Volume 1, No. 16. September 7, 2001
Visionary
Kingdom
For six years youngsters from throughout Kentucky who were blind or had severe
seeing impairments attended a five-week summer camp at the state's School for
the Blind in Louisville. There they gained valuable job skills by working at
a local employer: Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
Both entities benefited from the state-funded program. For the school, Kentucky
Kingdom offered "a multitude of different types of jobs in one location," said
Darlene Middleton, the school's admissions coordinator and summer program coordinator.
"We can go in there and give them training on a variety of skill levels in a
variety of job settings," from food service to guest services, from groundskeeping
to warehouse operations. Meanwhile, the single location allowed the school to
use one bus and fewer job-coaching staff. For Kentucky Kingdom, the school was
providing five weeks' worth of eager employees at no cost.
However, state funds dried up this year, threatening the end of the program.
As testament, perhaps, to who benefited most from the relationship, Kentucky
Kingdom decided to finance the program themselves by paying the students regular
seasonal employee wages (the school's staff are full-time state employees).
Consequently, the program became even richer for both parties. The shift in
attitude is subtle but palpable as the park regarded the students as employees
rather than charity. "The students belonged to our team," said Rebecca Hanslick,
the park's human resources manager. "They were involved with all the activities
we do with our employees and incentive programs. I think our employees were
also more receptive of the program working side by side with a co-worker and
not just a student from a school."
The students felt the difference, too, Middleton said. "It said to the students,
'Hey, you have done a great job and we believe in you, we know you can do the
work, we want to hire you and are willing to pay you. For them to be accepted
as anyone else in the job market is a self-esteem booster that is as high as
you can go."