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JCBDD highlights national disability employment awareness month

STEUBENVILLE -- October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and two local residents are doing their part to contribute to the workforce.

NDEAM celebrates America's workers with disabilities and showcases supportive inclusion, employment policies and practices, and this year's theme is Disability: Part of the Equity Equation. For its part, the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities is highlighting two of the individuals it serves through the Community Employment Services program: Connie Brookes and Mikayla Parteli.

Brookes begins her day at 4 a.m. as a baker at Dunkin' Donuts in Weirton. There, she makes at least 700 sweet treats each day for customers from creamsticks and glazed goodies to jelly-filled delights and spends 30 hours a week maximizing her potential.

"It's good," she said of her job. "It's easy. I make all of the doughnuts and make drinks, do dishes and take out the garbage."

Brookes, the daughter of Larry and Laurie Brookes of Toronto, graduated from Toronto High School and Jefferson County Joint Vocational School in 2021 and has her own place that she shares with her pets and is remodeling. She uses her paycheck for bills and buying supplies for her menagerie, which includes three dogs, four cats, a goat, three pigs, chickens, rabbits and a guinea pig. And her affinity for animals has her dreaming of a future as a dog groomer.

She added that her co-workers have been welcoming and supportive and is thankful that her mother provides her transport until she obtains her own license and vehicle.

"It's very refreshing and surprising that she's done so well. She's really been a faithful and efficient employee," Laurie, her mother, added. "She takes her job very seriously and she has a great future ahead of her."

Her hard work has not gone unnoticed and she has impressed her colleagues since beginning six months ago.

"She is super sweet and very efficient," said manager Cermantha Seavolt. "She's very focused and has a good work ethic. I'm glad she's part of the team."

Seavolt has worked with Brookes since her first day in April and trained her for the job, which Brookes obtained with assistance from CES. Renee Pastre-Hanlin, community employment specialist, said Brookes was involved in JCBDD's Summer Youth Program, where teens have worked at community parks and municipal facilities to earn work experience and a paycheck. CES assists about 24 individuals from age 14 through adulthood and many have gained employment at businesses including McDonald's, Kroger, JCBDD and the Franciscan University of Steubenville at sites spanning across Jefferson County, in Weirton and Martins Ferry.

"CES has expanded our services by providing pre-employment transition services throughout the school year. Students transition into the summer youth work experience and they are prepared for entry-level position when they complete the program," Pastre-Hanlin continued. She also praised Brookes for making her way into mainstream society.

"CES completed job development with Connie when she graduated and she was hired in April," Pastre-Hanlin added. "She pays her own rent and bills. She's a role model for how the transition-to-work process can work when you take advantage of it."

Parteli, the daughter of Maria Cihon of Piney Fork, has spent the past four years as a bagger at the Steubenville Kroger and her colleagues have praised her dedication.

She travels up to 45 minutes and works eight to 10 hours per day to perform her job. A 2015 graduate of Buckeye Local High School, Parteli said she enjoys what she does and how much independence it affords her.

"I like the people and the money," she said, adding that she has used her earnings to create a game room in her basement complete with a collection of video games. Her miniature arcade features "Pac-Man," "Mortal Kombat" and other throwbacks.

She was referred to CES by the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and was assisted by Pastre-Hanlin in gaining employment.

"We work with students, and we also receive referrals for adults from OOD," Pastre-Hanlin said. "Mikayla completed a community-based assessment and she did so well at Kroger that they hired her."

Assistant Manager Kathy Zapotoczny had nothing but kind words for Parteli, saying she has thrived and even risen to become a lead bagger and courtesy clerk.

"She's fantastic. Mikayla had no confidence in herself at first, but now she does anything we ask of her. When they think they can do something, they can, and Mikayla's a prime example of that. We love Mikayla and we couldn't ask for a better associate."