Work Immersion Program brings opportunity to Dining Services employee

The first thing that draws your attention to Tommy Levosky is his brilliant, playful smile. Then you notice his confidence and the pride he shows in his work. It’s deep into your encounter when it dawns on you that Tommy was born with mild Down Syndrome.

Tommy recently was hired for on-call support staff in Elizabethtown College’s Dining Services after completing a three-week internship at the College through the Willow Valley Work Immersion Program (WIP). WIP helps high school students who have disabilities find competitive employment after graduation.

The 21-year-old began at E-town as an unpaid dishwasher/busser, said Sandy Harnish, a job trainer with Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit (IU) 13’s Job Training Services. “He recently was given the opportunity to come aboard as a paid employee” under the direction of Charlie Downs, residential dining chef/production manager; Sherry Dunbar, Dining Services general manager; and student team leaders.

“Mr. Downs and his employees have a long history of opening doors to allow unpaid work experiences to students in the Dining Services Department,” Harnish said. The experience “binds Elizabethtown College to students with mild to moderate disabilities … It adheres to the campus mission of human dignity by allowing their students to show compassion and friendship to those most precious in our society.”

“This is my first paid job,” said Tommy, of his work at Elizabethtown. “I had unpaid internships at Willow Valley in Dining Services and Laundry. … One summer I worked at Lancaster General Hospital.” Tommy also has worked two summers with Ten Thousand Villages in the warehouse.

As he explains to visitors how the dish-washing conveyer works and what is expected of him in his station, Tommy flashes smile after smile, playing to a photographer’s camera. But he turns serious as soon as he directs his attention back to his task at hand—he has learned all of the duties in the dish room; he washes tables and cares for the beverage area, puts away dry dishes and stacks trays and cups.

Tommy said at E-town he has learned to “wash tables and chairs, replace salt and pepper shakers, load and unload the dishwasher and sort silverware.” He also stocks clean silverware, trays and dishes, wipes counters and, sometimes, washes pots and pans and food prep dishes.

In 2010, IU 13 partnered with Willow Valley Communities in Willow Street, Pa., to develop WIP, to help young adults with disabilities as they transition from school to productive adult life. The one-year immersion program serves students in their last year of high school, with the goal of providing classroom and hands-on experiences through internships within the Willow Valley Communities and in surrounding businesses.

In addition to job skills, they learn independent living and job searching skills, develop resumes, expand their responsibility and their budgeting, banking and money skills, learn more about effective communication and housing options, problem solving, critical thinking, planning and applied technology.

“Some kids learn differently than others,” Harnish said, noting that the program has placed 31 of its 35 students in food service, grocery stores and retail. “It is a privilege for them to work, so they have a great work ethic,” she said.

Once the students complete internships at Willow Valley, the program attempts to place them in a final internship at businesses near their homes. Tommy is within walking distance of the College. As a toddler, he took swimming lessons in the College pool, and his family walked down to see the ducks a lot, he said. “I marched in the college homecoming parade in high school,” Tommy mentioned. “I played percussion in the marching band.”

In his part-time position, Tommy can work up to 20 hours each week. “He is doing a beautiful job at Elizabethtown,” Harnish said. “He is making coffee, checking the juice and hot chocolate machines, filling the milk machine, checking temperatures, refilling supplies and learning the difference between regular and decaf coffees.”

Dunbar said the student team leaders are really great with him, helping cross train him so he can cover vacations for employees in different areas of Dining Services. “It takes him a little longer,” Dunbar said, “but once he learns he remembers.”

Tommy said that since coming to Elizabethtown he has “increased my work speed at washing tables and unloading the dishwasher” and has learned the importance of teamwork.

It’s the people at the College—and the food—that Tommy likes the best about his job he said. “I know a lot of students and employees from high school and my church who work there. I like eating a meal before or after my shift.” And, he said, his coworkers are friendly and helpful.

“We joke around a lot, but he is very willing to challenge me and I like that,” Tommy said of coworker Dan Barnes.

Sammi Weiss, another coworker, is into music like Tommy. “I cohosted a radio show with her last Friday on WWEC,” Tommy said of the College station.

“Tommy’s selfless attitude made him a good friend and encourager to the other classmates,” said Harnish, noting that it’s been a true joy to have him in the Willow Valley Work Immersion Program. “He never gave up when it came to searching for a job; he was resilient, and persevered until he found the perfect match …

“He is a great example of how remaining steadfast and working hard pays off. Our program was so enriched by having him in it. Tommy has found a good home at Elizabethtown College … it is a place where he will thrive and grow and be nurtured.”