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Show Page 5A South Edition Lakeside Review Wednesday, March 28, 1984 In Special Program Students Can Graduate9 to Jobs RON KNOWLTON Review Staff WOODS CROSS Rodney cried when he got the news. Hed been hired. His first job. It wasnt much, really--- a job as a bagger at a local grocery store. But to Rodney it was a milestone. To his teacher, Malcolm Koch, it was a major success story. Koch, a special education Center. Then Koch tries to find jobs that will fit their skills. . Julia has a physical handicap. If she falls, her bones could splinter or break. Koch was able to place her in an office position at a local sewing center. Alecia--wh- o is mentally a maid at a local mo- Seminary. i V Gifted Will Put on Sleeping Beauty handi-caps-whe- teacher at Woods Cross High School, had just graduated another one of his handicapped students into the job market. So far this year Koch has seven graduates"-a- ll employed in community jobs, an accomplishment he points to with pride. Three others have school or neighborhood jobs. A lot of people would say lets forget about these people. But not Koch. He has helped prepare the students well for jobs, despite their handicaps. Most are mentally handicapped. Others have physical or behavioral handicaps. The students are tested for their job skills by a work evaluator at the Pioneer Rehabilitation THREE OF the more than 300 piano students from Davis County who will participate in the annual Student Achievement program are (from Left) Jennifer Freemen, Wendi Wilson and Cristen Wright. The piano competition will be held April 14 at the Viewmont LDS Getting a job is only one, of several goals Koch sets for students in his class, however. Once the students have jobs and have graduated from high school, the next step is to get the students into a group home living with others who have they can experience a sense of independence. Next comes marriage-b- ut most never reach this stage, Koch admits. Then theres an apartment of their own and learning to drive a car. We want to set their sights handi-capped-- is tel. Mark and Tonya provide kitchen help at local fast food FARMINGTON The Holly Hepworth. Other princiGifted of and Talented Academy pals are Mac Sims, David Peel, Entertainers has scheduled the Micheline Bush, Elissa Koontz, play Sleeping Beauty for pre- Marny Peterson and Cory Leonsentation at the Farmington Ju- ard. . nior High School on Friday, The play will be presented at Saturday and Monday, April 3, 4:30 p.m. on April 13, and at 14 and 16. 4:30 and 7:30 on April 14. Final performance will be at 7:30 on ' Director of the play is Ellarose April 16. Music for the play is under DeLong of Farmington. She said the students meet two times a the direction of JoAnn Callahan. week during 2'i months of rePrice of admission is $1 per hearsals to put the play together. person. Children 3 and younger The title role is played by. will be admitted free. 1 -- outlets. And the list goes on. The goal is to get these stu- dents out of institutional make them as high as possible, re Koch said. In Kochs office, boxes filled with magazines and newspapers fill wooden shelves. My philosophy is to get them (handicapped kids) using things they normally wouldnt. And since his students want to be considered adults, the idea is to get them using adult materials. If they become adults, they're going to have to work with adult materials, he says. Theyre not going to walk around (after theyre out of school) with a textbook, but with a newspaper. When the students are first hired for a job, a special government program pays much of the students wages. Later on, however, the government assistance decreases until eventually the employer is paying all of a stu- dents wages, Koch said. Before they leave for a job interview, the students are filmed with a video camera during an imaginary interview. Afterwards, they can see themselves on tape and learn how they could have improved their to self sufficient. Something that brings a lot of happiness to the students. Koch said many of the students are overjoyed when they receive their first pay checks. Parents also become excited. Many of the parents had once believed their children would spend the rest of their lives living at home or in institutions. answers. A speech therapist, a social worker and other professionals also help the students prepare for their work experience. Koch also teaches his students job situation can be a real step up for students who suffer from a variety of handicaps. Malcolm Koch, a teacher at Woods Cross High, tries to place his students in area businesses. LEARNING SKILLS in a regular school subjects during ; Just being there, sitting there their high school class time at ,(in a regular classroom) is an acWoods Cross High School. complishment for them, Koch Students admitted to the class said. must have developed good social skills, Koch said. Koch said he feels his job as a teacher of handicapped students PANCAKE & DINNER HOUSE is not to analyze why they're presents this way--bto see where they can fit in. & He often asks other teachers to STEAK & SEAFOOD allow the students into their "" SMORGASBORD classrooms with students who are not handicapped. FRIDAYS Glow Room ut Turf Surf - tell them (other teachers) whatever you can do for them is I .helpful. 9 $095 P.M. 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