NO Limits: Theater for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (Add'l blog #5)

No Limits is a program located in California whose goal it is to help build up children's communication skills and self-confidence through an after school program and a theater program....but not just any children, children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.  Some people may be able to afford a speech language pathologist to help their children develop their abilities, however many people do not have the financial means to afford these services. No Limits was established with lower income families in mind who need the help but may not be able to afford it otherwise. Some of the services they provide include individual therapy, biweekly literacy program, weekly parent education courses, computer training, theatre and public speaking program , language enriched programs and support groups for children and their families. I think that this is a wonderful program that has the potential to change thousands of children and families lives. When you are a child, it doesn't take long before you realize that you are different from your peers and at that age, children can be very judgemental and exclusive. When I was younger I had a speech problem myself and I can still remember being made fun of, and that was about 12 years ago. By being in a program with people who are in similar situations, I think it would be easier because they can identify with the struggles that you have gone through. I also think it's great that No Limits provides education for the children's families because they are the ones who spend the most time with the kids and can make the most impact. At the end of every 10 week session, No Limits has a graduation to recognize the accomplishments that the children have made. It's great that they have an "incentive" to motivate the kids and give them a way to measure how far they've come. All in all I think that this is an awesome program that can make an impact that thousands of children. To learn more, visit their website here.  For information on OTHER theater-related programs for peole with disabilities, click here.
Until next time, katie

Wisconsin Badger TRIP&TRAVEL Camp (additional post #4)

Another little plug for WBC, I just can't say enough about that place :)  This time, however,  I am going to talk about the "Trip and Travel" Program! This is a program that is offered through camp that allows campers to travel to places around the midwestern region! It's really great because it gives them the opportunity to travel to different places that maybe they wouldn't otherwise have the chance to go. Some of the trips they offered this past summer included "Wisconsin Dells Adventure", "Packer Amusement Trip", "Oshkosh Odyssey", "Mall of America Excursion", "Under the Big Top Spectacular", Houseboat Voyage" and "Lake Michigan Mania". I think that programs such as these are very important because they allow people to have a break from their daily lives and have new experiences with new people! I'm not sure how many other programs like this exist, but I definitely think that they are beneficial!
Until next time, Katie

Wisconsin Badger PRIMITIVE Camp (additional post #3)

This past summer I was a counselor at Wisconsin Badger Camp in Prairie du Chien, WI. WBC as it is affectionately known as is a camp for adults with developmental disabilities. It offers 10 weeks of camp where the campers get to participate in activities such as Nature, Arts and Crafts, Recreation, Swimming, and Music. While our traditional camp is awesome and benefits a lot of people, that's not what I would like to focus on in this post. Instead I am going to talk about two other programs that WBC offers: "Primitive Camp."





"Prim" is a camp  session that goes a step beyond the regular weekly camp. It is definitely a little more rustic. Although the campers still sleep in cabins, they do not have any running water or electricity and all of their meals are cooked over the fire. All of their activities take place on the "prim" campsite, which is about a mile off of main camp.  They only come up to main camp twice a week to shower and have the opportunity to swim in the camp pool. It is however required that the campers who participate in "prim" are higher finctioning. I think that this is an awesome opportunity for many becuase it is so our of the norm for them. Being in the camp atmosphere overall is a great situacion because no one is judged by their disability and they are accepted for who they are, sometimes for the first time. Additionally, prim is a place for them to  gain some independence and get their  hands dirty, figuratively and literally. From my experience, many people who have disabilities are treated so delicately, like they are going to break if you aren't extra careful. It's hard to know what they are capable of unless you sometime push the boundaries. I think prim is a great opportunity for these individuals to have the chance to push themselves to do something out of the norm and see what they can really do! WBC is a great place and I am honored to have been a part of it :) Until next time, Katie  

freeeee fallin' AKA wheelchair bungee jumping (additional assignment #2)

I must be feeling awfully adventurous right now because I have another extreme wheelchair sport to share with you: Wheelchair bungee jumping, mmhmm that's right. Didn't think it was possible, well it is! Another video for you to watch if you're interested at this link. I am just amazed at all of these opportunities that are available to people who use wheelchairs. If you can imagine back just a few years ago (well within the last hundred years) when some people with disabilities were shipped off to institutions called "insane asylums" and compare that with the opportunities that those same people are presented with today. It's a world of difference, and thank God for it. I mean, bungee jumping in a wheelchair, that's pretty awesome!
Until next time, Katie

WHEELCHAIR skyDIVING (additional post #1)

First of all, you should watch THIS video before reading any further.....

..Did you watch it? How INCREDIBLE is that! For anyone to go skydiving is a brave feat. I know I would love to do it someday when I muster up the guts! However, can you possibly imagine the feeling of freedom for someone to go skydiving when they spend most of their time in a wheelchair? It must be incredible. Props to you all who have been brave enough to try it yourself! Just wanted to give you some food for thought today...This really goes to show you, you really only have a diability if you allow yourself to. As Scott Hamilton said, "The only disability in life is a bad attitude." Couldn't agree with you more.
Until next time, Katie

Internet techology for people with disabilities

Today a group presented to our class the benefits of internet technology for people with disabilities. For our generation the internet doesn't appear to be all that innovatibve becuase it we have grown up with. However, with the internet has come an EXPLOSION of opportunity for everyone, especially in the area of networking.With sites such as facebook and myspace, blogs, chatrooms, open forums, support groups and more, there are so many opportunites for people to communicate over the internet. For people with disabilities this can be especially helpful. Whether it's a mother of a child who has a disability who's networking with other parents in similar situations, or someone just trying to chat with a friend, the internet has made things a whole lot simplier. For many people with disabilities, leaving the house can sometime be somewhat of a process becuase they can't always just hop in a car and go. By means of the internet, they have the ability to talk with friends, meet new ones, share their struggles and triumphs, do research on cutting edge treatments or an unlimited amount of other possibilities with the click of a mouse. Although there are many positive aspects to the internet, one also has to be aware of the negative side of things as well. Becuase the internet does not always allow face to face interactions (although Skype is a wonderful thing), people sometimes have to be skeptical as to who they are really talking to. You may not want to give out too much personal information to someone if they only encouters you have had with them are in a chatroom or on a networking website. If used with caution, however, the internet can and certainly is a wonderful thing that we have all come to take for granted. I for one don't know where I would be without it, certainly not writing this post, THAT'S for sure! Until next time, Katie

Toxic waste, wheelchair soccer, take apart art, and crossfire youth ministries! whew!

Last week we had one busy class! It was our second session of long activities facilitated by my classmates. We started off by playing a game called toxic waste. The class was divided into two groups and we each had a styrofoam cup that had the same number of strings attached to it as the number of participants. The cup was full of beads and the object of the game was to transport the cup from one side of the room to the other, using the strings only, and dump the beads from the inicial cup to another. The specific population that the group had in mind when playing this game were people with drug or alcohol addictions. The dumping of the beads from one cup to the other symbolized ridding oneself of the drug that had taken over their life. The partipants had the option of sharing their struggle with the rest of the participants. I thought that this could be a valuable game if it was played with participants who are willing to share their feelings. I, however, think it might be a challenge for some people to take this metaphor seriously and be willing to share their feelings with the other participants. I guess it just all depends on who you're working with. I thought the group did a good job presenting, though, and it was a very creative idea.

The next activity we had a chance to take a part in was called, "take apart art". For this project, everyone in the class was given a small piece of paper with a design on it. We then had to copy the picture onto an 8x11 piece of paper. After everyone was done we put the pieces together (in a designated pattern) and it ended up making one large picture of a peace sign made out of handprints.  The population that the group focused on was youth at risk. They talked about some of the numerous benefits art has such as reducing anxiety and tension, an outlet for expression, a means of communication, can increase self-awareness, cognitive abilities, and reducing stress. I thought that this was a very beneficial activity and could definetely be beneficial as a creative outlet for the appropriate population. You can visit the official website here

Next we had a presentation from one of our classmates about a facility called "Crossfire Youth Ministry", located in LaCrosse. To view Crossfire's website, click here. This facility is geared towards youth in the LaCrosse area. It's a facility where teenagers can go and hangout with their friends in a safe and substance free environment. It provides a supportive and encouraging environment, which some might be provided at their own homes. I think this sounds like a wonderful program and I would be interested in doing some volunteer hours there next year!

Finally we headed over to the REC to play some wheelchair basketball. The group who facilitated this activity first showed us a short video about powerchair soccer, which you can see here. It's amazing to see the skills and abilities that these players have and I can definitely say that it is easier than it looks. We tried to play a few games ourselves and it was very frustrating because I felt like I had no control over where the ball was going and I was nervous when I was wheeling towards another chair. In the video however, you can clearly see that they are NOT gentle with each other, they ram into one another and have so much control over their chairs, it's amazing. It makes me have a lot of respect for all athletes who use wheelchairs because they have to overcome the barrier of their physical limitation but still manage to be incredible athletes!