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National Youth
Leadership Network Newsletter |
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Summer 2007 Volume 4,
Number 1 |
Adobe Acrobat / Microsoft Word |
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Table of Contents: Letter from the Network President Page 4 Members’ Circle Page 5 Op-Ed: Service Dogs Page 8 International
Corner Page 11 Federal
Sponsors: US Department of Education, Office
of Special Education Programs US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
on Developmental Disabilities US Department of Labor, Office of
Disability Policy Social Security
Administration, Office Program Development and
Research National Council on Disability |
Learn. Teach. Grow.
Become. By Betsy Valnes NYLN Executive Director
Learn. Teach. Grow.
Become. This was the simple motto for a disability
rights group I launched on my college campus.
Students with disabilities got together once a month to talk about
specific topics, interact with one another, and communicate with a guest
speaker (either a fellow student or a professional with a disability in the
community). We often talked about
issues that were naturally appealing to young people who were in a learning
environment. We talked about
communicating with professors about accommodations, time management,
utilizing campus programs and peer supports like the With young people it’s instinctual for us to want to learn
about things. Not only is it
appealing, but also it’s the social norm for people our age to be in the
position of the student. We often
don’t fight this because it’s something we know we have to do. We are excited to gain information and
communicate with our peers. We
recognize that learning is part of what makes a good leader. However, what we usually forget is an
equally important word: teach. You are in the position to be an expert in the humblest
form of the word. You know what you
need. You know what works for
you. You know what you want to become. But how often do you get credit for teaching others the things that they could get
from no one other than you? Who should
organizations come to when identifying youth priorities/goals for the
year? YOU! Who should teachers come to when trying to
find the accommodations to make things successful in a classroom? YOU!
Who should policy-makers come to when talking about at least some of
the efforts behind transition services, higher education, and a fully
inclusive classroom? YOU! Each year During this same time, a partnering program through the
South Dakota Department of Education holds a five-day teacher
in-service. This training is open to
all teachers across the state, but specific recommendations are given to
those teachers who need additional training in affectively working with
students with disabilities. National
presenters are brought in to update the teachers about laws and
policies. Employees of the state
Department of Education are brought in to remind them of how to fill out
their paperwork and maintain student records.
But most importantly, delegates from our YLF take the spotlight and
teach the teachers how to teach. Our students stand in front of a classroom of men and
women anywhere from 5 to 45 years older than they. They talk about struggles they have
experienced. They talk about how much
a teacher can influence a student in his/her classroom—both positively and
negatively. They talk about how
frustrating it is to not be heard because they are young, and how empowering
it is when that one special teacher recognizes what a student needs to be
successful. Our delegates leave the
room and at least half the teachers have red eyes and a tissue in hand. These teachers were educated by the experts…the YOUTH experts. This training has taken place for the last
five years. And each year in the teachers’ evaluations, the youth have
received some of the highest reviews for leading the most powerful and the
most influential session. Young
leaders, whether they realized it or not, left their mark. They learned what it meant to be an
expert…but more importantly, they learned what it felt like. They taught those who teach on a daily basis. They grew as young leaders and got one step
closer to knowing how valuable their knowledge really is. And they became a social equal for one
exciting day, regardless of their age, regardless of their formal
credentials. NYLN hopes that you
recognize the opportunity to learn, teach, grow and become. And, when we talk about education,
hopefully you can be empowered by the fact that you are not the only one
being educated. The President Says… By Josie Badger
I hope that this letter finds you well. My name is Josie
Badger and I am the President of the NYLN.
Being president has been exciting and challenging. During this past quarter, there have been
many changes and new additions to the Network. We have recently opened up membership to the NYLN for all
youth with disabilities in the Another exciting addition to the Network is having “Quarterly
Themes.” Every quarter the NYLN will
have a broad topic that will be the focus of Network activities. The theme for January – March is
education. The following themes will
be employment, healthcare, and disability awareness. I’m looking forward to the advances these
themes will help us make as a unified Network. One final issue I wanted to address is the importance of
involvement. I know that we are all busy
with jobs, school, volunteering, or other commitments. These activities can seem overwhelming at
times. At times, we may consider dropping out or pass on opportunities to
contribute. It has been said that a person will never find time to do
something; they have to make the time to do it. Getting involved with NYLN committee can be
very rewarding. Sometimes people are
afraid to speak up or volunteer. Some feel their opinions do not matter or
seem “stupid.” These unspoken ideas or
that uninvolved person could have made the difference. Your experiences, ideas, and work are
important and will make NYLN a continuing leader for youth with
disabilities. If you have any questions about the National Youth
Leadership Network or want to get involved, please contact me at josiebadger@hotmail.com. |
By Kristen Jones
Movie of the Month 
Emmanuel’s Gift (2005)
Oprah Winfrey narrates this movie.
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was born with in
Book of the Month
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
by Kim Edwards (2006) Penguin.
During a
blizzard in 1964, Dr. Henry delivered his own twins. While his son was born
healthy, he realizes that his daughter has Down’s Syndrome. Dr. Henry does not
think his wife can handle this news. He makes a choice that will change their
lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby to an institution. The nurse
cannot leave the infant. She disappears to another city to raise the child
herself. Here, the story begins.
Website Highlights
·
Audacity Magazine www.audacitymagazine.com
·
Disability Rights & Education
Defense Fund http://www.dredf.org/
Quotes Quotes Quotes!
“When you jump for joy, beware that no one moves the ground
beneath your feet.” ~Stanislaw Lec
Hillary Jorgensen
NYLN
Conference Participant
Hi, I am Hillary Jorgensen. I received my
degree in English Literature from the
I was very active during my time as an
undergraduate college student. I started the first student organization for
people with disabilities at the
Life as a law student does not give me much time
to be active in many disability groups. I am an intern with the
Washington Protection and Advocacy System, a disability rights organization in
Opportunities for Input
·
NYLN is seeking youth between the ages
of 16-28 to join our network, please
visit www.nyln.org to fill out an
application.
·
Would you like to recommend someone for the Members Highlight section of the newsletter?
Please contact Kristen Jones at lilkit@aol.com.
·
Public Information committee is seeking
writers for the newsletter! If you think you have writing talent, good
ideas or stories to share we want to hear from you! If interested please
contact Kara Sheridan at karasheridan@bellsouth.net.
The funding committee of the NYLN is responsible
for seeking out funding opportunities to keep the network alive. We need
your help now more than ever! Would you be willing to seek out individuals and
organizations to make a tax-deductible donation to NYLN? Can you assist us with
seeking out large grant opportunities that match the needs of NYLN? If
your answer is YES or if you have another funding idea, please contact Kristen
Jones at LILKIT@aol.com.
No Dogs Allowed
By Josie Badger
John Clave is a 14-year old boy from
Caption: Josie smiles
with her service dog, Vito.
I received my own service dog, Vito, from Paws with a Cause during my junior year
of high school. It took a few weeks for everyone to get used to him. There were
never any major issues with him being at school. A few teachers and
administrators were worried about a dog being in school. Some had questions
about safety, distraction and allergies. The school district offered to make reasonable
accommodations for other people, like changing a schedule for anyone who was
afraid of dogs or had an allergy. Service dogs are very well trained and
tested. It is very unlikely that they would ever be aggressive. After the first
few weeks of Vito attending school with me, the only distraction was when he
fell asleep and snored during French class. Vito quickly became a normal part
of the school.
Having a service dog at school was beneficial to me and a
positive experience for the student body.
Vito was able to help me become more independent, gain more confidence,
and break down walls between my non-disabled peers and myself. His presence at school taught students about
disabilities, acceptance, and the importance of working animals. Vito has been
my service dog for the past five years. Now we attend college together.
I believe that the position taken by the New York School
Board is legally and ethically wrong and is based on false assumptions about
service dogs. Although the school may be accommodating John, they are not
encouraging his independence. The
Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that all public places allow the use
of service dogs. The school district
needs to look at the reason behind the ruling again. They should consider the
benefits of having the service dog in the school for John and his classmates.
By Claire Stanley
One major accessibility issue I have
faced in high school has been the lack of accessible Braille materials. Several of the textbooks I have needed over
the four years of high school have not been available. This year, as a senior, two of my books were
not available in Braille. Because of
this, they have had to be Brailled as we go, causing me to fall behind in both
math and biology. Another problem I have
faced has been my textbooks not being sent in until a month or more after the
school year has started. My Spanish
textbook was not sent to my school until November this year, forcing me to do a
lot of makeup work. Some of my books
have been available on tape, but using books on tape makes it more difficult to
do my homework assignments. Also,
several of the handouts and other materials from my classes have not been in Braille. I have had to be extremely dependent on other
students to read me the assignments. The
hardest part about this problem is that it is very hard to find a
solution. I have made complaints and
tried to change things, but the problem is the textbooks and materials simply
do not exist. The publishers have not
produced them. So even if my school
district was completely behind me, the problem starts at a much higher level.
Accessible Avenues will feature what
youths have to say about accessibility issues. This column is written by the
Access for All Committee. If you would like to respond to Claire’s experience
or have something to share about accessibility challenges that you have
encountered, please e-mail Peter Squire at psquire@gmu.edu.
A
Brazilian Twist: Studying Abroad
as a
Student with a Disability
By: Jenobia Pitts
I definitely have the travel bug. Right after
coming back from a leadership program in
As I started to study Portuguese, I
thought about going to
Caption: Jenobia
smiles with her passport before getting on the plane.
I was selected and was very excited, but I had a lot of work
to do. I would be living with a Brazilian family, attending a daily language
class, and participating in cultural seminars and trips for six weeks during
the summer. What about my classroom accommodations? These were essential to my
success. I immediately requested services from my disability services office on
campus. I was relieved by how quickly they acted. Because the program was
associated with the university, all classroom accommodations would be provided
just as they were on campus. All requirements were followed, but with a bit of
a Brazilian twist.
What was that twist? The Brazilian instructors had little
experience with disability-related classroom accommodations or students with
disabilities. Some of the adjustments were unfamiliar to them. I had to
advocate for myself and educate my teachers about my needs. Although my
accommodations such as uninterrupted exam times and having an informed proctor
in the room were followed, the quality and consistency of services was not as
good as I would have liked. However, I
still had an incredible experience.
Transportation was definitely a challenge in
The cultural field trips were a highlight of my time abroad.
The staff helped by arranging tourist buses, which were accessible, instead of
public transportation. We also used the public train system and local taxis,
both of which are very accessible to people with disabilities. Like in the
You never know where a bump in the road or a bend in the
path will take you. I had many twists and turns while studying in , take the challenge, make others aware
of your needs, and learn to be your own advocate. Though traveling to another
country may not always be easy, especially for a person with a disability, there
is nothing more rewarding when you meet those challenges.
Studying Portuguese and living in
Jenobia Pitts is a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville,
For free information on international exchange opportunities
or disability accommodation tips, visit the National Clearinghouse on
Disability and Exchange website at www.miusa.org/ncde.
If you want to go abroad on a
cultural exchange, stay with host families, learn a language
or study abroad in another country, the National Clearinghouse on
Disability and Exchange, which is sponsored by of the United States Department
of State and administered by Mobility International USA, provides free
information on international options available, lists of scholarships and
funding, and how to best prepare to go abroad including the book “Survival
Strategies for Going Abroad: A Guide for People with Disabilities” available at
www.miusa.org/publications or by contacting 541-343-1284 (tel/tty) or
clearinghouse@miusa.org.
© National Youth Leadership Network. Preparation of the newsletter was supported,
in part by grant # H324F0100001 from the Office of Special Education
Programs, US Department of Education. The opinions expressed herein are
exclusively those of the authors and no official endorsement by the
sponsors should be inferred.
National Youth Leadership Network
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