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The Continental Project, a school-to-work skills training program for students with disabilities attending Flagstaff high schools, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

More than 600 students across the last three decades have participated in the program, which has won awards from the Flagstaff City Commission on Disability Awareness, the Arizona Association of Special Educators and Parents, and the National Association for Career and Technical Education, among others.

The program began in 1992, as a collaboration from Flagstaff Unified School District educators Dave Penny and Stephanie Rust to better serve all students in the district.

“Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be,� said Tahlia Murray, general manager at Continental Country Club. “The Continental Project surrounds its students with positivity and support; it’s the village for Flagstaff’s disabled youth.�

Penny recounted some of the Continental Project’s history at a recent celebration of its anniversary, from Coconino High School’s first education program for people with disabilities in 1968 through several versions of job-training programs in the district.

“We’re working to develop work ethic,� he said of the current program. “That work ethic is communitywide, it’s statewide. Everybody has to have work ethic and that’s your main concern. If they decide they like this and they want to be doing a certain job, wonderful, they have a jump on things.�

Continental Country Club and Mountain Country Management were the program’s first partners, providing work assignments and mentors for students in their hospitality services. Continental has also provided the project’s meeting and classroom space.

The project now partners with seven local businesses that offer entry-level training for students in both a specific job and more general workplace skills. Students receive high school credit and an hourly wage for their work based on industry wages and individual productivity.

“Preparing students for employment and self-sufficiency involves much more than teaching marketable skills,� according to a program brochure. “Students must learn to interact successfully with fellow employees and must develop the discipline to be reliable, self-motivated workers.�

Through this program, students learn skills to help them find and succeed in jobs. Instruction includes tasks such as interviewing, writing resumes, ways to greet customers and identifying social cues � for example, adjusting voice volume to a setting and understanding when it’s appropriate to enter a room.

This year’s class is smaller due to the pandemic, transition specialist Connie Rohrbaugh said, with eight students from Coconino, Flagstaff and Summit high schools working with the program weekly in morning or afternoon groups.

After a short meeting, the students start on assigned jobs throughout Continental. As listed in the brochure, the program includes training in food and beverage, housekeeping, landscaping, business office operations, building maintenance and even childcare.

Nolan Wendt is a graduate of Flagstaff High School who works for Continental Country Club’s golf shop. He was part of the Continental Project in high school and said it was a “splendid� experience.

Part of why he took the job, Wendt said, is his passion for golf � which he shares with his dad. He gets to golf after work sometimes, he said.

“I get to help wash the cars, I usually get to help stock some of those new beverages in the Coke fridge and then the pro shop here,� he said. � ... Another important thing I do is I always like to hold the door open for more customers. That’s how we give good customer service.�

More about the Continental Project can be found at