Meghan Smallwood 0:08
Welcome. This is the Post Secondary Transition Conversation. We focus on the ins and outs and everything in between of the transition process for families of students with disabilities. I am one of the hosts. My name is Meghan Smallwood, and I am a public school transition coordinator. As always, I have a co-host.
Patrick Cadigan 0:26
My name is Patrick Cadigan. I am also a public school transition coordinator. We're back. We are continuing our discussion with Hunter DeMarcy, the local host of the Talk of Carol podcast. This discussion is already in progress, so Hunter, we want to kind of change lanes here a little bit. Now, we have heard you talk about being involved with Target Community, and they're in educational services. I had mentioned this to Meghan in the past, and she knows a little bit about it, but I will tell you that for myself, I don't know anything about it. So, what is Target Community?
Hunter DeMarcy 1:08
Target Community Educational Services is a program that helps people with disabilities, which is just like the Arc. Um, they're they have a day program. They have living. They have residential living, and they have personal supports, and they have employment supports as well. I go there to utilize your day program services, and when I'm out in the day program services, we go we go to places like the mall. We go to libraries, we go to, we just go anywhere out in the out in the community, and we and we do volunteering, we do all sorts of fun stuff.
Meghan Smallwood 1:54
And I know you said earlier that you have residential services from a different provider, right?
Hunter DeMarcy 2:02
My residential services that I have are from the ARC, and that's where I am right now. I'm actually on my couch in my apartment that I have owned by the ARC. The house I live in has has an upstairs and a downstairs. The downstairs of my the downstairs of the house is my own apartment entirely, so I have my own living room and my own bathroom, my own kitchen, and my own bedroom.
Meghan Smallwood 2:27
And then, does someone have the upstairs?
Hunter DeMarcy 2:30
Yeah, yes. The, the upstairs. I have two roommates. I have two roommates upstairs, and they and they share the living room and the kitchen and that kind of area, but I have my own area down down here in my room, and I really love it that way.
Patrick Cadigan 2:50
That was going to be my next question: Is do you like living on your own?
Hunter DeMarcy 2:54
I do. I I love living on my my own. I miss seeing my mom every day, but I'm glad. I'm glad that I'm experiencing life on my own.
Meghan Smallwood 3:04
My question was going to be, how far are you from mom?
Hunter DeMarcy 3:08
I'm only about 15 minutes away from her.
Meghan Smallwood 3:10
Okay, okay.
Hunter DeMarcy 3:11
So, so we, so we try to see each other every single week.
Meghan Smallwood 3:14
That's nice.
Patrick Cadigan 3:16
Do you have siblings?
Hunter DeMarcy 3:18
I have two older brothers and a younger sister. But, but as far as where they live, they're they're all over the place. So my siblings don't really live nearby.
Meghan Smallwood 3:30
Do you get to go visit them at all?
Hunter DeMarcy 3:32
When I have when I have time, I theoretically could visit my older younger, my two older brothers. But my sister lives in North Carolina, and my oldest brother lives in South Carolina, so I don't really have, so I can't really make a whole lot of time to go see them.
Meghan Smallwood 3:50
Yeah, that's not really a a weekend trip. Well, it could...be, but it's a a long trip to take.
Hunter DeMarcy 3:53
Yeah.
Meghan Smallwood 3:53
...be, but it's a a long trip to take.
Hunter DeMarcy 3:55
Yeah, it is. But I do love, but I do love long car rides, though.
Patrick Cadigan 4:00
So I've heard you now. You talked about Target Community, Nat, and earlier you talked about advocacy for the board at Target Community. Where did that come from? Like, what inspired you to do that?
Hunter DeMarcy 4:17
Oh, oh, oh. Now, when you say advocacy for the board, are you talking about the committee of other participants who are like me?
Patrick Cadigan 4:25
I believe so, yes
Hunter DeMarcy 4:26
Yes. So that that actually came in. I think I was in my second year of of services at Target, and and I noticed some participants weren't very happy about things like, like there there were these participants that would argue with their roommates and they would start yelling and stuff like that. And I wanted to improve those relationships, um, to do what I could to make to to. Find solutions to help them with their relationships and their problems. So I felt like if I if Target had a committee that acted like at that acted as a student council at a at a school, then we could help other participants with those issues. That's how that's how originally started, but as I got older and I got to become more understanding of of how much of a gray area there is in the neurotypical community, and that just talking through issues might not, for most of my friends at Target, wouldn't really solve anything just because of just because the way that their brain is wired, they're going to be a lot more emotional than me. So that just turned into focusing on specific relationships. Is it focused more on what can we advo, what can Target do to help to help the participant experience? Like what kind of events can we plan? What kind of um, what kind of things can we add to our to our office? Like like adding massage chairs into the relaxation rooms or or stuff like that. What kind of more fundraising can we do? And that's how it. That's how, and that's where it got. But it took two years for them to come up to put that together. I introduced the idea, but it took them a co. But it took them a couple of years to to get it together because they had other things that they were focusing on. And in businesses, things take very slow. My whole focus is how do we improve the participant experience.
Meghan Smallwood 6:47
I was gonna say it sounds like you're helping to build up the morale of the the participants a bit.
Hunter DeMarcy 6:52
Exactly.
Meghan Smallwood 6:53
Someone needs to stand up for everybody and be the voice.
Hunter DeMarcy 6:57
And I feel like I feel like because of what I have overcome, and that I have a lot more experience in a neurotypical world than I do in a neurodivergent world, I feel like I am the best. I am the best person to be that voice because I have lots of experience in both worlds. So I feel like I'm a great person to bridge that gap.
Patrick Cadigan 7:25
We hope that you find value in our conversations, and we'd love your support. You can visit our Buy Me a Coffee page to help support the show. A link is in the show notes. Contributions help offset the real costs of producing our discussions. Things like online hosting, equipment, and ongoing content development, so we can keep bringing you helpful, accessible transition information. Now, no pressure at all, but if you're able, every bit truly helps. Thanks for listening and giving our community a voice. I was curious about One Piece, and you had talked about this before in relation to your living situation. What kind of supports help you or have helped you become more independent, rather than like someone else making decisions for you? Like, what supports do you need or seek out when you need them?
Hunter DeMarcy 8:20
The only the only supports that I really need from my staff at home are just transportation to my events, like my football games, or or if I want to go out in the community, something like that.
Meghan Smallwood 8:35
You mentioned football. Are you a Ravens fan?
Hunter DeMarcy 8:39
I'm an Eagles fan, but what are you a Ravens fan?
Meghan Smallwood 8:44
No, I'm a Commanders fan.
Hunter DeMarcy 8:46
Oh, okay. What about you, Patrick? Are you a Ravens fan?
Patrick Cadigan 8:49
You know, it's really funny because I hear the two of you. You guys are talking football. I am actually a soccer person, so I have to...
Meghan Smallwood 8:57
Yes, you are a big soccer.
Patrick Cadigan 8:58
So, I have to remind myself...
Meghan Smallwood 9:00
Yeah, my fiance is an Eagles fan, so I think I have to start wearing some green.
Hunter DeMarcy 9:07
When I said my football games, I am actually a I am actually a hydration manager for football over at Stevenson University. So that's why so that's why I said my football games because I am actually part of the football team of my own.
Meghan Smallwood 9:23
Well, that's a really cool role.
Hunter DeMarcy 9:25
Yep, I've been. I've actually been. I'm. I'm actually in my third year at Stevenson, but my ninth year in sports in total because I did six years of because I did six years of high school sports. I I was a water manager for all four years of high school at for for football when I was in high school. Then I did basketball from my sop from my sophomore year to my freshman year of college, and then and then I did baseball from sophomore to senior year of high school, and then. Then after COVID happened, I my employment director from Target got me involved at Westminster High School for for their with their lacrosse program because she had a connection with him with with the head coach of that program, and then that led me to led me to doing football with Westminster High School, and then after I went to some McDaniel basketball games, my original plan was to was to check to see with my jobs coach if McDaniel would be an option for me for sports. But my best friend Maddie, who I had mentioned earlier, who was my first guest of my podcast had a con. Her and I had a conversation. I got got to know her a little bit, and she told me that her dad was the head coach of football over at Stevenson. And I said, "Huh, funny story. I got to actually got to meet the guy because I went. I was invited to attend an adoption ceremony for for their person that they have for to team up for one, and he tried to get me involved back then with the team, but that but nothing came up up for that. And then Maddie offered to see if there was a to see if there was availability for me on the team, and I took her up on that offer, and that's how I got to Stevenson. And I went back to basketball at Stevenson because I also had an because true team up for one they put me I was put on on the basketball team at Stevenson in my freshman year of high school and the the head coach back then was still there from back then was still there so I got involved then and I got involved in lacrosse, and I was there for a couple years, but I stepped down from lacrosse because the three sport commitment was too much for me. But I'm still doing football and basketball for Stevenson.
Meghan Smallwood 11:52
So it sounds like you've done a lot of networking.
Hunter DeMarcy 11:55
Exactly.
Meghan Smallwood 11:56
Made a lot of connections, and we know that that gets you gets you far.
Hunter DeMarcy 12:01
I'm a I am a huge sports fanatic.
Patrick Cadigan 12:06
Hunter. Forgive me. I have it in I have it written in my notes. Was there at some point, did you mention, did you have an opportunity to work with Baltimore Ravens?
Hunter DeMarcy 12:17
Yes, I did. So my coach, my coach had a connection with one of the athletic trainers there. Before that, I was I was calling him to make preparations about about the season for for the upcoming season about like what he wants wants to see me do. Then I asked him, and then I said, "Hey, I'm interested in learning how I can do this in the NFL. Do you know how that works? And he said that he didn't really know how that worked, but but but he said that he'll reach out to one of his connections at the Ravens, and he and he was friends with the athletic trainer, and I and they got me involved, and he got me working there for one of their practices, and I got to meet Derrick Henry and a lot of the other Ravens players too.
Meghan Smallwood 13:02
Awesome.
Patrick Cadigan 13:03
And you liked that experience?
Hunter DeMarcy 13:05
I did, and Derrick Henry has always been one of my favorite players in the NFL, even when he was with the Titans. So just to get to meet him was absolutely spectacular.
Patrick Cadigan 13:18
You have communicated before that you would like to become a direct support professional is that correct?
Hunter DeMarcy 13:25
Yes, at the time where you where you got those notes, that was my goal. But my goals have shifted a little bit because the only reason why I wanted to be a support direct support professional was because I was also part was also because of like how influential I could be in that role. I feel like I'm already being influential enough in what I'm doing now, and and I also kind of realized that caring for others in that role would would would come up with some would come up with different challenges that I don't think I was ready to face, so for now I'm bagging that goal and focusing more on what I could be doing. Maybe I could work in a school or something like that, like I already am now. So right now that's not going to be my best fit for me. But if something comes up in the future, maybe I'll take that. Maybe I won't. But as of right now, I don't really think anything about that anymore.
Meghan Smallwood 14:24
What would your ideal job look like?
Hunter DeMarcy 14:27
Basically, being any kind of situation where I can make a difference in another person's life, like where I can be an influential person to another person, and also kind of a fun job too, while also having fun on the job.
Meghan Smallwood 14:44
You got to enjoy what you do.
Hunter DeMarcy 14:46
Yes, you do.
Patrick Cadigan 14:48
I kind of want to change lanes here a little bit again, Hunter. Which Marvel, DC, or Star Wars character do you identify with?
Hunter DeMarcy 15:01
So, are you asking for all three, or like, or just one over the other?
Patrick Cadigan 15:06
I think one over the other would probably make the most sense.
Hunter DeMarcy 15:10
So, out of all the fictional characters that I feel like I identify with the most, I probably identify more with probably Captain America, because I make decisions in the moment. What I think is okay, maybe it's either Captain America or Iron Man, because Iron Man in the Marvel movies he made a lot of decisions based on what he thought was right for himself, but also kind of what he thought was best for other people, and he has he had kind of like an egotistical ego side to him. I can I have a self center side to me too. So I think that the best person I kind of connect with more would the most would be Iron Man.
Meghan Smallwood 15:52
How about if you had a completely free day, nothing on your schedule? What would be your favorite way to spend it?
Hunter DeMarcy 16:00
My favorite way to spend it would be going out and doing something. I'm not very, I'm not very picky about activities. Going to a museum or going going to a zoo or going or going mini golf. Like I just have so many things that I'm interested in, so I don't really have...
Meghan Smallwood 16:24
One specific...
Hunter DeMarcy 16:26
Yeah, just just a day where I can go out and do something that makes me happy. That's what I really like because I am not at all a homebody.
Meghan Smallwood 16:35
If you could visit any zoo, aquarium, or museum, where which one would you choose?
Hunter DeMarcy 16:42
I would have to choose the the Columbus Zoo in Ohio because because that's the biggest one in the in the country, and it's also and they also have aquatic animals there as well. So it's a two. So it's so it's a two for one aquarium and zoo.
Meghan Smallwood 16:59
I've heard good things of that zoo.
Patrick Cadigan 17:02
It's funny that you should mention that zoo. Years and years and years ago, before I was even a teacher, I worked with my best friend at his company, and we were doing a training up there. And we had a couple of hours in the morning, so we went to the zoo. I didn't know anything about it, and like you said, it's one of the biggest zoos. We had a great time. It was a nice place. All right, Hunter. So, one of our closing questions, or our closing question for you, is: What are you most excited about in this upcoming year?
Hunter DeMarcy 17:32
In this upcoming year, I'm most excited about being able to do more to advocate for other people. That's what I'm most excited for in this in this coming year. What more opportunities could arise for me to be an advocate for others?
Patrick Cadigan 17:50
Well, that's really cool. Well, Hunter, we can't thank you enough for taking time out of your day to come and talk with us.
Hunter DeMarcy 17:58
And I can't thank you enough for having me on your podcast. I I am very appreciative that you got that my mom found you guys and and asked you if you guys wanted to put me on your podcast. And I'm very appreciative of the fact that you guys gave me another opportunity to to be an advocate for others. And I feel like this was a great opportunity for me to put my advocacy out there, so I very, so I am very grateful for the fact that you guys have given me another opportunity to do to do this.
Meghan Smallwood 18:31
It's all about networking, right?
Hunter DeMarcy 18:33
Absolutely.
Patrick Cadigan 18:34
It is absolutely all about networking, and we have several links that we will put in our show notes to your content, so that they can be shared out as well. And again, Hunter, we really appreciate you coming and talking with us.
Hunter DeMarcy 18:49
And I appreciate you guys having me.
Meghan Smallwood 19:00
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