February 1, 2007
Are you considering being a volunteer at the 2007 Youth Leadership Forum? Well, act now and send in your application! The deadline for volunteer applications is this Friday, February 2. We are still looking for committed, enthusiastic people who are willing to devote a week to this great program. Do you have the skills and passion to facilitate groups and motivate youth with disabilities? Then consider serving as a volunteer at our upcoming YLF to be held in June. The goal of all facilitators is to empower and support each delegate as they discover inner strengths and abilities as individuals and as members of a group. Volunteers are assigned to work with a small group throughout the week. They also interact with the large group during many activities. Volunteers must stay on campus for the duration of the week that YLF is taking place. All potential volunteers must fill out our application form, along with two background checks. See attachments for these forms. For more information on the YLF, please visit our YLF site at www.ksylf.org.
Each year, the KS Youth Leadership Forum selects an Outstanding Youth Leader of the Year. This award recognizes leadership skills in youth with disabilities and is given out to an alumni of the KSYLF. The following are requirements to receive this award (each nominee must meet one or more of these requirements):
As some of you may know, last April we lost one of our most fervent supporters of YLF and believer in the disability community. Justin Cosco, YLF Alumni 2001, died from complications of a seizure. Justin was a huge supporter of YLF and always made a commitment to promote our program and support his peers in the disability community. Over the holidays, we received a Christmas card from Justin’s mother with a check for $100. She said “Justin loved the Youth Leadership Forum. Please use the enclosed check for the program.” This act of kindness got us thinking- what if we could do something with this $100 that would capture the spirit of Justin and what he believed in? This contribution has led us to issue a “play it forward” challenge to raise matching funds for a Justin Cosco Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will be awarded annually at the YLF Mentor Luncheon to the youth receiving the Outstanding Youth Leader of the Year Award. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship fund, please mail checks or dollars to:
Do you have some good news that you would like to share? Please send it to Carrie at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
All KYEA board meetings are open to the public, but attendees do not have voting rights during the meeting.
The Coalition for Independence is currently searching for young adults who are interested in participating in their program called Youth Empowering Themselves (YET). This is a peer group that meets twice a month and is open to youth with disabilities who are juniors or seniors in high school or anyone up to age 21. By providing a framework of history and an atmosphere of encouragement, YET offers peers with common challenges and experiences the opportunity to learn from each other. Participants gain access to vital resources related to assistive technology, community supports, and civil rights. The program features speakers, films, and group discussion. YET meets from 4 - 6 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month and will start on February 14. If you are in the Kansas City area and would like to participate in Youth Empowering Themselves, please contact Mary Carter at 913-321-5140 ext. 109 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
The months of February, March, and April are always exciting months in the disability community of Kansas! The legislators are hard at work in the Capital and advocates are out in full force. So get your transportation ready and we encourage all of you to attend at least one of the following advocacy events in the coming months! And don’t forget to stop by the KYEA office when you are in the capital city. All events below will be held at the State Capital. See below for important dates:
Feb. 14: Interhab Day at the Capital
Youth leaders set to gather for National Transit Talk
Young adults with disabilities will have their voice heard when it comes to public transportation, and you can be a part of it! The Center for Independent Living in Berkeley is hosting a National Youth Transit Talk to be held July 27-28, 2007 in Washington, DC. Participants will discuss how to improve access to public transit. Young leaders with disabilities will have a chance to network with national leaders and public officials, and other active young leaders from across the country. This Talk is part of an ongoing effort to bring together transit system providers and the disability community. Adding young voices to this talk will give youth a chance to share their experience and ideas on how to improve access to public transit. Transit system providers include bus, motor coaches, paratransit, rail and taxis.
Young Leaders will:
o Discover how to work within their community. o Find out how to identify and resolve local transit issues. o Learn transit rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). o Share ideas for improving access to public transit. o Network with past and future leaders from across the country.
Who Can Attend?
o Forty young leaders with disabilities o Ages 16 to 28 o Youth who have an interest in improving access to public transit
To apply, you must fill out a request form by visiting www.cilberkeley.org/youthtalk/index.html. All requests must be received by March 1, 2007. For more information, contact Bill or Rory at
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or 866-496-1001
It has been named the largest gathering of youth who are blind ever! The National Federation of the Blind of Kansas would like to send at least two participants from Kansas to the Youth Slam. The Youth Slam is a leadership academy for youth who are blind or visually impaired. The purpose is to expose them to career opportunities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Two hundred students who are blind or have low vision will participate in this four-day academy designed to engage and inspire the next generation to consider careers falsely believed to be impossible for the blind. While staying at John Hopkins University, youth will be mentored by role models during fun and challenging activities meant to build confidence and increase science literacy. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend various social events and workshops on topics such as leadership, career preparation, and blindness. Youth Slam will be held in Baltimore, Maryland from July 30 – August 4, 2007. To attend, you must be blind or have a visual impairment and you must be either entering high school in the fall of 2007, already be in high school, or be graduating in the spring 2007. Applications are due April 1, 2007. For more information, please visit www.blindscience.org/ncbys/Youth_Slam.asp?SnID=31542471. If you would like to be one of the Kansas representatives to attend the Youth Slam, please contact Tom Page at 316-267-7868 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
MIUSA is currently accepting applications from young people with disabilities to take part in an international exchange program June 20 – July 5, 2007 to Costa Rica. This program is entitled the US/Costa Rica: Youth Leadership and Cross Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Exchange Program. First time travelers with disabilities between the ages of 18 – 24 years old who are from cultural minority backgrounds or of low socioeconomic status are strongly encouraged to apply. MIUSA exchange programs are inclusive of people who are Deaf and hard of hearing, or have cognitive, visual, physical, psychiatric, systemic, non-apparent, or other types of disabilities. MIUSA will provide appropriate accommodations to each qualified participant with a disability, including ASL interpretation and alternative formats. This is a great opportunity to explore Costa Rica with 12 other emerging leaders with and without disabilities. This is a cross-cultural and cross-disability exchange program. Become an ambassador of disability pride by sharing cross-cultural disability perspectives with members of the local community! Develop leadership skills, build self-confidence, make friends, and learn Spanish! Experience Costa Rican culture, food and customs by living with a host family. This whole experience can be yours if you apply now! Application materials can be found at www.miusa.org/exchange. Scholarships are also available. The application deadline is March 2, 2007. For more information, contact Jena Price at 541-343-1284 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
Would you like to connect with other individuals with Spina Bifida? Then join this tele-program entitled “Setting Your Sight For the Future: Strategies to Get What You Need and Most of What You Want!” You can participate in this program from the convenience of your own home. Join this telephone community for 1 hour a week for 9 weeks and discuss topics and learn strategies that will propel you into the future! What you will gain by participating:
The winter session start date is February 5. For more information, contact Sharon Sellet at 513-467-9292 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
Wells Fargo’s Technology Information Group (TIG) is actively recruiting people with disabilities for their TIG Leadership Development Program. This is a great opportunity for someone who is graduating college and thinking about going into management at a big company. The focus is on learning about the primary technology functions and processes within TIG, including application development, architecture, information security, networking, enterprise hosting and other infrastructure groups. The program is open to undergraduates who are willing to relocate to Minneapolis, Phoenix or San Francisco. For information, visit www.wellsfargo.com/careers/undergraduates/fulltime/technology/. Resumes will be accepted through March 2007.
The American Council of the Blind is currently issuing a petition for all currency (or money) to be accessible for all people. They are working hard to ensure that all people who are blind or visually impaired using United States currency have the same level of access to information about that currency as those who are sighted. If this issue is important to you and you believe in what ACB is stating, then you can now make your opinion known. To sign the ACB petition on accessible currency, visit the following website: www.money4all.info.
A bill will be introduced in the legislature in the coming weeks entitled “Promoting Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007.” This bill will ensure that all medical diagnostic equipment is accessible for people with disabilities and will create grants to help fund health programs that focus on individuals with disabilities. Also, this legislation requires all medical and dental schools to increase their training on providing care to people with a variety of disabilities. In order to get this bill passed, the National Council on Independent Living needs your stories related to medical experiences. If you have ever been denied diagnostic medical testing or ran into barriers while getting a mammogram, an x-ray, or getting on an examination table in a physicians office because of your disability, NCIL needs to know about it! All stories will be presented to the legislature when the bill is introduced. If you have a story to share, please send it to Elizabeth Leef at 1710 Rhode Island Ave, NW, 5th Floor Washington, DC 20036, or e-mail your story to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
If we were to look ahead to December 31, 2007 and you were able to say, "Delta Airlines really improved their service to customers with disabilities this year,” what would the airline have done to receive your confident response? This is exactly the question that David Martin, Senior Specialist on Disabilities at Delta Airlines, is asking the disability community. David wants to ensure that programs, training, and decision making reflects what customers with disabilities need from airlines in order for travel to be truly accessible. If you have comments, feedback, or suggestions on this topic, please send your response to David Martin at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
Assistive technology gives individuals, particularly those with disabilities, the freedom to explore the possibilities of work, school, and home, and helps to ensure that all individuals who want to work can find a job. It is especially important for youth with disabilities as we explore our independent living options. These modern technologies make the world more accessible, yet they are often unattainable to the people who need them, but cannot afford them. So, why not recycle? The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has recently published a brochure on how to recycle assistive technology that is no longer needed. OSERS states that: “The reuse of assistive technology devices is an important and practical way to meet the needs of so many who would otherwise go without or who could benefit from higher-level devices. Reusing AT provides devices to people who need them, saves resources, benefits taxpayers, prevents waste, decreases health risks, helps people maintain their level of care and builds confidence in the system. Recycling and reuse of assistive technology just makes common sense.” To view this brochure and learn how you can recycle your assistive technology, view the brochure at www.ed.gov/programs/atsg/at-reuse.pdf.
Do you enjoy creating new technologies and equipment? Do you have a great idea that could win a cash prize? The RERC-ACT Center is currently awarding three prizes to undergraduate students who create an innovative assistive technology for people with cognitive disabilities. Students must successfully create a prototype of a new assistive technology/tool that enables people with cognitive disabilities to accomplish activities of daily living more effectively and independently. The prizes are as follows: First prize- $5,000, Second prize- $2400, and Third prize- $1200. To be in the running for one of these awards, you must first submit a letter of intent by Thursday, Feb. 1 and then send in your prototype by Friday, June 1. For submission instructions and more information, follow the link to the Student Research Competition at www.rerc-act.org.
The White House is currently offering internship opportunities for energetic and highly-qualified individuals. Could this be you? The White House Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity to serve our President and explore public service. Officials are seeking exceptional candidates to apply for this highly competitive program. In addition to typical office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, tours, and complete an intern service project. Interns may serve a term in the Fall, Spring, or Summer. Every candidate must be a United States citizen, must be enrolled in a college or university, and be at least 18 years of age. Strong applications exhibit:
If you think that you fit the above description and would like to apply for an internship position in the White House, please visit www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html. Applications should be submitted to Karen Race, Deputy Director and Intern Coordinator, White House Personnel, at
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on or before the following deadlines:
Do you enjoy reading our KYEA monthly e-newsletter? Then check out this other great national newsletter written by your peers- young adult advocates with disabilities. The Riot! is a newsletter for “self-advocates.” A self-advocate is somebody who has a disability and speaks up for themselves. Are you a self-advocate? If you are, then The Riot! is for YOU! This newsletter is published four times each year and it’s completely free. All you have to do is visit their website and sign up to receive the newsletter by email. To view the latest issue, visit The Riot! website at www.theriotrocks.org. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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