“It started out serving the special education population, now referred to as exceptional children,” said instructor Floyd Graham, who’s been with the program 29 years. “KDI provides basic work training skills for those with special needs, and tries to help them transition from school to the workplace.”
A number of local and a few out-of-state businesses support the program in various ways, and on Oct. 29, nine businesses, some that have supported the program for 20 years, were honored at a luncheon at the DPS community room.
“We help students with tasks like packaging, inspection, mailings, then evaluate them and refer them to the business community,” said Graham. “The businesses provide work opportunities on-site so they can have on the job training and be evaluated in the work environment.
“Our ideal goal is that our businesses hire our students, who have the credits for graduation but elect to join our program and defer their diplomas to age 22 so they can get the work experience we offer. We usually have 10-to-14 with us all day, working on personal skills and vocational training,” said Graham.
Look at a Book, located in Miamisburg, is one of the supportive businesses honored at the luncheon.
“We’ve worked with KDI for five years,” says owner William Houghton, a bookseller who buys used books by the truckload. “We set up a program for KDI to do our sorting; we provide software, and they pick up about a thousand pounds of books at a time, then key in the ISBN numbers so we can determine if the book is sellable or needs to be recycled.
“They do a wonderful job of resorting, and are paid piece by piece, while learning some computer skills and basic work skills like not talking to their pals or wandering off while on the job.”
Good Samaritan Homes in Dayton, which provides in-home health care and employment training, has hired a dozen KDI participants since 2007.
“Mr. Graham helped me to develop this business,” said owner Twyman Millerton. “He’s taught me the business end and his students are instrumental in assembly and packaging — it’s been a great opportunity for us both.”
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