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Young People Honored for Triumphing Over Disabilities

Link: Can-Do Attitude One, a poet, pours out his heart on his keyboard. Another, a scholar, earns almost-perfect grades. The third, an artist, speaks best in paint. All have succeeded despite an added challenge: a disability. For their accomplishments, the three young central Ohioans are among 27 winners of a 2009 "Yes I Can!" award. The national honor is bestowed annually by the Council for Exceptional Children.

Bob Runkel Acting Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction to Be Honored at Convention

The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) will present the Harrie M. Selznick CASE Distinguished Service Award to Bob Runkel at the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 2009 Convention & Expo in Seattle, Washington on Wednesday April 1. The CEC is a non-profit, non-partisan international community of educators who are the voice and vision of special and gifted education.

columbuslocalnews.com: Sixth grader receives national award for poems

Link: columbuslocalnews.com
Tharp Sixth Grade School student and fledgling poet Justin Martin is one of the winners of the national, 2009 Yes I Can! awards, which recognize children with disabilities who excel.

chadd.org: Summer Camp Award Fund 2009

CHADD, thanks to the generous support of corporate and individual donors, is delighted to announce the continuation of the Summer Camp Award Fund for children with AD/HD. The program, open to children of CHADD members only, is designed to help parents or guardians afford the expenses associated with attendance at specialty summer camps. Awards, up to $8,000 each, are payable directly to the selected camp for tuition and fees and to the parent or guardian for related expenses.

AG Bell: 2008 Arts and Sciences Financial Aid Award Applications Available

Link: Financial Aid

The AG Bell Arts and Sciences Financial Aid Awards are for children who are deaf or hard of hearing between the ages of 6 to 18 who want to participate in extracurricular programs that focus on developing skills in the arts or sciences. The award can go towards any program that targets the sciences and arts, including those held by museums, nature centers, dance and theater workshops, music centers, zoological parks, and space and science camps. Deadline for applications is April 1, 2008.

PublicBroadcasting.net: Learning Outside the Box

Link: Public Arts

Jonathan Mooney is president of a nonprofit mentoring and advocacy organization for students with learning disabilities. He grew up "learning disabled" but graduated from Brown University and is the author of The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal. He tells Jim Fleming that "normal" is a social construct, not a medical one and society should learn to embrace diversity. In this radio program, Mooney discusses what happens when learning occurs "outside the box."

Germantown News: G'town boy with multiple severe disabilities will receive national award

Link: GermantownNews.com

Thomas Ostric, 12, who has numerous disabilities including Tourette syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder, has succeeded academically, earning all A's & B's, and has won more than 20 awards for his accomplishments. Because of his achievements, Thomas will receive a Yes I Can! Award from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in April.

EudoraNews.com: Dialogue, Trust Top Teacher's Priorities

Link: EudoraNews.com

For any teacher, figuring out the manner by which each student learns can be a difficult task. For middle school teacher Rachel Padfield, who teaches special education in Eudora, Kansas, that task is compounded by keeping in mind the skill levels each of her students have within each of their other classes. Padfield, who has been teaching for 10 years, teaches students with many differing ability levels including those with learning disabilities, autism, or some who are emotionally disturbed.

An exceptional teen: Volunteer efforts earn Clayton youth 'Yes I Can; award

Link: CEC awardee

One wonders when Christopher Ball finds time to sleep. A 16-year-old Clayton High School junior, Ball is an anomaly. In an era when the country frets over a shortage of young volunteers, Ball seems to raise his hand every time there's a need.

So it's no monumental surprise that Ball, who was classified as a special education student when he was in third grade, is one of only 27 to receive a 2007 national "Yes I Can!" award from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). He will travel to Louisville, Ky. April 20 to receive his award during a three-day conference. He also is an invitee at the New Jersey CEC conference May 4 in Edison.