“Just do it, you learn a lot, and make lots of memories.”
That’s the advice SkillSource Learning Center students, Lieltii, Julie, James, and Jason would give others about participating in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) experience.
Over a six week 90-hour project these four students learned how to show up in real community environments, how to collaborate with others, and engage with the community to better support and include the people around them.
Support in Practice
What is accessibility? And what does that mean in real life? Students met with staff and ranch handlers at Alatheia Therapeutic Riding Center in Wenatchee to learn more. Alatheia staff work directly with individuals who have physical and developmental disabilities. They provide a safe and structured environment in which individuals interact and engage with horses to develop core strength, balance, coordination, social skills and cognitive abilities. Staff gave students tours and showed how they take care of their facility. Conversations at the riding center shifted students’ perspective and students gained a deeper understanding of the importance of using person-first language. Disabilities aren’t always visible, and the way we speak about people matters.
Showing Up in Action
To better understand the barriers people with disabilities face, students navigated local stores using wheelchairs and blindfolds. Everyday tasks suddenly became slower, more complicated, and at times frustrating. Simple things like trying on clothing in fitting rooms or grabbing a sauce from the top shelf felt nearly impossible. Spaces that once felt routine revealed how easily someone can be excluded without thoughtful, inclusive design.
Students in the PBL also helped build and decorate a cornhole game for the Special Olympics festivities at Olympic Town. The project brought out their teamwork and creativity skills, and gave students the chance to contribute something meaningful to a well-loved community event.
At the end of the six weeks, students created their own unique presentation, which was shared in front of staff and other students. The hands-on opportunities gained through project-based learning provided new skills, stronger connections, and a deeper understanding of accessibility and how it affects people in the community. These are lessons that cannot be unlearned, and they provide an essential foundation from which each of these students will grow.
SkillSource would like to thank each partner who shared their time and expertise in this Project Based Learning experience to help develop our future workforce.
