POCATELLO — Rich “Bubba” Misner owes some of his proudest accomplishments to a Pocatello-Chubbuck School District 25 program that teaches young adults with special needs skills and helps them find jobs.

The VOICE program — short for Vocational Opportunities for Independent Community Based Education — allows the district’s graduates with special needs who are between 18 and 21 years old to continue learning with their peers. It helps participants find employment and teaches them basic skills such as budgeting, cooking, cleaning and even riding a city bus.

Thanks to VOICE, Misner, a 19-year-old New Horizons High School graduate, has a job that pays him $10 per hour, stocking shelves and cleaning at Nel’s Bi-Low Market, 333 N. 15th Ave. He’s also taken a keen interest in the VOICE program’s new greenhouse, which is raising its first crop of garden plants.

On Monday afternoon, members of the district’s Education Foundation visited the program, which meets on weekdays at Idaho State University’s Albion Hall. The foundation funded construction of the greenhouse last fall with an $8,000 grant from its Festival of Trees fundraiser.

Misner claimed the role of tour guide, explaining to foundation members, “We have tomatoes, peppers, onions and cilantro.”

Most exciting to Misner, the greenhouse is where he gets to keep his own pair of ducks. Misner had asked the VOICE program director, Julie Morris, to get him ducks for three years before she finally acquiesced.

Morris explained the primary benefit of the greenhouse is that it teaches VOICE participants responsibility and the basics of botany, but the program also aims to generate income through sales of plants that participants are raising as salsa gardens. They may also offer finished salsa as a product.

Matthew Bowman with Pocatello-based Bowman Farm taught the group about compost, soil and other concepts to prepare them to raise healthy plants.

Duck eggs might also be sold, but the main benefit, Morris explained, is that Misner has risen to the challenge of caring for the birds, changing and cleaning their bedding on a daily basis.

“Rich is doing very well with his ducks; he loves his ducks,” Morris said. “I think that’s the first thing he’s ever been responsible for that’s alive.”

Sidnee Shouse, a recent Pocatello High School graduate, is another VOICE success story. She now holds a job at ISU Disability Services, where she and another VOICE member are learning office skills.

“They’re a pleasure to have up front,” said Mika Hernandez, a student worker with Disability Services who works closely with the VOICE members.

Hernandez said the two VOICE workers keep the office stocked with supplies, shred paper and make sure there are plenty of pens available. They also helped fill activity bags for a program that teaches fiscal responsibility to high school students.

Hernandez said Shouse has gained in confidence and now “jumps right in and knows what to do.”

Morris has also been impressed by Shouse’s personal growth.

”Their independence just blooms. We were talking about what they were like at the beginning of the year to now,” Morris said. “Sidnee, she wouldn’t go anywhere by herself. Now she can walk from Rendezvous Center to here and back to work by herself.”

There are currently five participants in VOICE, as several other young adults who were in the program at the start of the year have graduated. Some of the other local employers that partner with VOICE include the ISU grounds crew, Zoo Idaho and the Pocatello Animal Shelter.

Dave Miner, director of special education for School District 25, said VOICE was started about 12 years ago, funded primarily from the district’s general fund. Miner explained the district has the legal obligation to provide services for students with disabilities who meet certain criteria until the turn 21.

”The need came about when we realized we had a sector of our special education population who upon graduation were not prepared for any kind of work experience or any kind of transition experience,” Miner said. “This was developed in an effort to answer that question.”

Education Foundation Director Courtney Fisher said the foundation previously gave the VOICE program a grant to cover the purchase of crafting equipment including a Cricut machine, a heat press and a sewing and embroidery machine.

Fisher said the foundation chose to visit the program to highlight its philanthropic efforts amid Idaho Gives. Run by the Idaho Nonprofit Center from April 29 through May 6, Idaho Gives raises funds for several good causes in the state. Donations may be made at IdahoGives.org.

Fisher said this will be the foundation’s first year of participating, and Lookout Credit Union has agreed to match all contributions to the foundation up to $5,000.