Institute for Disability Studies
Youth Notes Special Edition
June 2009

Welcome to the latest special 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. Southern Miss Preview Orientation Dates
2. New Volunteer Web site
3. Down Syndrome Focused Enrichment Fund
4. Scholarships, Scholarships and More Scholarships
5. Photography and Art Competitions

1.  Southern Miss Preview Orientation Dates

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Office of the First Year Experience has announced Preview dates for new students for the fall 2009 semester.  These Preview dates are for college freshmen or any student transferring to USM.  Preview days given students a chance to meet other students, faculty, staff and advisers.  The fall Preview sessions include June 21-22 (Freshmen), June 25 (Transfers), June 29-30 (Freshmen), July 2 (Transfers), July 9 (Non-traditional), July 12-13 (Freshmen) and July 16 (Transfers).  To learn more about Preview or to register for a Preview session, call 601.266.6405 or visit www.usm.edu/fye.

2. New Volunteer Web site

The Serve.gov Web site was launched after President Obama signed the Serve America Act on April 21st. This Web site provides a place for Americans to finds ways to serve in their own communities.  For more information about volunteering opportunities, please visit www.serve.gov.   

3. Down Syndrome Focused Enrichment Fund

The Joshua O'Neill and Zeshan Tabani Enrichment Fund offers financial assistance to young adults with Down syndrome who wish to enrich their lives by enrolling in postsecondary programs or taking classes that will help them gain employment, independent living skills, life skills, or others. A total of up to 5 grants will be awarded with each not exceeding $1,000 for tuition expenses.  The deadline for this assistance is July 17, 2009.  To learn more about this opportunity, please visit http://tinyurl.com/cjyo27

4. Scholarships, Scholarships and More Scholarships

The following Web sites feature numerous scholarships opportunities for students with disabilities.  There are opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and vocational studies.  To research scholarships, please visit Disabilityinfo.Gov at http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=84, Scholarships4Students.com at http://www.scholarships4students.com/special_scholarships.htm and Project Vision at http://www.proyectovision.net/english/opportunities/scholarships.html.

5. Photography and Art Competitions

Adobe Youth Voices and What Kids Can Do invite  are inviting youth, ages 12-19, to submit photographs based on the theme of “Crisis and Hope.” The photographs will allow the youth to express themselves on what is challenging and what gives hope in today’s difficult world. Winning photographs will be showcased online, in a traveling exhibit, and in a book. The deadline is July 31, 2009.  For more information, please visit http://www.wkcd.org/AYV_Photo_Competition/Home_.html.

The VSA Arts and Volkswagen have announced an art competition for artists between the ages of 16 and 25 who are living in the United States and have a physical, cognitive, mental or sensory disability.  All submissions must be originals works of arts within the last three years and after the onset of disability.  Eligible media include, but are not limited to, paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil or charcoal), fine  art prints, photography, computer-generated prints, digital art  and time-based media (video, film). Work must have a visual component. Both representational and abstract works are welcomed.  The deadline to submit is June 19, 2009.  The awards are 1st prize: $20,000, 2nd prize: $10,000 and 3rd prize: $6,000. For more information, please contact Kay Pauquette at (518) 359-2962 or visit http://www.vsarts.org/PreBuilt/showcase/gallery/exhibits/vw/current/ .

***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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