the future.

By Ryan Bartz

Possibilities • 13

work with students with a disability to make sure they have equal access to all programs and services at a college/university.

“At the college level, students with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA) of 2009, and the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,” says Ernetta Fox, Disability Services director.

In order for students to use Disability Services, they must self-disclose their disability to

staff members and provide reasonable disability documentation to receive accommodations. Examples of disability documentation are a demonstration of comprehensive assessments and evaluations, background information (academic, family, medical, etc.), and a specific diagnosis with accommodation recommendations.

There are a wide variety of academic accommodations that students can request such as a note taker, access to Kurzweil software, and print materials in alternative formats. In Brady’s case, he has used extended time on tests and getting access to the lecture notes in all of his classes. Brady pointed out that Disability Services helped support his academic needs. His own experience with utilizing

About USD Disability Services: USD Disability Services plays a huge role in the lives of students at the University of South Dakota. Its mission is to make sure that students and campus visitors with disabilities have full and equal access to all programs and activities at USD. USD Disability Services is in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973), the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (2009). USD Disability Services is available to students with a documented learning physical or psychological disability.

USD Disability Services is located on the campus of University of South Dakota in Service Center Room 119B. For more information about USD Disability Services, contact Ernetta Fox (Director of Disability Services) at 605-677-6389 or email her at: Ernetta.Fox@usd.edu.

14 • Possibilities

Disability Services has been a great one. “They have been very supportive and accommodating

of my disability. If I ever have an academic problem, I do not feel shy about asking for help and they are more than willing to provide me help,” says Brady.

Fox also mentions that it is vital that students, with and without disabilities, to hone their life skills to succeed in college.

“Independence and self-advocacy are essential skills students will need when they leave the university setting to seeking employment,” says Fox.

Life Outside the Classroom: When Brady isn’t hitting the books, he has been an

active member of the Habitat for Humanity chapter at USD. Through Habitat for Humanity, he has also helped out with numerous organizations such as the Special Olympics, Meals On Wheels, and Coyote Concessions. He has also participated in Builds, which is part of Habitat for Humanity that constructs homes for low-income families in the Sioux City, Iowa area. He also got a chance to go on a week-long spring break trip to Taos, N.M in which he got to build an adobe home—a home that is made out of sun-dried bricks or clay.

“It was the first school spring break trip for me and I had a lot of fun building the home,” says Brady.

Life after USD:Seven years, three schools, and switching majors

four times, he achieved a very important milestone in his life—graduating college with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies emphasizing in social science, humanities, math, and science. Since then, he went back to USD to get his master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing in areas in Sociology, Social Work, Alcohol & Drug Studies, Special Education, and Counseling.

“I’m more than happy with all the help I’ve received while in Vermillion and I found the right program for someone like me,” says Brady.

During his time in graduate school, he will be building his resume by doing volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity. He plans on obtaining an interdisciplinary master’s degree aimed at a career in social services or mental health someday. He is currently taking his first educational psychology and counseling classes.

Since attending USD for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, he has learned so many life skills and he’s still learning numerous things.

“So far, I’ve realized that 25 is not that old so I’m glad I didn’t pressure myself to finish school sooner,” said Brady.

His best advice for someone with a disability attending college:

“Take all the help you are offered and get on a first name basis with certain people such as professors, counselors, social workers, etc.,” says Brady.

If you are planning on going to college in the future, then you need to take courses requisite for certain

careers and research all of your career options. With Brady finishing up his first year

of graduate school, he has dealt with a brand new set of challenges—

but with all the support that he gets in the Vermillion

community, he is already on track for the future. •

Sarah is a very social individual, she enjoys talking with anyone she meets and will remember a person after she meets them. When Sarah began working with the employment team at Black Hills Works, she was cleaning motel rooms. The team was asked to come in and see what they could do to help her complete her work with a little more ease. Sarah had minor conflicts with remembering everything that needed to be done in each room. One of the tasks that she struggled with was making the beds, Sarah was able to get the clean linens on the bed but struggled getting them even. Sarah’s job coach had made her a tool that she could use to measure the edge of the sheet to the floor. Although this tool was very helpful she still struggled with other tasks in the room. Her job coach created a book for her of pictures of the room that she could follow step for step. Sarah used this book for a few months but the team and her family could see that she was still struggling to complete all the tasks. Sarah, her team, and her family had a special meeting to discuss Sarah’s employment options at the hotel and as a group had decided that it was in Sarah’s best interest to seek another form of employment.

With the amazing support of Sarah’s family and team, Sarah was offered a job cleaning and setting tables at Pizza Ranch three times a week. Sarah’s duties consisted of wiping down the tables and chairs using a different rag for the chairs and the table tops. Sarah would also need to place the Parmesan on the tables. At first Sarah struggled remembering what rag she needed to use for the chairs and tables and would talk a lot causing her to lose track of the task she was on. Sarah’s job coach helped her to learn what rags to use for the chairs and tables by repeating aloud “white for tables, blue for chairs.”

Sarah seemed to struggle with where she needed to place the Parmesan. Her job coach had pointed out that there was an “H” on the side that the Parmesan needed to go and that Sarah has an “H” in her name. Sarah connected with this right away and was able to remember that the Parmesan goes by the “H” and “H” is in her name. When Sarah started to talk too much causing herself to lose track, her job coach helped her by giving her a visual prompt of placing her finger up to her mouth in the “quiet sign.” Sarah responded to this very positively and

When Finding a Job Doesn’t Mean Finding

THE Job

Possibilities • 15

By Amanda Harvey

The Weight of Autism? Or Lack Thereof…

About Black Hills WorksAbove all, Black Hills Works is a person-centered agency. Person Centered Thinking (PCT) involves putting the people we support at the center of our agency and the decisions and planning that impact their lives. Many of our staff and people supported have been trained as Person Centered Thinking coaches to ensure that the philosophy is woven throughout our organization. In person-centered planning, groups of people focus on an individual and that person’s vision of what they would like to do and can do, rather than on what others think they should do or what they cannot do. To help people self-direct their lives, we provide education, exposure, and experiences so that they can determine their own goals. Then we provide the supports they need to achieve their goals and live their dreams. For more information, go to www.blackhillsworks.org.

16 • Possibilities

Trevor Tridle is a lot of things. He’s a hard worker, a college graduate, a mentor, a boyfriend, and one of his favorite things, a power-lifter.

He is also an individual with Autism. Born in Aberdeen, S.D., he was

adopted at two months by the Tridle family. The Tridles did not know they had adopted an individual with Autism. He was behind in his speech and cognitive skills, so the family placed him into a Head Start Program. A week into it, the teacher called and said he needs to be tested. Black Hills Special Services then tested him.

“I knew what they were going to say, but you deny it until you see it in writing,” said Deb Tridle, Trevor’s mother.

In grade school, a teacher warned the family that he may end up in a facility or institution when he got older, but athletics opened Tridle’s life up. He started swimming at six-years-old, and continued doing so until high school graduation. He held a state record in the 800 meters for a few years. His love of football did the same. He played from middle school to graduation. He was not a starter but played in every game.

“Senior year at a home game we were on the 10-yard line,” said Deb. “Coach put Trevor in on offense, although he always played defense. They got the ball to Trevor and he scored a touchdown. Everyone in the stands went crazy because they knew what it meant to Trevor.”

Deb said Trevor wanted to play college football, but it wasn’t in the cards. When Mike McNeil, Black Hills State University (BHSU) disability director hooked him up with the power-lifting team for Northern Hills Training Center and it was “the best thing that ever happened to Trevor.”

He currently lives in Lead, and he attended and graduated from BHSU in Spearfish.

“I went to college thinking I would go into business administration first,” Tridle said. “And then I realized I

no longer struggles with getting caught up in conversation.

With the help of Sarah’s job coach and the natural supports she receives from the staff at Pizza Ranch, she can successfully start her job on her own and finishes early. Sarah has become more confident and often tells others that she “Loves her job at Pizza Ranch”. Sarah enjoys going to work and getting a hug from Steve, Pizza Ranch owner. Steve will often open his arms and beat Sarah to the daily hug. Sarah’s team and family are so very proud of her achievements and growth and

are very excited to watch as she continues to

flourish. •

don’t want to be in business administration … I want to be

in exercise science and athletic coaching instead.”

He graduated from BHSU with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and minor in athletic coaching. During those

years, he leaned on two different programs to

complete his degrees: Disability Services and Student Support.“Student Support was working

with a mentor on my homework and to prepare for tests,” he said. “With Disability

Services, I mostly used the supports of extra time on tests and being able to take a test in a room, alone.”

After graduation, just like any recent graduate, he hit the job market. It didn’t take long for him to realize that the degree he picked was a niche market in South Dakota.

“We don’t have a lot of gyms because we are a rural state,” Tridle said. “We are not urban, we are not a big state like California or New York, and don’t have big cities, like Colorado has Denver.”

So he struggled to find employment in his field, but for the past nine summers, he was already working as a parks technician with the City of Deadwood, and as soon as a full-time position becomes available, his employer wants him working year round. In this position, he provides maintenance of the grounds and different buildings, winterizes the baseball field, and gets the machinery ready to be stored away for the winter. He is also a part-time custodian at Lead-Deadwood High School. On top of those two positions, he works a seasonal job as a lift operator with Terry Peak Ski Area from Dec. 1 – March 30.

In his personal life, one of his favorite extra-curricular activities is still power-lifting. He’s used that knowledge and skill set to become a mentor to a young man he met in his teens, also with Autism. His grandmother told him one day that the person he used to practice 3D archery with also has Autism, but his family didn’t know how to handle it. They didn’t know the interventions needed to help him succeed.

“Grandma Pat said he is ‘lazy’ and we need to get him to be more active,” Tridle said. “So I took him under my wing to help him become more active and not be passive. I want him to be independent; I want him to be even higher functioning.”

His friend also has some physical issues so Tridle takes it easy on him when they meet once a week. He said they start light for now and will build him up as time goes on.

But Tridle is not only a mentor to a person with a disability. He met another individual who wanted Tridle’s expertise in weight lifting who has a job as a laborer, is getting into middle age and wants to get stronger and not lose muscle mass as he ages. Tridle is meeting with him once a week as well to establish a lifting routine. The person does not have a disability, or as Tridle put it, “he’s just like any average guy of the population.”

Besides all of his other activities in life, Tridle also has a girlfriend whom he met at the Special Olympics, where he competes in power-lifting and softball. She is power-lifting with Tridle too and in fact brought home two gold medals from the Special Olympics last year. He is a five-time state Special Olympian in all four lifts, and in the 2014 National Special Olympics he brought home three gold medals and one silver medal.

So who is Trevor Tridle really? You probably know by now. He’s a social guy, a professional, an athlete, a teacher and more. Yes, he is an individual with Autism as well, but that doesn’t come close to defining him. •

The Weight of Autism? Or Lack Thereof…

By Derric Miller

Possibilities • 17

18 • Possibilities

Self-employment is becoming a brand new trend for people with disabilities. From creating your own schedule to working at your own pace, you can develop your own skills without being hired by a business. One person has been very successful with self-employment while sharing his story about success.

Brett Glirbas, from Sioux Falls, S.D. doesn’t call himself “unique.” In fact, he’s just your average guy who likes to hang out with his friends and works out in his spare time. What some people don’t know about Glirbas is that he has Cerebral Palsy (CP). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CP is a group of disorders that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is also caused by damage to the brain which can affect a person’s ability to control their muscles.

Some of Glirbas’ obstacles are communication of any kind. He has overcome this by using email, texting and assistive technology to improve his communication skills. Humor also helps him break down walls and barriers that people might have with him; if people don’t know what he is saying, sometimes they will give him a simple nod or smile.

Living with CP can have its daily obstacles, but Glirbas’ story is a path that has found him success and failures in his life.

Success in and after CollegeAfter he graduated from Washington High School in

2001, he then went onto college at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall, Minn. While at SMSU, he was very active with the SMSU Mustang Football Team as a student coach. In 2006, he graduated with honors with an interdisciplinary major that combined Special Education and Recreation. A year after college, he had a hard time finding a job in recreation; however with the help of vocational rehabilitation, Glirbas got the opportunity to do a grant writing internship with The St. Francis House. During the internship he was able to hone his writing skills while helping others along the way.

“It’s very important to give back because there have been many people who have helped me throughout my life,” said Glirbas.

Achievable Ventures Consulting: In the BeginningAfter the internship, he was then contacted by Dan

Rounds, who is a Transition Coordinator at Black Hills Special Services Coop. He thought that Glirbas would have interest in working with a friend of his (Maxine Schochemaier) to do larger projects on her grant writing business. However, Glirbas had another plan in mind.

Brett Glirbas: Using Self-Employment to Become Successful

By Ryan Bartz

Possibilities • 19

“My first thought was to be her employee, but after meeting with people and a benefits specialist, I decided that I should start my own business,” says Glirbas.

At that meeting, it Glirbas decided to open up his own grant writing business called Achievable Ventures Consulting (AVC). AVC works with many different clients to help research what grants are available that can be used to fund conferences, programs or projects. Along with assisting in writing the grants, some of AVC’s clients include Every Citizen Counts Organization out of Madison, S.D.; Independent Living Choices out of Sioux Falls, S.D.; South Dakota Dare to Dream Conference; and the South Dakota Youth Leadership Forum. AVC also does some presentations ranging from self-advocacy, assistive technology, and how AVC got started. Its target audience has been individuals with disabilities and their families. Glirbas only gets paid for writing a grant when grants are approved.

“Without Achievable Ventures, payment for assisting with grant writing would put me over the amount allowed for Social Security (SS) benefits—in most cases, money in a business account is not counted as personal resources for SS. With grant writing you don’t earn a weekly or biweekly paycheck you just receive a large amount of money when a grant is successful. I have had many months in which I had no income but other months my income was far above the $2000 resource limit for SSI.” explains Glirbas. Being self-employed Glirbas has to report his income to social security on an annual basis instead of monthly.

AVC TodaySince the start of AVC, Glirbas has learned so much

about himself. Some examples would be becoming more productive and self-motivated.

“As a business owner, I am responsible for doing everything. However, if I get stuck on something, there are always resources available,” says Glirbas.

While he has many different resources available in Sioux Falls and across the state, one resource in particular is Jim Huston, an accountant and business plan writer out of Louisville, Ky. who helps people with disabilities start their own business. He has also had to work harder to get where he is today.

“Because of my disability; I value the things that I have

already achieved,” says Glirbas. Some of his biggest achievements have been receiving

the Richard L. Hicks award at the South Dakota Youth Leadership Forum in 2009 to going off VR services after being employed, to even playing on a competitive softball team with people without a disability.

Glirbas is also a disability advocate in the Sioux Falls community as well as throughout the state of South Dakota. He is currently serving on the Sioux Falls Public Transit Advisory Board, the Independent Living Choices Board of Directors, the Consumer Advisory Committee at the USD Center for Disabilities, and as Chairmen of the South Dakota Board of Vocational Rehabilitation

Currently, Glirbas is taking time off from grant writing activities to pursue other ventures promoting advocacy and raising awareness of obstacles faced by individuals with disabilities. “It is my life mission to do anything possible to allow individuals with disabilities to thrive in life instead of just surviving”, said Glirbas.

The Future of AVCIn the future, Glirbas doesn’t know what direction his

business will take, but his dream job would be to become a motivational speaker to share his story of success and getting to interact with many different people. One of his future goals comes from his experience with SS.

“Paying back a year’s worth of SS benefits has been the hardest and the most rewarding moment of my life. In that same year, I learned about how to be self-sustainable and not having to rely on SS benefits,” says Glirbas.

He is still continuing on with that goal by being responsible of where his money is going from his business.

If Glirbas could give any advice to anyone with a disability that wants to be self-employed, he says that it’s a road to success.

“You may have to work harder than everyone else, when you have a business—there are many resources out there that are available to help you out,” says Glirbas.

Wherever he goes and gives a presentation, he likes to end it with this inspirational quote:

“A disability does not change a dream; it only changes how a dream is achieved.” – Unknown Author •

20 • Possibilities

Getting a job in the 21st century can be a difficult process, especially if you are someone with a disability and little or no work experience. However, some organizations in the Sioux Falls community are now supporting a mission to hire and retain people with disabilities. One program in particular is Project SEARCH.

Walk around the halls of Avera Hospital and you will see students in the Project SEARCH program working in different areas of the hospital. Project SEARCH is a business-led transition program through East Dakota Educational Cooperative whose mission is to put people with disabilities into full-time employment. These students are actually getting real-world experiences and skills to get and maintain a job.

Kelsey Peterson, a 2015 high school graduate, completed Project SEARCH during her final academic year. She is currently employed at Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota in the housekeeping department and contributes that to her involvement in Project SEARCH.

“It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made because I actually have a job. And I didn’t have a job before or even a résumé” said Peterson.

“Project SEARCH works with students between 18 and 21 who haven’t graduated from high school but have completed academic coursework. We also work with those students who are eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation services and are between the ages of 21 and 25,” says Angie Mulder, Project SEARCH program coordinator.

The 411 on Project SEARCH

By Ryan Bartz and Lacy Knutson

Possibilities • 21

Peterson says Mulder was instrumental in helping her get employed.

“Angie helped me make a résumé. I never had a résumé before. I don’t think I would have applied without Angie’s help because I didn’t know about the heart hospital,” she said.

This program gives students an opportunity to explore careers of interest, which lead into developing job skills that can be used in any other job.

“The employment skills that students learn—such as time management, teamwork, problem-solving, etc.—are skills that can transfer to any other job setting a student has in the future,” said Julie Benz, Business Liaison and Director of Outpatient Services at Avera McKennan.

At Project SEARCH students do three unpaid job rotations for up to 12 weeks. Some of the job rotations range from being in the laundry room, food services, to maintenance work.

“We like to talk to the students earlier in the year to discuss what their interests and abilities are and what they would like to do for their three internships during the year,” says Mulder.

Peterson’s job rotations included time at a patient pharmacy, data entry and general store as well as housekeeping. She says she enjoyed her time at the pharmacy but was disappointed it had a degree requirement which limited her responsibilities.

“I really did like the pharmacy, I just didn’t know the restrictions,” says Peterson.

Her last rotation was in the housekeeping department of Avera which she said was a much better fit.

“The lady who trained me was just so nice and welcoming,” Peterson shared.

Peterson enjoyed the various opportunities that Project SEARCH offered.

“It was definitely nice to try new rotations to find out what I liked. You were able to try a job without being committed, so you know that after 12 weeks you either liked it or you didn’t.”

Just Your Average Day at Project SEARCH:

Project SEARCH operates Monday through Friday during the regular school year and the average day starts

at 8 a.m. when students are in an employability skills class that teaches them daily living skills such as writing a check, making healthy eating habits, and how to write a resume. Then from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. students work at their three internships for 10 to 12 weeks each. At the end of each day, students go back to the classroom and discuss something new that they learned at their internship. Throughout the year, students meet with Mulder and their IEP team to discuss their overall performance.

“We want the student to be more successful in Project SEARCH by giving them advice on how to do their job better and advice on how they can be better employees when Project SEARCH is over,” says Mulder.

On developing her skills, Peterson said “I feel Project SEARCH helped me be more confident in myself and also helped me problem-solve more on my own”.

Mulder points out that her eight years of teaching special education has helped her gain knowledge of students of all abilities and their desired interests.

Beyond the Classroom: Project SEARCH has not only been promoted at

Avera but it has also been a program advocated in the community. Julie Benz also serves as a Business Liaison for Project SEARCH. She talks to other departments at Avera, encouraging them to hire a student. She also goes out in the community promoting Project SEARCH and serves on the board for the Sioux Falls Business Resource Network (SFBRN).

“Most often, businesses are more apprehensive of the unknown and most of it is lack of knowledge when it comes to hiring people with disabilities,” says Benz.

When Benz and other members of the SFBRN go out to different businesses, they discuss topics such as the benefits of hiring people with disabilities to how it affects a business’s employees.

Peterson’s experience with Project SEARCH helped her build confidence talking with others.

“It was good because at first, I was very shy and wouldn’t want to say ‘hi’ or talk to people but now I can. I used to think it was awkward but now I’m more comfortable and confident. It built my confidence in what I do and it’s made me happier to be around people.”

Project SEARCH’s Impact: “What’s motivating to me is

when the students come in August shy and unsure of what the future holds, and then watching them grow and mature and gaining employment skills is the biggest reward for me,” says Benz.

Peterson says that getting compliments from her supervisor helped build her confidence as well.

“I get compliments about being very meticulous with my cleaning and always being willing to come in for shifts.”

Project SEARCH is working on expanding.“In the future, I would like to see students (in Project

SEARCH) and the other departments (at Avera) learn a wide variety of topics such as the benefits of a diverse workforce. Hopefully in the future, there could be some departments that would let students get paid throughout their job rotation,” says Benz.

“We would like to become a ‘household name’ and by doing that, we want to get the word out about Project SEARCH to high school students and their families as well as the high school special education teachers involved

so that we can get a lot of applicants in future

years,” says Mulder.

Overall, Project SEARCH is a program that any student with any kind of disability can apply for.

“For most of these students being 18, and not knowing what they want to do with their life, it’s a very natural feeling to have. This program really does help students see what they are good at and what they are not good at, so it’s a win-win for all of us,” says Mulder.

Peterson is grateful for her experience. “Project SEARCH helped me find a place that I felt

accepted. I was told one day from someone that I wasn’t ever going to get a job in the community and Project SEARCH gave me that chance to get a job that I like to do. Project SEARCH changed my life in the best way

possible.” Avera is just one of three Project SEARCH sites

in South Dakota. The other sites include Avera St. Luke’s in Aberdeen, S.D. and South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. If you would like more information on what Project SEARCH is about, you can contact Angie Mulder at 605-322-5071 or email her at amulder@edec.org. You can also contact Julie Benz at julie.benz@avera.org. •

About Project SEARCH:

Project SEARCH is a program through East Dakota Educational Cooperative that gives young adults with a disability a chance to gain real-world experiences and develop transferable job skills. The ultimate goal of Project SEARCH is to have independent adults working in a competitive environment. In Sioux Falls, Project SEARCH is through a partnership with Avera and the Division of Rehabilitation Services and Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired.

22 • Possibilities

Possibilities • 23

It’s not just where the journey starts; it’s what happens in between and where it ends. Just ask Steve Simons.

Simons is a Brookings, S.D. native who lived there from first grade on until he graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Instead of using his degree to make journalism his lifelong profession (although he did work at a newspaper called the Brookings Register for a few years) Simons ended up building custom vans for a company, which allowed him to drive all around the region.

That was in the 1970s when Jimmy Carter was president and the United States was hit with the oil embargo, when the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries drastically reduced production and exports of oil to the U.S., causing gas shortages, empty gas pumps and prices to skyrocket. This in effect bankrupted the company he worked for.

At this time, Simons was dealing with chronic ear infections which impacted not only his hearing, but also gave him bouts of vertigo.

“At one time, the doctors broke my nose so I could breathe better and my ear wouldn’t get congested and infected as often,” Simons said. “They also drilled a hole the size of a quarter behind my ear because it was rotting.” The surgery left Simons mostly deaf in his right ear, which also compounded his future employment problems.

This came back to haunt Simons later in life on the business side as well.

After the oil embargo was over, he and a friend bought a gas station together in 1980.

“My mother was sick, and I had to take her to kidney

The Advantage of Coming Full Circle

dialysis in Watertown three days a week, so it worked out for us all buying that gas station in Brookings,” he said.

Simons enjoyed working there, at least for one reason, because of the college students.

“They’d come in and get cigarettes or chips, and we’d let them write the check for 10 dollars over,” he said.

But the chronic ear infections and resulting health issues frustrated his partner so much that after seven years of trying to make it work, they decided to just sell the gas station and move on.

Then, as he jokingly admitted, “I had nothing better to do so I got married.”

When their first child came, the doctor said they’d have to go to Sioux Falls for a C-section.

“We had the most expensive guy in South Dakota. The doctors were worried that the birth would be so complicated they sent us to him,” he said.

Everything went as well as it could, and both the mother and daughter were healthy.

After that, the company he used to buy gas from, Pam Oil, offered him a job in Brookings to manage one of their Pump & Paks. That job lasted until 1989, and the company offered him the opportunity to manage one of their Pump & Paks in Pierre.

“We had a 10-year run in Pierre and it was a lot of

By Derric Miller

24 • Possibilities

in California, or go back home.

“I know South Dakota, I know Brookings,”

he said. “The unemployment rate was 12 percent in

California. So I got in my car and drove back to Brookings.”

Simons admitted he just wanted a new start. He gave all of his

belongings except his clothes to a church, a favorite place of worship by the local

Guatemalan populace, and headed back home.When he arrived in Brookings, he soon realized

he’d been gone so long that everyone he knew was retired or about to retire. Their children were now running the businesses.

“It was so difficult to find a job … I had to start at the bottom, start all over again,” he said. “And my references? They were all retired, dead or out of business entirely.”

Fortunately for Simons, the one contact he still had was a friend he served as the best man for at his wedding. He owned apartments in town and hired Simons to paint them.

“It was déjà vu all over again,” he said. “My father was a painter.”

Besides being a painter, his father was also the initial source of Simons’ depression.

“It’s been a lifelong battle,” Simons said, admitting that growing up in a household with an alcoholic parent was not a happy time.

Then around Memorial Day, Simons suffered a heart attack, although he wasn’t aware it was so serious.

“I had a tingling in my shoulder and I didn’t get out of work until 3 a.m.,” he said. “I kept feeling sicker and sicker and went to the clinic. I thought I had an infection. The doctor I talked to told me I just described a heart attack. They sent me to Sioux Falls, did a blood test confirming the fact, and put in a stent.”

Simons was awake for the procedure and jokingly said it was “cool to watch them” maneuvering a “joystick” around. “I was watching ESPN too,” he said.

fun,” he said. “And then in 1999 they sold to Cenex, they went corporate, and that was the end of me working there.”

The family decided to move to California to look for work, since his wife’s two brothers lived there. Her mom and dad decided to move there as well, to be with the grandkids.

That’s when things started to derail for the Simons family, and he started dealing heavily with depression. At one time, he voluntarily admitted himself to a mental health facility in San Diego.

Keeping with the theme of gas and oil, Simons found employment with Arco. He worked for them until they were bought by global giant BP.

The family was not going to make it out of California as a traditional family, though. Marital strife caused Simons and his wife to divorce. Now he was dealing with depression and divorce, but luckily for a while, not unemployment on top of it.

Until 2009, Simons then worked for a company that sold paint. Just as the oil embargo impacted his employment in the 1970s, the great recession in the 2000s did the same. His company was bought by Sherwin Williams, and he was left with a choice: find another job

About Career Advantage

Career Advantage is a program of Advance, a private non-profit organization that provides services to people with

intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as those who have conditions caused by accidents, like traumatic brain injury and

spinal cord injuries. Their mission is to “offer opportunities for people to live their lives to the fullest.” For more information, go to http://www.

advancebkg.info/ or call 605-696-5264 or 877-685-4684. To find more information about statewide vocational rehabilitation offices and services,

go to https://dhs.sd.gov/drs/vocrehab/vr.aspx.

Possibilities • 25

He drove a cab intermittently in Brookings after that, but now the medication he was on increased his vertigo and made him dizzy. He couldn’t bring himself to continue driving college students around town.

“It wasn’t fair to them; I couldn’t jeopardize them like that,” he admitted. “I can stop and pull over any time now if I can’t take it, but I can’t do that with others in the car.”

With nowhere to turn to, Simons went to vocational rehabilitation and they helped him come up with an employment plan. Step one: find a job coach.

“It didn’t work. The first one I worked with couldn’t get back to me for a week at a time,” he said. “I have no money and I’m trying to help myself but it doesn’t work if they only meet when they want to. I picked a different one.”

He went to Career Advantage and Simons worked with Matt Simet and Andrea Enockson to seek employment.

“The problem is, because of my health conditions, I’m not allowed to lift anything over 20 pounds. Most jobs available are manufacturing, and job descriptions usually state ‘must be able to lift 50 pounds,’” he said. On top of that, he was dealing with dizziness, he couldn’t bend or twist, and just getting out of bed used to take an hour, although now it’s only 15 minutes. He described this avalanche as “a death of a thousand cuts.”

Working with his Career Advantage team, the first step in the process was figuring out what Simons could do, and what he wanted to do. It’s an organic process revealing Simons strengths, values and skill set.

Then the team found a job opening at a local convenience store, gas station and pub/casino called The Depot.

Simet worked with Simons on his interview skills. Simet noted that because Simons was so outgoing, he had a tendency to “overshare” in interviews, making the interview more personal than professional. The arduous process of mock interviews could take up to three hours or more. They’d take notes, go over what Simons did right and focus on the

areas he needed to improve. Enockson did the groundwork in the job search, and

when they found the job opening at The Depot, she helped Simons develop a resume, cover letter, fill out the job application.

“They have the jargon, what to say and what not to say to dance through the process,” he said. “And this job, I did it for over 20 years. I know when a floor needs to be mopped, I know what needs to be done. If I got the job it’d be easy on my boss too because they don’t have to worry.”

It turned out that the owner of The Depot lived a block away growing up together. His sister graduated in Simons’ class and he had another sister in his ex-wife’s class. This was not necessarily a boon to Simons; because of his oversharing in interviews, Simet said it could actually be a detriment. But Simons nailed the interview after all the hard work he put into those mock interviews.

Simons got the job, and in short time, already received a raise based on his hard work.

Where Simons’ journey takes him from here is up to Simons. He has overcome a lifetime of multiple health issues and depression, but always got back up when knocked down. Today, by actively seeking out the resources available to him in South Dakota like Career Advantage (and in California as well), Simons is back on his feet. •

Possibilities

Center for DisabilitiesCenter for Disabilities1400 West 22nd Street • Sioux Falls, SD

A publication by the Center for Disabilities about the state’s abundant opportunities for people with disabilities.

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