2001 VALPAR Outstanding Special Needs Program Awards

ACTE - Association for Career and Technical Education

Special Needs Division

Dave Dumas, Program Coordinator

The Building Trades program at the Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood, Arizona, is only four years old, and yet has won numerous awards. These include the Innovative Career and Technical Education Program of the year from ACTE, the Excellence in Rural Development Award from the Arizona state Governor’s office, the American Subcontractors Association “Construction Innovator of the Year” award, and several others.

This unique program whose motto is “The only disability is attitude,” serves a diverse student population that includes disabled, Limited English Proficient, non-traditional, and disadvantaged. Seventy-eight percent of the student body are special population students. The program was the inspiration of Dave Dumas, a counselor and former building contractor. Appointed as Program Coordinator in 1998, he was assigned to organize, implement, administer, and teach building trades skills to students enrolling in the new program. Without a place to learn the fundamentals, their first project was to build their own classroom.

Facing ongoing challenges with at-risk students, those who have difficulty communicating in English, and those who don’t have basic math skills, Mr. Dumas created an environment of collaboration between students and teacher - especially those that are bilingual, and where self-esteem is built through peer education and working together in groups. As a result, all students eventually enjoy some measure of success.

Although the history of the program is short, the impact to the community and its students is great. Every year the students complete at least one community service project, giving back to the community that has been so generous in its support. Stressing community service, the program gives students a sense of ownership and pride. According to Dave Dumas, “What goes around comes around. We’re always doing community service projects, because the community has given us so much.” The program is almost entirely funded by donations from local building supply companies. In addition, local contractors offer classroom instruction, building project oversight, and cooperate fully in the student internship program.

Recent graduates have found gainful employment as a direct result of this program, despite the area’s high unemployment rate. Graduates may not always continue in the building trades field, but they all feel that the skills acquired through the program have helped with productivity, creativity and success in their lives.

Bunnie Johnson, Director

From the very beginning, the Academic Service Center at the North Dakota State College of Science has focused heavily on student success. The college tracks student retention rates and graduate rates and takes action to improve these rates. Over the past five years the retention rates at NDSCS have exceeded the national comparisons by an average of 8% each year. In this same five-year period, graduation rates have exceeded national comparisons by an average of 20% each year. Robert Gette, Vice President for Instructional Affairs, attributes this success to the special attention given to students through the Academic Services Center.

The Academic Services Center serves over 2,000 students with developmental and preparatory support in both general education, vocational/technical courses, and has carefully crafted a program that addresses all Special Needs areas. The services offered range from flexible scheduling for students, English as a second language instruction, and assistance for non-traditional students. The Writing, Reading, and Math/Science labs combine with the skills of Peer Tutors/Peer Assistants to lead student study groups for more individualized instruction.

The director, Bunnie Johnson, nine instructors, and a secretary are dedicated to the challenge of helping students reach academic potential and achieve career goals. These skilled professionals with special needs credentials serve on many state boards and committees, including the North Dakota Disability Council, the NDAVESNP, and the North Dakota Refugee Statewide Advisory Committee. The reputation of the Center has spread across the state and region, where many public school counselors are advising students to attend NDSCS. Officers of the State Board For Vocational Technical Education are also very supportive of the services provided by the Academic Services Center and often use it as a “model to follow” when discussing development needs with other colleges.

Valpar 2000 Awardees

Valpar 1999 Awardees