URBANDALE, Iowa — Back in 2017, Urbandale High School started a program to help their students with special needs get jobs.
It began after teachers noticed a need: some students who are high functioning with special needs were graduating but unable to live independently in the workforce.
Now, seven years later, the "Boost Program" has six students in all and has been a success.
One of the students, Quinjuu Ketty, just started a new job two weeks ago at Donutland in Urbandale.
"I feel like [the program] helped me a lot to be honest, I feel really ready now" Ketty said. "Now I can feel what it's like to work in that place."
Donutland has Quinjuu working on scattering sprinkles, and icing lots of donuts, even giving him the title: "The Icing King."
The shop has made him feel extremely welcome, giving Quinjuu a sense of pride and accomplishment while also allowing him to feel right at home.
"It makes me feel wonderful that I get to make everyone happy," he said.
And that's partly because shop owner Malora Cosgrove, and her partner Jeff, have been accepting of Quinjuu, and haven't treated him any different from the other workers at Donutland.
"Quinjuu has come in and has just been so great, and he picks up on things so easily," Cosgrove said. "He's just been a wonderful addition to this staff."
"He brings a lot of energy to our afternoon shift," laughed shop manager Anna Manning. "He's always smiling, and happy, and excited to come to work every day."
Quinjuu will finish the Boost Program after the school year ends, and he plans to continue to work at Donutland in the future.