Vocational Ventures

Turning the Page on Increasing Employment Opportunity

The AZ Vocational Program has many job sites and partnerships, these community partners provide job opportunities for our vocational members who have personal goals of being contributing members of the workforce. This is one of the most important missions we can pursue at OSBI. Fair and equal employment opportunities are so important to us, our participants, their families, and to change societal perceptions in order to create more jobs for everyone who desires one. One of our long-time partnerships is a bookstore that our voc team runs at The Avondale Library. We named our store Turning Page. We wanted to give a shout out to the store as they have really been gaining momentum recently. They have implemented a variety of inventory and people are taking notice! At the store, they sell books, OSBI made artwork, culinary propriety items (sweet treats), and even small toys. They are a big hit with kids who frequent the library during the late morning hours to take in a story or two at story time. The participants operate the store Monday through Friday from 10am -2:30pm. On each shift, they work on the behind-the-scenes skills that it takes to run a retail operation, like stocking, counting down the register, maintaining excellent customer service practices, and helping out the staff in the library when asked. Swing by sometime and check it out, We are located at 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale AZ 85323.

Life Skills Thrills
New Photography Class in Surprise Provides Perspective

We are so grateful for the amazing staff that we have working throughout our multiple locations. So many eclectic and uniquely skilled individuals walk on to campus each day to share their talents with the participants they inspire and help to find their passions. Some staff have creative skill sets, some organizational gifts, some boundless patience, some extreme motivational energy. Whatever the characteristics of our diverse staff, there is an equally diverse participant population with many abilities to offer as well. "We learn from each other" states staff Blayne Medlock, who has been working at our Surprise Campus for about a year and a half. Blayne has built a following of his students who love creating with him in his media-based classes. Blayne is a great example of a staff who possesses qualities and skill sets which he can integrate into his teaching style and curriculum. In his past, Blayne worked with his school, local skate companies, and local musicians, creating videos for them; this has been something that he has been passionate about since age 12. In early June, Blayne started a photography class that is truly taking off with the participants. Blayne and the 10 students in this photography class have begun with the basics, learning about the equipment, timing, angles, and truly engaging in the process. He helps the students to build their individual portfolios and makes sure to adapt to each person’s physical needs when it comes to equipment and technical details. They hope to soon move from digital photography to begin also working with 35mm film and cameras, and  eventually dark room development processes. Blayne has found an outlet to create art and to share it with the individuals around him who he now has the chance to inspire through media-related art. He would argue that he is the one being inspired; but lucky for everyone, this inspiration goes both ways.
Way to FOCUS guys!!

Recreation Creation

We Are Family

The 2019 7^th Annual Music Festival on May 24^th and 25^th at the Peoria Center for the Arts was a true unification of Abilities!  This has grown in momentum since it first began 7 years ago on a small stage with a few musicians. Part of the reason for its success has been the immense amount of local and even national support from the music community. Each year we have achieved the goal of inclusion, which is the main mission of the festival. We integrate local bands and OSBI bands to share the stage and their love of music. It is always a beautiful and moving thing to witness. Disabilities fade under the stage lights and everyone on stage is just doing something they love and making music with their band mates. Although this inclusive atmosphere is what we envision for the whole world someday, we realized we needed a little change. In the past, we mixed up the night's line up with a couple of our OSBI bands and then a local band or two, alternating the bands to create a night of rock n roll and creativity fueled by inclusion. This year, we peeled apart the local bands and integrated the band members into the OSBI bands. Through this version of the show, we witnessed TRUE inclusion, and everyone felt it! This year's headliner was Camile Sledge, of Phoenix Afrobeat and heir to the Sister Sledge empire. She rocked the house with all of the OSBI bands together on stage. Everyone belted We Are Family at the top of their lungs- fitting- we think!

Culinary Cooks it Up
Highlights from Our Kitchen

The Culinary Program knows how to stay busy! With another successful Dinner in the rear view, they are on to the next thing. The June Culinary Dinner on the 28th was a great evening. The night was themed, Vive la Fiesta- Live the Party. We did! We were serenaded by a talented Mariachi Band who really spiced up the night. The Culinary Program Participants all worked so hard, as usual. They prepped, prepared, and served a muy bueno meal! If you unfortunately missed the dinner, it is our pleasure to share it with you in pictures. Many thanks to a new OSBI family member, Chet Provorse Chet. Chet has enjoyed a long, fulfilling career as a photographer. We are grateful to him for volunteering to capture the Culinary Dinner in these photos. Thanks Chet! So, what else has the Culinary Program been up to? Becca Mungovan, Culinary Program Director, says "We are excited for a new super cool partnership with Fresh Start Woman’s Foundation". They provide education, resources and support for women to positively transform their lives and strengthen our community. Recently the culinary team did a catering for them, and they loved it so much that they secured a contract with our Culinary team to cater their training classes each month. Also, thanks to Board Member and Executive Chef Chris Curtiss we are beginning a multi-faceted partnership with Sam’s Concepts Restaurants. We are exploring culinary training and employment opportunities, sales of our OSBI Culinary Proprietary Products at their restaurant locations, some very innovative fundraising opportuntities, and much more.  "Keep it up Culinary, you're really cookin!