Category: Success Story

The St. Charles County Coalition of Service Providers and the Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County recognized PTI’s very own Ray Bozesky with the Direct Support Professionals Outstanding Service Award in a ceremony on November 21, 2019.  

Ray has an exceptional delivery of direct support.  He is one of those professionals who just “has it”, and his instincts when working with participants are close to unmatched.  PTI was proud to nominate Ray, a highly valued member of the Pathways team and community.

Leigh has a full plate these days – going to work, volunteering in her community and hanging out with family and friends. She has been employed for 12 years and was recently promoted to Team Lead, supervising six team members. Leigh is a huge St. Louis Cardinals and Blues fan and loves watching movies. She also loves to relax with a needlepoint project, a great way to wind down after a busy day.

Leigh remembers a time when she didn’t feel as confident as she does today. She often didn’t know how to express her emotions and had a hard time dealing with feelings of frustration. Leigh’s mom learned about us through a friend, and after a “little convincing,” Leigh tried out her first event. By the time she went to her third activity, she knew she had found the right place. That was in 2009, and now Leigh is leading her own activities.

Leigh has always been a big reader and last year approached our staff about starting a Book Club. A launch party was held last October to include any participants that had an interest in being a part of the Book Club. Leigh selected Never Caught by Erica Armstrong Dunbar as the group’s first read.

There have been about eight “regulars” attending the monthly Book Club meetings. Attendees enjoy discussing the books while they share a meal.  Members take turns picking a book for each month and lead the discussion for their book of choice. Leaders have shown their creativity, incorporating games and other fun activities into the book discussion. Leigh likes that everyone is respectful and open-minded in Book Club and that they have all made contributions to its success. 

“Pathways is more than just fun activities and hanging out,” says Leigh. Our programming around reducing stress, self-awareness and relationships has enhanced Leigh’s skills. She has incorporated these skills into her job at St. Louis ARC and at her volunteer position at Sign of the Arrow. She had also learned the importance of working one-on-one with staff to find ways to decompress, handle conflict and how to turn a bad day into a great one.

Alyssa will be joining the team as a full-time staff member. She is the Program Manager for the newest addition at Pathways—a program to serve young adults ages 16+. Be sure to welcome Alyssa if you see her at an event!

Melanie admits she was very nervous when she attended her first event a couple of years ago. She wasn’t comfortable trying new things or interacting with new people. Looking back, she remembers how our staff made her feel at ease during dinner and the Bunco event that followed. By attending more events and with the assistance of our staff, Melanie has developed new friendships and has become more comfortable in group situations. Before working with us, Melanie would avoid venturing out on her own. She will now even go places by herself. 

Melanie’s sister-in-law Michele learned about us via community contacts including Easter Seals Midwest. Michele’s goal was to help Melanie develop support and friendships. “As a part of Pathways, she’s able to witness others dealing with challenges and how they’ve found their own sense of independence. [Pathways] has given Melanie the opportunity to figure out who she is and what she wants for her future. Most importantly, it’s helping give her the skills to set and reach goals.”

As a long-time employee at a local nursing home, Melanie shared that her involvement with us “Has helped me come out of my shell” and has enhanced her work experience. When she’s not working or attending one of our events, Melanie likes to go shopping or hang out with friends she met through our programs.

In addition to meeting new people, we have also introduced Melanie to new experiences.  Outings to the Butterfly House, Rockin’ Jump trampoline park and the Wild Lights at the Zoo have been some of her favorites. Her only complaint? “Sometimes there are so many [Pathways] calendar events, it’s hard to choose.”

Melanie said she would definitely recommend us to others who are considering the program. Her words of advice to anyone who is unsure are to “Give it a chance.”  When asked if she has seen changes in Melanie since her involvement, Michele said, “Melanie is soaring with all the support from Pathways!”

Michael joined us in 2015 and since then has achieved many of the goals he set for himself. When he graduated from high school, he was ready to try new things and get out in the community. Michael says, “During high school I was very shy. I felt kind of insecure about myself. I had some acquaintances and a couple of friends. When high school ended, I lost contact with the few people I was friends with; I mostly kept to myself.”

In 2015 Michael started looking for a job through the MERS MO Goodwill Industries Autism Employment Program (MMGI-AEP). While he was there, he learned about us when Jessie Hautly, Pathways’ Program Director, visited and introduced him to our programs. When Michael saw the posted social calendar at MERS/Goodwill, he became interested in what we could offer.

Michael sees a real difference since he started here. “Since I’ve been at [Pathways], I’ve become more outgoing and more willing to plan things, even things outside of Pathways events. I feel like I am more confident, more willing to greet people, talk about different topics, ask questions and make small talk. I also learned more about how to budget and now pre-plan how much I want to spend when I go out.”

He especially likes the Social Focus program where participants work with staff to plan their own social activities. “I planned my first small group going to the Butterfly House. I wanted to practice being more independent in planning and get to know certain people at Pathways better. I was anxious if everyone I invited would like what we were doing. I like that it’s up to me to invite people and that I can invite who I want. Sometimes, I try to invite people that I haven’t invited before so that they feel included and to get to know them better.”

Michael continues to grow his social network since he started planning his own social activities. “I think I’m more in touch with people. I’ll call or text to see how things have been. I have a lot more friends now because of planning small groups. Planning my own events makes me feel satisfied with myself that I’m able to be willing to get out and do something that involves inviting people under my own initiative. I really like trying some new things, too.”  

Jamie Larson, one of our Program Managers, has seen real growth in Michael’s confidence and conversation skills as well. “I feel like Michael has dramatically improved his ability to have deeper, more meaningful conversations with peers by participating both in larger events and through coming up with his own ideas for small groups.”

Michael has gained confidence in being able to meet new people in the community on his own. “When I joined Pathways, I was going to events to try to get to know people and try to make those connections. I wanted to gain confidence to get together with people outside of Pathways and with small groups. I’m doing that now.” 

Jim says life was a little dull before he joined us in 2009 at the age of 40. “The organization has opened some new doors for me, socially,” Jim said. He has made lasting friendships, which he feels would not have been possible without his involvement. Jim says, “Some of the best times of my life have been at Pathways events.”

After Jim was diagnosed with autism, he did research on the developmental disorder and immediately recognized the traits in himself. He has difficulty in social settings and really has to work at reaching out to others. Participating in our programs gave Jim the opportunity to connect with others facing similar challenges. “When I’m [at a Pathways event], I get to leave the society that judges me behind and hang around my own people. It’s like magic.” 

In addition to social challenges associated with autism, Jim has also had to deal with some serious health issues, including Leukemia. He has spent substantial time in the hospital and added that dealing with these health concerns has been overwhelming. Attending our events helps take his mind off of what he’s going through. Jim added that “Pathways is like a light in the tunnel for me.”

While we have helped Jim develop a social circle, he has also learned how to better understand other individuals’ perspectives. He attributes this new skill to our staff coaching during activities and follow-up conversations. 

One of Jim’s favorite events was a birthday party he planned for himself.  He was so excited to have friends help him celebrate and was very happy with how it turned out. “That was the best party I’ve ever had!”