One student and one mentor went together to this event with 20 other AIC students. They went to the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in South Deerfield, MA. There, they were able to view numerous exotic insects, lizards, and amphibians from around the world. The main attraction was the butterfly exhibit. There are paths to walk around the rain forest habitat to view plants and flowers from around the world all while butterflies are free to fly around at will. Afterwards, the students went to Yankee Candle for some shopping and lunch at their restaurant.
Helpful Smartphone Apps
Here are some useful smartphone apps for students with Autism/Asperger
disorders. They make their life easier by helping track daily functions, as well as prepare for social interactions.
http://cipworldwide.org/articles/12-best-apps-for-college-students-with-autism/
http://www.socialnavigatorapp.com/aspergers_apps.htm
WCC Site's Connection with Katherine Davis Scholars
This semester our WCC campus site partnered with three students from the Katherine Davis Scholars program. The Katherine Davis scholars are a select group of students chosen and honored with the award based on their "remarkable commitment, extraordinary leadership and academics excellence."
We will be working on creating an on-line social calendar specific to upcoming events in the community and on campus that CS students will be able to access via a button or app on their phones. This will give our participants opportunities to easily find activities and get involved in the community. This link once established can have multiple admins added which will allow other CS coordinators to create similar calendars for their regions.
The nice thing about this calendar is that is has a lot of visuals and is not just writing on a "calendar" page. It has the actual "flyers" of the events included in the link. The events are posted for the month so that students can scroll down and see all of the events in a particular month.
New VT-ABLE Savings Initiative for Vermont Individuals with Disabilities
VT-ABLE will allow eligible Vermonters to receive preferred federal tax treatment as they save for disability related expenses like housing, transportation, employment training, and other important needs. VT-ABLE participants will be able contribute up to $14,000 annually – greatly improving the savings options for Vermonters who experience a disability. Treasurer Pearce noted that, “VT-ABLE will help further the goal of empowering more Vermonters to achieve a lifetime of financial well-being.”
“ABLE programs meet several needs. Parents and other relatives want a flexible, low cost way to put aside money for the future of a family member with a disability. Working adults with disabilities want to keep what they earn without frequent adjustments to benefits like Social Security, which has a $2000 asset limit. In either case, the savings remains in the name of the person with the disability, which is empowering. We should all learn the importance of saving,” said Kirsten Murphy, Executive Director of the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council.
VT-ABLE will be administered through a partnership with the Ohio State Treasurer’s Office. The Vermont/Ohio platform was selected after a lengthy vetting process by the Vermont ABLE Task Force, which met throughout 2015 and 2016 to convene an extensive stakeholder process.
ACI 2017 Applications Now Open!
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is now accepting applications for the 2017 Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI) Summer Leadership Academy! The ACI Summer Leadership Academy prepares autistic students to do disability advocacy at their colleges. Accepted students will travel to Washington, DC and participate in advocacy training from June 10th to June 17th, 2017. ACI participants learn about making student groups, understanding disability policy, and talking to people in the government. ASAN pays for travel and rooms for all Academy students.
Applicants must be on the Autism Spectrum and be college students with at least one year left before graduating. Students in TPSID programs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities), 2-year community colleges, 4-year colleges, and graduate schools can apply. We especially want you to apply if you are:
-a student of color
-LGBT
-low-income or on SSI
-a student with an intellectual disability
-an AAC user
To apply, please send a finished application by Sunday, February 19th, 2017 to Reid Caplan at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org. Applications available at: http://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ACI-2016-Flyer.pdf
If you need help filling out the application, or have any questions about ACI, please email Reid Caplan at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org
College Steps/NOVA Annandale & Loudoun Information Night
Dear Friends and Families,
On behalf of College Steps and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), we’re delighted to inform you that we will be holding an information night for the College Steps program on Thursday, February 9th 2017 at 5:30 pm at NOVA Annandale's Campus in the Brault Building Room 321. College Steps is a non-profit organization that partners with NOVA to provide college support for individuals living with social or learning challenges (e.g., learning disabilities, autism, developmental, or intellectual disabilities).
Come learn about the exciting new opportunities that College Steps and NOVA will be offering at the NOVA Loudoun and Annandale campuses in the coming months. We recognize that for many students, the transition between high school and college is challenging and can often feel intimidating. Therefore, College Steps offers both (1) a transition to college program for high school seniors as well as (2) an individualized support program for college students at NOVA Loudoun and NOVA Annandale.
What: College Steps / NOVA Annandale & Loudoun Information Night
When: Thursday, February 9th 2017 at 5:30 pm - 7pm
Where: NOVA Annandale's Campus in the Brault Building Room 321
Parking: Parking is free for this event in the Brault Building's Parking lot (visitor parking passes will be provided at check-in)
The info night is a free event; however, we encourage everyone to register for the event by the COB on Friday, February 3rd. If you are unable to attend, please help us spread the word by sharing this invitation with a friend or colleague. Light refreshments will be served. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Lauren Merritt at lauren@collegesteps.org or 802-363-2785.
We look forward to seeing you at the event!
College Steps
December Graduation at Lyndon
College Steps' Lyndon campus had a really lovely graduation and party on Friday. One student graduated along with five mentors. The camaraderie, excitement and sentimentality was beautiful to be a part of. t was a truly special day spent celebrating the major accomplishments of these dedicated young adults.
End of Semester Celebration at NOVA
College Steps' partner campus, NOVA, recently celebrated the end of the semester. The event included many fun activities, such as ice skating!
Time with College Steps
College Steps at SVC student, Katie Miles, recently completed her final project for the course she is taking this semester, Quest for Success: The First Year Experience. In it, she practiced success over the course of twelve or more hours.
Hear from our students!
Every year, students in College Steps achieve incredible milestones. With students representing such a wide array of backgrounds and interests, we felt it best to capture their stories on video. We know the potential College Steps can hold for those it serves - but don't take our word for it, hear it from the students that represent our organization.