Mifflin County’s first youth ambassador makes his voice heard
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LEWISTOWN -- Dane Ufema doesn’t need much encouragement to speak his mind. He likes to talk, enjoys helping people and has a sense of humor that rarely takes a day off.
Now, as Mifflin County’s first youth ambassador for Pennsylvania’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, he’s putting those qualities to work.
"They know I love to talk," he said, explaining how he got the position. The job puts that enthusiasm to work at Mifflin County High School, where he can speak with students about problems he understands from experience.
Ufema has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Asked to describe himself, he also offered another detail: He is "very funny." His position calls for public speaking, disability-awareness education and helping young people prepare for what comes after high school.
Ufema knows what happens when someone mistakes a physical disability for an intellectual limitation. He’s encountered "people thinking I was mentally deficient just because I am in a wheelchair."
Faylyn Frost, his OVR counselor, said Ufema has the confidence to speak his mind, even when he’s talking to people in positions of authority. Frost met Ufema through Rachel Davis, a transition coordinator at Mifflin County High School.
"He is very personable," Frost said. His quick wit comes with a willingness to challenge anyone, whether a fellow student or someone in authority. Frost said Ufema has opinions and no reservations about sharing them.
Then there’s his ability to hold an audience.
"He can get somebody’s attention, and when he has it, they listen," Frost said.
Frost said Ufema’s willingness to speak up reflects his concern for other young people with disabilities. He wants them to have the best quality of life possible, whether that means learning to live independently, preparing for work or pursuing more education. She believes his confidence can be instructive, especially for students who haven’t yet learned to speak up for themselves.
To Frost, Ufema’s presence in front of an audience is part of the lesson. He’s willing to discuss what he’s faced, challenge assumptions and show other students that having a disability doesn’t leave them without a voice.
Established in 2021, the Youth Ambassador program is a collaboration between OVR and the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education. Counselors nominate interested students, and approved positions become part of their individualized plans for employment. The program develops leadership, advocacy and workplace skills while giving students a voice in decisions affecting their futures. Ufema’s position also involves the Mifflin County School District and Youth Advocate Programs.
Ufema is the first ambassador from Mifflin County and the first from the vocational rehabilitation side of OVR’s Harrisburg district office, Frost said. Frost said she understands that a separate program serving people who are blind or visually impaired also has a youth ambassador.
At Mifflin County High School, Ufema leads classes and small-group discussions with fellow students with disabilities. They talk about independent living, looking for work, considering college or other training and finding resources close to home.
Ufema also develops disability-awareness training intended to help others understand the difficulties people with disabilities encounter.
"My responsibilities are to make trainings on disability awareness," he said. "I also am to make people more empathetic to the plights of having a disability."
In time, he expects to spend more of his work helping students consider career paths. The job gives him room to practice the advocacy he hopes will become part of his future.
Frost has already seen what he can do before an audience. About a year ago, she attended a career event at Mifflin County High School. After her part of the program, she watched Ufema give a presentation to school personnel, including the superintendent, special education administrators and teachers.
If he connects with other students as effectively as he did with school officials, Frost believes "he’s certainly going to be making an impact."
On Oct. 7, Ufema attended Capitol Connections at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. Organized by the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities, the event brought young people with disabilities together with mentors and state government professionals for career exploration.
"I was honored to be able to represent my school and meet individuals from around the state who also had disabilities," Ufema said.
He shook hands with Pennsylvania OVR Executive Director Ryan Hyde, Frost said, and toured the Capitol. Ufema’s assessment of the tour required considerably fewer words.
"Plus, I got to take a tour of the Capitol, and that was dope," he said.
Such opportunities are part of a broader effort to help students acquire practical workplace skills. The OVR program emphasizes public speaking, professional writing, and self-advocacy. It also asks ambassadors to bring their own experiences to discussions about how agencies serve young people with disabilities.
Kelley McKee, an OVR vocational rehabilitation supervisor, said the program is intended to strengthen transition planning, improve outreach and prepare students for competitive, integrated employment. Ambassadors can offer feedback that changes how services reach their peers.
Ufema is still in high school, using the time to develop additional education, employment and independent-living skills. Frost said OVR has also connected him with vocational counseling, group services and opportunities to explore training after graduation.
For Ufema, the longer view includes advocacy work, perhaps alongside something involving sports marketing. He wants to make the ambassador position as useful as he can and leave it in good shape for whoever follows him.
His advice for anyone uncertain how to interact with someone with a disability is simple. Give that person an opportunity to explain.
"If you don’t understand something, ask," Ufema said.