A New Perspective

We all know what kind of feelings a W-4 form usually conjures up in us: dread, frustration, nervousness, loathing. You get anywhere near one, and you feel like you’re about to break out in hives. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but honestly, filling out a W-4 form (and considering the outcome) can be tedious, irritating, and just overall unpleasant.

But not here at Shepherds College.

There’s a new and unprecedented significance to W-4 forms at Shepherds College. A few weeks ago, I observed a communications class for the second year students. I am a mass communications major, so I was really excited to attend. What I wasn’t ready for was the remarkable focus topic of this class.

If you’re not familiar with Shepherds College, suffice it to say that everything in this program is fashioned with the goal of being applicable to life. This communications class was no exception. The students were learning about different communications situations everyone has to deal with when they’re on the job.

And the day I happened to be there, they were practicing how to fill out a W-4 form. As I watched the students fill in their information, I was struck with the value of these pesky, little forms. Just being able to fill one out reminds you that you have a job. Your very own job.

As we grow from adolescence to adulthood, we often dream about what we want to be someday, what job we will have when we grow up. Being employed is something that is extremely important to most adults in our world, but think about the impact a job would have on someone whose dream of being employed was once crushed or buried far away.

People with intellectual disabilities sometimes have broken dreams of holding down a job or being on their own. Maybe they were told over and over again that they couldn’t work a job or be independent, and at some point, they started believing it.

But here’s the thing: they can do those things, and Shepherds College wants to help restore their dreams. We believe that everyone was designed for a purpose. God makes no mistakes, and He has a phenomenal plan for each one of us.

I wonder what those students were thinking as they filled out their W-4 form. Were they imagining the job they would have one day? Were they memorizing the steps, so they would know what to do when it was no longer a practice form? Did their dreams grow bigger that day?

I do know what several of them were thinking when their teacher explained the choice of being a dependent or supporting yourself. A few of the students were so thrilled by the prospect of financially supporting themselves that they blurted their thoughts out in the middle of class. This is when Annie gave her famous quote about her desire to live on her own. Others agreed with her and marked their forms accordingly.

Dreams were encouraged to grow that day. Dreams that may have been dusty or discounted in the past. Dreams that were a little rough around the edges, but all they needed were some sanding and polishing to make them really shine. Dreams that these students can now view as a valid possibility.

I don’t think I will ever look at a W-4 form the same way again. Instead of conveying negative emotions, a W-4 form will represent hard-work, accomplishment, and empowerment. It will remind me that with God, all things are possible.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.org.