Institute for Disability Studies
Youth Notes
February 2009

Welcome to the latest edition of IDS Youth Notes, a youth e-newsletter for high school and college age youth with disabilities.  IDS Youth Notes includes information on education, career and job opportunities, recreational activities, health and much, much more.  If you have resources or information that you want to share with others, please respond to this e-mail or contact Terri (Cookie) Smith at terri.smith@usm.edu or Jerry R. Alliston at jerry.alliston@usm.edu.

Inside this issue:

1. Opportunity for Students Interested in Computing Careers
2. Financial Aid Reminder
3. Mississippi College Goal Sunday February 28th
4. Succeeding in College and Work – Student Videos
5. Wheelchair Athlete Back Flip Lands Him in Record Book

1. Opportunity for Student Interested in Computing Careers
Are you a high school or college student with a disability? Would you like to gain valuable experience through paid internships and other work-related opportunities? Are you interested in computing careers? Would you like to communicate with mentors working in these fields? If your answer is “yes” to these questions, there is a scholarship opportunity just for you.  The AccessComputing Alliance is recruiting high school and college students with disabilities who are interested in computing careers to join the AccessComputing Team. AccessComputing student participants will engage in experiences that will enhance their college and career success.
Students with disabilities can become part of the AccessComputing Team and engage in an on-line community of peers and professionals as they transition to college, graduate school, and employment. AccessComputing will also identify opportunities for paid internships and research, especially with college students.  For more information, please visit  http://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/team_app.html or call AccessComputing 1-888-972-DOIT (3648) (toll free/TTY).
2. Financial Aid Reminder
You can now apply for possible federal financial aid on the U.S. Department of Education Web site.  Students are encouraged to complete the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on-line.  If you plan to attend college next year, you may apply for possible federal financial aid starting January 1, 2009.  You will find lots of helpful hints to get prepared to complete the FAFSA.  The priority deadline for Mississippi is March 15th for campus-based aid.  For more information and to apply, please visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.   
3. Mississippi College Goal Sunday February 28th

Mississippi College Goal Sunday is a volunteer program that provides free information and assistance to students and families who are applying for financial aid for post secondary education.  College Goal Sunday will have experts available to assist with financial aid questions and to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and is open to any students.  The location for South Mississippi is at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Jefferson Davis Campus from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  To attend, you need to register and bring financial materials to complete your application.  For more information on this event including registration, please visit http://www.mscollegegoalsunday.org/index.php.

4. Succeeding in College and Work – Student Videos
You can watch actual videos of students with disabilities share their strategies on how to successfully stay in school, graduate and get a job.  Students reveal their struggles with self-reporting their disability and negotiating accommodations in school and at work.  To view these videos, please visit the New England ADA Center at http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/site/student_videos.
5. Wheelchair Athlete’s Back Flip Lands Him in Record Book
Aaron Fotheringham became a pioneer in wheelchair sports in late October 2008.  Aaron, who is diagnosed with spina bifida, has used a wheelchair since he was 13.  Before a crowd of more than 300 persons at Doc Romeo Park, he became the first person to complete a back flip while using a wheelchair, setting a Guinness World Record.  To read more about Aaron, see pics and see video, please visit http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/oct/31/wheelchair-athletes-back-flip-lands-him-record-boo/  or his Web site at http://www.aaronfotheringham.com/.
***PLEASE NOTE:  If you are unable to access any of the links in the Notes, please make sure the entire link is highlighted.  If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your Web browser.

Training, Resources and Information for the Advancement of Degrees (TRIAD) is a project of the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (GR# 90DN0228).  TRIAD focuses on assisting youth with disabilities transitioning from school to adult life in accessing postsecondary training opportunities.  For more information, call 1.888.671.0051 or visit IDS on the Web at www.usm.edu/ids.

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