3 rd Annual I’m Determined Youth Summit

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Green Group Topics: 1. Assistive Technology 2. Accommodations

Topic # 1: Assistive Technology Example: demonstrate an Alpha Smart Hands on technology fair. Demonstrations Explain where and how to purchase/ borrow assistive technology.

Topic: Assistive Technology (con’t.) A “Day in your shoes” day where a non- disabled student has to use all the assistive technologies used by a person with a disability while experiencing a certain disability for the day. Have the youth summit participants go to schools and teach students and teachers about assistive technology that is available and how it works.

Topic # 2: Accommodations Have the administrators create an assembly to inform all students and teachers about Accommodations. Explain to the students what a 504/ IEP is and what it does and who is eligible for it.

Topic: Accommodations (con’t.) Have the youth summit participants go to schools and teach students and teachers about accommodations.

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Red Group Topics: 1. Famous People/Leaders with a disability 2. Disability Laws & Rights

Topic # 1: Famous people/leaders with a disability Matching Game Jeopardy Bingo True and False game

Topic: Famous people/leaders Robin Williams- ADD Edger Allan Poe- Bipolar Dav Pilkey (Children’s Author)- ADHD Stevie Wonder- Blind

Topic: Famous people/leaders Ray Charles- Blind NY Governor Patterson- Blind Tom Cruise- Dyslexia Michael J. Fox- Parkinson Disease

Topic # 2: Disability laws and rights Documentaries Guest Speakers who specifically deal with legislation of disabilities (Mooney: Project Eye-to-Eye; Rebecca Harris works with President Obama on Disability commission) Jeopardy

Topic : Disability laws/rights Memoir of experiences dealing with rights/laws

Topic: Disability Laws/Rights 504 plan IDEA Disability History Awareness Month Americans with Disabilities Act IEP

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Orange Group Topics: 1. Accessibility 2. Transition

Topic # 1: Accessibility Put students in another person’s shoes Ex. Blindfold someone and have a guide dog guide them around the school Sign language lesson Bullying assembly

Topic: Accessibility Disability awareness assembly Best Buddies club Kids with disabilities matched up with other students/Big Brothers, Big sisters… Spread the word to end the word Awareness banner for people to sign Stop, look and listen to a person The golden rule

Topic: Accessibility Basic Skills class that teaches study skills needed for the future

Topic # 2: Transition Discuss the different transitions people make during their lives such as a new home, new school, new grade level, etc. Go speak to elementary and middle school kids with IEPs and talk about the transition to the next level Talk about your experience with transition to another student Have alumni come back and talk about the transition from high school to College and talk about college accommodations Talk about different views of how people see certain things

Topic: Transition Take people to their desired colleges and show them the accessible routes Seniors mentoring Freshmen or rising Freshmen Transition teacher Career Pathways program/class to help with transition from high school to college

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Blue Group Topics: 1. Self-advocacy 2. Goal setting

Topic # 1: Self-advocacy Role playing activity Educate yourself and others Announcement activities Video

Topic: Self-advocacy Disability assembly Find your: Learning style Strengths Things to improve

Topic # 2: Goal Setting The PATH Long term goal Each block represents a step towards your goal The Sun Long or Short term goal in school Accomplishments

Self-Advocacy & Goal Setting Go to the I’m determined website.

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Purple Group Topics: 1. Attitudes/Stereotypes 2. Disability History

Topic # 1: Attitudes/Stereotypes Teach and Use Person First Language Learn how disability can affect: Hearing Speaking Seeing Walking

Topic: Attitudes/Stereotypes Hearing- people find it difficult to hear what other people are saying. Speaking – it can be hard for people to get their words out for people to understand them. Seeing- people can’t get visual information. Walking- people that have limited motor skills have difficulties moving around.

Topic # 2: Disability History Teach students about disability history along with typical history lessons. You could use some movies that have actors with disabilities. You could use a time line on disabilities.

Topic: Disability History Have the student that has a disability talk about their disability. Have the class do a research paper on a individual disability. Have an empathy day, were people learn about disability.

Topic: Disability History Teach people about famous people with disabilities: Helen Keller Franklin D Roosevelt Tom Cruise Albert Einstein Winston Churchill

2010 I’m Determined Youth Summit: Small Groups Orange & Red Group Topics: Self-Esteem Understanding Disability/Acceptance

:D Self-Esteem Be sympathetic! Show you care when we come to you with problems Praise us for the work we DO accomplish ! Teach us how to work with our strengths!

:D Self-esteem Be a good Support System & Resource! Believe in the student as an individual! If the teacher thinks we can then we think we can too. Do activities to find out what each student likes & allowing them to embrace it!

:D Self-esteem Teach others about people with disabilities that have been successful. Show how others have embraced their disability so we can strive to do the same. Teach us in an environment that works best for us.

:D Self-esteem Show movies or read books to show that not everybody is the same. Give uplifting advice to each individual. Help us organize our thoughts. Show confidence in us!

:D Self-esteem Teach me how I can use my strengths to my advantage. What kind of jobs could I have when I grow up. Be proud of who we are!

:D Understanding Disability/Acceptance Teach us how to self-advocate for ourselves. Give us the tools to help us succeed. Be flexible to your students needs! Teach us about all the resources available we need to succeed. Example: Share the DVD of “I’m Tyler” with your class.

:D Understanding Disability/Acceptance Let us tell our story! Telling others our story helps us understand ourselves. Inform us about our disability. Use teaching tools on websites. Ask us questions about ourselves. Don’t assume!