- April 22, 2024
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Alec Schiess loves his job at Matanzas High School. Photo by Jacque Estes
Alec Schiess and his grandparents, Diane and Sandy Ausbrooks. Photo by Jacque Estes
Maybe it’s the twinkling eyes, or the big smile, but meeting Alec Schiess makes you feel good.
He speaks English carefully, partially as a result of medical issues from birth, and partially because when he arrived in the U.S. from the Ukraine six years ago, he only knew how to count to 12 and say “Batman” in English.
He was 14 when he and Sveta, a 10-year-old at the orphanage, were adopted by Sandy and Diane Ausbrook’s daughter and son-in-law. After three years in North Carolina, Alec came to live with his grandparents in Palm Coast and enrolled at Matanzas High School, a decision that would have a huge impact on his life.
Thanksgiving will mark three years since Alec came to Palm Coast. In that time he has graduated from Matanzas High School, participated in three sports in the Special Olympics, soccer, basketball and bowling, and made the JV soccer team at MHS.
Oh, and he got a job at his alma mater.
After graduating from MHS in 2015, Alec entered the TRAIL Transition program. The program focuses on Flagler County’s 18-22-year-old students with disabilities, helping them find employment that fits their needs, and the employer’s needs.
Last May, Kim Houghton from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation asked Alec what job he would like to pursue. “I want to be a chef,” he told her.
The next thing Alec knew, he was on his way to Orlando for a two-week internship program at the Hyatt Regency. Alec worked 100 hours, elbow-to-elbow with the Hyatt chefs, and came home with a certificate in culinary arts.
“If it wasn’t for that lady (Houghton), I wouldn’t have had that chance,” Alec said. “It’s still kind of hard to believe, but I am thankful for that opportunity because it has opened the doors for me to actually find a job.”
Applying for jobs was easy. Deciding which to accept was not.
“I had two job offers on one day,” Alec said. “I was actually at the other interview, and the guy went to get the papers, and I got a phone call from Amy at the Government Services Building asking me, ‘Are you ready to work?’ I had to make that decision, whether work at a private golf course, washing dishes and helping prep, or work with the schools.”
“When they told him it would be at Matanzas, his eyes got big and he smiled that smile,” Ausbrooks said.
The family discussed the pros and cons of each offer and the Ausbrooks left the decision up to Alec.
“He was distracted at bowling that night, and on the way home he said ‘Gramps I have made my decision. I think I want to go to work at the schools because it’s a part-time job and I don’t want to be overwhelmed on my very first job,” Ausbrooks said.
“I took the school because I thought it was the right place for me,” Alec said. “It’s one of the best schools I have gone to and the people are just nice there. I feel it’s more like home.”
Dr. Kimberli Halliday, TRAIL Transition Coordinator. said Alec’s story is one of many success stories in the program. The program custom fits student skills and abilities with jobs in the area. Some of the businesses TRAIL has teamed up with include Publix, Lowes, Walmart, Golden Corral, Flagler Schools and the Flagler County Property Appraiser. October
October is Disabled Employee Awareness Month, and Halliday is hoping more businesses will come to her department when looking for staff.
“By teaming up with these businesses we are able to fill a vocational gap,” Halliday said. “We want our students to be as independent as possible.”
Halliday said the partnership is an excellent opportunity for the companies. She and members of her team go with the student and do the training until the student is comfortable in the job and the workplace, and then, they “fade out slowly.”
“We will go into another room, so we are there, but the student is working on their own,” she said.
Students can perform repetitive jobs such as shredding and filing, which frees up employees for other duties.
“If you hire one of our students, you are getting a great employee,” Halliday said. “They are dependable, on time, and hard workers.”
