Brookfield Now: A Brookfield woman is not letting Down Syndrome dictate her life.
Kathryn Burish, 19, has made it her goal to achieve independence. In the last year, she has made plenty of strides toward that goal, including employment at the Bluemound Road Noodles & Co. restaurant.
“I like doing the salad prep and cutting up chicken,” Kathryn said. “And I really like hollering out the orders.”
Kathryn works on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays as well as some Wednesdays. She has had other jobs in the past, but her time at Noodles is her first paying job.
Kathryn’s mother, Julie, credits the Elmbrook School District with providing helpful programs for her daughter and other students with special needs.
“Part of their mission is to make all students successful in life,” Julie said. “Kathryn wants to have a job. She wants to have a good life. She doesn’t want any handouts, she wants to be successful.”
Elmbrook has a program called Project STRIVE which accepts young adults with disabilities between the ages of 19 tand 21.