I’m Determined project empowers youth

By Alexis Williamson

In 2004, the Virginia Department of Education was given a crucial mission by the governor’s office: Create a program that addresses the disparities in post-graduation outcomes between individuals with disabilities and their peers without disabilities. The task would become the I’m Determined project.

Funded by VDOE, this state-directed project offers students with disabilities direct instruction, models, and practice in self-determined behaviors. “Disability is just a part of who they are,” said Principal Investigator John McNaught. “It doesn’t define them.”

While the project serves the entire state of Virginia, its headquarters and grant management are housed at James Madison University. This unique connection allows for collaborations with JMU programs and resources, such as Conference Services to host annual Youth and Family Summits; the College of Education to provide undergraduate students with extra support at events; the Health Education Design Group to write, produce, and edit videos and media; and UREC’s Adventure Center to offer leadership-development opportunities for I’m Determined state youth leaders.

It’s a life-changing initiative that promotes self-determination, empowering students to take charge of their lives and pursue futures of their own design. As Jesse Rodriguez, co-state coordinator and innovation lead, explained, “We help youth understand how to think about their disability and how to speak about it in a way that’s positive and helps them be successful.”

In 2008, the I’m Determined project took a significant step forward by introducing a youth leadership component in its annual Youth Summit, in which students of transition age learn about self-determination and leadership skills. Led and planned by 20-30 leaders who work alongside I’m Determined staff, the summit draws approximately 50 participants who are mentored by the youth leaders. It’s a transformative experience that empowers these young individuals to be heard and valued, reinforcing the project’s commitment to youth leadership.

“It’s really about the moments where youth are front and center, and we’re listening to perspectives and voices and experiences that don’t often get heard,” said Kendal Swartzentruber, who also serves as a co-state coordinator.

By focusing on these young voices, the summit helps amplify stories that challenge stereotypes and raise expectations. “A lot of times, there’s a very low bar for students with disabilities,” McNaught said. “The easiest way to raise that bar is to put a kid up there who breaks the glass ceiling and defies those low expectations.”

I’m Determined provides services for youth, their families, and educators so that everyone has access to the resources and tools necessary to ensure student success.

“We’re giving you something useful that you can run with,” Swartzentruber said. “The kind of culture that we’ve created in the project is really fun and engaging. People find a lot of motivation from being a part of it.”

Ensuring students can feel empowered and prepared to meet challenges head-on fosters a sense of confidence and resilience. Swartzentruber describes the journey as “finding the balance between keeping really high expectations and high levels of support … providing lots of opportunities that really push students with disabilities to try new things … and in that providing adequate support.”

Focusing on one’s identity, including strengths and challenges, encourages students to own their experiences and take pride in their uniqueness. The I’m Determined project helps students understand their disability is just one part of who they are, and it should never hold them back from their dreams or advocating for themselves.

“‘This is what makes me unique. I’m going to show it off for better or for worse.’ … When you can be proud of that, and you can kind of own it — that’s what we’re trying to do with the identity piece,” Rodriguez said,

He added that participants develop outcomes for the project, such as “‘Here are the goals that I have for myself, and I’m willing to speak up when something’s in my way.’”

Through stories of success and empowerment, students in the program build their confidence, inspire others to push past boundaries, and prove that disability is not a limitation but just one thread in the tapestry of their lives.

It’s really about the moments where youth are front and center, and we’re listening to perspectives and voices and experiences that don’t often get heard,” said Kendal Swartzentruber, who also serves as a co-state coordinator.

One of the newest ways I'm Determined is supporting youth voice is through its debut feature film, Pulling Threads, which showcases three high school students as they wrestle with identity, disability, and their futures. A collaboration with HEDG in the College of Health and Behavioral Studies, Pulling Threads won the award for Breakthrough Ensemble (US) at the 2024 Richmond International Film Festival in September for HEDG’s nonbiased, authentic casting process.

Produced in Harrisonburg, the film’s cast and crew are mostly JMU alumni. Some of the scenes were also shot in COE’s Memorial Hall, and the Madison “door-holding” tradition showed up in many ways throughout the filming of the project.

“The film has opened up many opportunities for youth, educators, and members of the community to share about their own experiences while safely diving into misconceptions they may have held before watching the film,” Rodriguez said.

“We really try to make youth voice the key to everything we do and make sure that people are hearing not just from professionals in the field, but people who have gone through and built up self-determination skills and are now successful,” he said.

“They need to hear those stories, and who better to tell it than the youth themselves?”