Family Network on Disabilities
In this issue...
Jan La Belle Scholarship
Academic and Family Engagement
Staff Bio...Sainvildor Numa Creole Outreach Specialist

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UPCOMING EVENTS


 

   News From the Heart

 November 2012

The Jan La Belle Scholarship Program

 

The cut-off date to submit applications for the 2012-2013 Jan La Belle Scholarship Program is fast approaching! Applications must be postmarked by November 15, 2012, to be considered! One or more scholarship winners will be selected for a total possible non-renewable award of up to $15,000. Award amounts are based on several factors, including available funds and number of eligible applicants.

 

Visit www.fndusa.org/scholarship for the application and additional information.

 

Eligibility requirements are:

 

  • Applicant must be an individual with a disability;
  • Applicant must be a Florida resident;
  • Applicant must be an individual 16 to 24 years of age who is entering as a first time student at any institution of higher learning, whether academic or vocational. 

The Jan La Belle Scholarship Program was established in 2009 to provide a financial resource to individuals with disabilities who desire to pursue their personal and career goals through attendance at a postsecondary institution.

 

Please contact Family Network on Disabilities at (727) 523-1130 or [email protected] for additional information.

 

Academic and Family Engagement Summit

 

FND's Parent Education Network hosted the first annual Family Engagement and Academic Summit in Palm Beach County on September 29, 2012. Over 60 families and professionals were welcomed by exhibitors including CARD, Palm Beach Schools PALS, and Autism Speaks. Speakers included Palm Beach County's new ESE Director, Will Gordillo. IEP Clinics were provided for families and lunch was provided by the ARC of Palm Beach County. Free childcare was provided and at the end of the day, FND gave backpacks filled with school applies to all of the children who attended.

 

       Thank you to everyone who participated! We look forward to next year's Summit!

 

 

 

  

Staff Bio      

Creole Outreach Specialist  

 

 

 

Sainvildor Numa is a US citizen originally from Haiti. He is married and has two beautiful girls. Mr. Numa speaks and writes four languages.   He has been working in the US school system since 2001 and for FND since 2007. As he was providing translation services and workshops on many educational topics to Haitian and Hispanic parents in Collier County Public Schools, a co-worker introduced him to FND. After a meeting in which Mr. Numa was shown the resources that FND had at that time, he began thinking about those vital resources which parents whose children might be at-risk or have special needs could use to find help. He realized that lots of parents and professionals do not know how and where to find essential information or supports to start breathing the air of hope to assist their children.

 

Next, with a passion to share FND's important resources to the community, he began doing workshops in Collier County Schools and in others counties around the state. He has traveled from coast to coast in Florida to provide FND's resources to families in need. He encourages all of us to take the time to learn something new from these important resources because if you do, you might be the one who can guide someone else to find help when assisting a loved one with a disability.

 

Personally, Mr. Numa says that FND has taught him how to assist his own family in many areas, such as using positive behavior supports, knowing his rights and responsibilities, and being caring of people with disabilities. It has also given him an understanding that children with disabilities do not choose to behave badly or to act out but are forced to do so as the disability governs their actions.

 

Mr. Numa is working on his AS degrees in Computer Programming Analysis, Networking Services Technology, and Internet Programming Technology. His favorite hobby is playing the guitar.

 

          Mr.Numa encourages us not to get discouraged by language barriers, personal needs, or environmental obstacles. Those difficulties can be overcome through persistence, effort, and the support of others.

 

 


 

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