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Foster youth invited for food, fun, self-advocacy training on June 12 at Seminole State College
SEMINOLE, Okla. – Youth in foster care, ages 15 to 18, from 19 south-central Oklahoma counties are invited to enjoy free food, fun, entertainment and self-advocacy training at “Take Control,” an outreach event from 9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12.
Youth are eligible to attend if they reside and attend school in Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Creek, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, Lincoln, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Okfuskee, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie or Seminole counties.
Organizers expect between 50 and 100 participants for the event in the Haney Center at Seminole State College, located at 2701 Boren Boulevard in Seminole.
Read the rest of the foster care story. -
People with Disabilities Awareness Day 2012
Huge Success
This year’s People with Disabilities Awareness Day was AWESOME. It was awesome because 664 people were at the event. It was awesome because we had 72 exhibitors there. It was awesome because our event leaders came and performed their jobs perfectly.
Without the self-less dedication of the event leaders, exhibitors would have struggled to get materials in or finding their table, guests would have had a hard time finding or talking to a legislator or wouldn’t have known there was a special row for disability parking and much more.
There were guest, exhibitors and leaders all over that building, having a good time, networking, learning about organizations and groups that serve people with disabilities and visiting legislators. The objective of the day was awareness and you could not have been in that building without noticing all the green. Good job everyone!
PWDAD 2012 is well documented with more than 500 pictures. Following this link to see all the smiling faces.
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Disability Agency Invites Public to Comment on 2013 Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employment Plan
OKLAHOMA CITY – Public Hearings will be hosted by Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) and the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council (ORC) on May 7 in Oklahoma City, May 8 in Tulsa and May 9 in Lawton. Comments will be heard regarding updates to the DRS State Plan for programs that focus on services for Oklahomans with disabilities.
Programs affected by the proposed new State Plan are administered by DRS and include vocational rehabilitation for people with all types of disabilities and supported employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities who need assistance on and off their jobs to obtain and maintain employment.
DRS provides a variety of services that help individuals with disabilities achieve employment, personal independence and self-sufficiency. The ORC advises DRS on development of policies and plans for rehabilitation services.
Read entire 2013 State Plan media release
Federal Fiscal Year 2013 State Plan - DRAFT -
OSB Student Wins Eastern Oklahoma Spelling Bee – Will Go to Washington
A fifth grade student from Oklahoma School for the Blind is going to Washington. Richelle Zampella won the Eastern Oklahoma Spelling Bee and will be attending the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 30 and 31. She will be competing against 277 other students, including Noah J. Cassidy of Oklahoma City. She will be spelling against students from United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Department of Defense Schools in Europe, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Zampella reads Braille and has also learned to use the slate and stylus and the abacus. She likes to participate in Braille challenge competitions and school activities. She has won first place in the school Braille test competition for four semesters, and she has been a national finalist in the Braille Institute's Braille Challenge. Richelle is an A-honor roll student and has been student of the year at school for the past two years. Her interests include reading, listening to music and swimming. She loves to spend time with her family and hopes to become a teacher for the visually impaired. This is her first trip to Washington, D.C.
The Zampella family is fundraising so the entire family can go to Washington, D.C. and watch her compete. The Spelling Bee pays for Zampella and one family member to go and her mother, father and sister want to be there to cheer her on. If you would like to personally donate, please make your check out to Eastern Oklahoma State Spelling Bee and send it directly to Armstrong Bank, 3401 Chandler Rd., Muskogee, OK 74403. All proceeds go into the account that has been set up for Richelle. The money collected will be used for expenses during the trip and assist with a travel fund for Richelle’s father and sister. All donations are tax deductible.