Sussex Consortium students win service award

Twenty-three students of Sussex Consortium School in Lewes have won the Delaware Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Award for the volunteer work they do at Beebe Medical Center.

The award, representing the healthcare category, will be presented at a special ceremony Thursday, April 21, at Caesar Rodney High School Auditorium in Dover.

The Sussex Consortium School is part of the Cape Henlopen School District and serves special needs students throughout Sussex County. The program, which includes children from 2 years old to young adults up to 21, has been recognized throughout the nation for its quality. Educators from as far as Japan have come to observe and learn about its successes.

The 23 students who have won the award are between the ages of 15 and 21 and are participants in the school’s Vocational Program, designed to prepare them to be independent and to be qualified for the workplace. Students are placed on job sites so that they have the opportunity to gain work experience.

“We are extremely proud of our students for this accomplishment,” says Pam Graves, the consortium’s vocational program coordinator. “They look forward to being independent and successful, and thanks to Beebe Medical Center, they have the opportunity to succeed in a real-life workplace.”

Graves also commended the employees and other volunteers at Beebe Medical Center. “Everyone has been so supportive, making the students feel welcome and letting them know that the work they are doing is appreciated. It has made a tremendous difference in their lives and toward their future successes.”

“We appreciate all of the hard work that these students do for us,” says Lee Halloran, Beebe Medical Center Volunteer Services manager. “They work in several departments and assist our employees with a variety of tasks that are important to the operation of the hospital. They have a strong work ethic, and are respectful, friendly, and committed to doing the best job they can do.”

The students have been assigned to the departments of Nutritional Services and Materials Management. In the Nutritional Services Department, they help out in both cafes, keeping the condiment shelves stocked and the countertops clean. They also help with the delivery of patient food carts to the patient care areas. In Materials Management, they work in the busy supply area, helping staff identify and label a variety of items. “These students joined over a year ago and truly have been such a joy,” says Kathi Fryling, RD, LDN, director of Nutritional Services. “From their manners to their commitment to complete assigned tasks, all of these students lighten the load of the department, allowing team members to be focused on production, and service to our patients, visitors and staff.”

“My staff and I look forward to seeing the students each week and enjoy watching them work together as a team,” says Gerry Smith, director of Materials Management.

The students come to Beebe Medical Center each week. They are accompanied by 18 Sussex Consortium employees, including teachers, paraprofessionals and job coaches. They supervise the students and make sure that they are doing their jobs correctly.

The student program began with just a few students in 2009 as an experiment. But it was so well received, it quickly grew. In 2010, the students and their job coaches gave 4,050 hours, averaging 108 hours per student and 85 hours per consortium employee. It is part of Beebe Medical Center’s active volunteer program, which has more than 525 volunteers and auxiliary members that in 2010 gave more than 76,000 hours.

"We are always proud when our students have opportunities to build independent skills, and this is no exception,” says Principal Dr. Vivian J. Bush. “The partnership with Beebe staff and our volunteers not only helps them in the job market later but also exposes the greater community to the many faces of autism. Our goal for all our students is to live productive, meaningful lives, and this is a great step for the students toward adulthood and achieving their dreams. Our students enjoy volunteering, helping others, and feeling valued."