Join us for a Webinar on May 26, 2015
1:00-2:30 PM Mountain Daylight Time

So You Want to Go to College?

Space is limited. There is no cost to register.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5722299781374290689

If you are unable to attend on the scheduled date or if registration closes because the session is full, the Webinar will be recorded and archived to the Transition and Employment Projects website.

Postsecondary education (college, university, trade school, etc.) is an exciting way to learn new information, see different places, make new friends, and build your employment skills and connections. Attend this webinar to hear how young adults from the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council used accommodations and resources (like Disability Services) to succeed at their postsecondary experiences.

There will be time allotted for audience members to ask questions of the presenters.

Presenters:

Sierra Lode learned to use augmentative/alternative communication at the age of three and that enabled her to be competitive in the educational setting despite her quadriplegia and inability to communicate verbally. Through her sheer tenacity she achieved an Associate of Arts Degree in 2012 from the University of Montana College of Technology at the age of 28. Sierra is an advocate for youth with disabilities, serving on the University of Montana Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council. She was a delegate at the first Montana Youth Leadership Forum in 2000 and continued to support the Forum as a volunteer for the next 10 years. Sierra was appointed to the National Youth Leadership Network in 2002 in Washington, D.C., and appointed to the National Youth Leadership Network Advanced Institute in 2005. Sierra was awarded the 2005 Emerging Leader Award from the Montana Center on Disabilities at Montana State University. She works part-time as a peer advocate for Summit Independent Living Center in Missoula. Sierra has given numerous volunteer presentations advocating for youth with disabilities, and she is currently in the process of pursuing her career by developing a business plan that will put her "on the road" as a motivational speaker.

Mathalia Stroethoff has served on the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Board since 2010. She has participated in a variety of work groups, including the Assistive Technology, Portfolio, and Emerging Leader groups. Mathalia has presented in various venues, such as the Montana Council for Exceptional Children conference, Montana Youth in Transition conferences and in several classrooms around Missoula. She completed her high school education at Missoula's Big Sky High School in June 2013. Mathalia is active in the Missoula Aquatic Club swimming. During her school years, she was part of the Big Sky/ Loyola High School Swim Team. She also played in her school orchestra and at various recitals around town. Mathalia works at Prudential Missoula Properties and is employed by The Writing Center at the University of Montana. In her spare time, she makes pot holders to keep up with the demand for the product of her small business. She sells wholesale to seven businesses in Missoula and retail at Missoula Saturday Market and the University-Center Art Fairs. For her Senior Project she explored the fiber arts hoping to find another product she could make and market. Mathalia is learning to spin wool into yarn, to weave rugs on a four-harness floor loom, and other skills such as Australian locker hooking and knitting.

Danielle Dorman was born in Whitefish, Montana in 1990. She graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 2008 and took courses at Flathead Valley Community College from 2008 to 2010. Danielle has received several awards, starting in 1998 when she was selected as a spokesperson for Montana and was sent on all-expense-paid trips to Washington, DC and Orlando, Florida. She has been part of Special Olympics for 15 years and has won more than 54 medals in Basketball, Skiing, Track & Field Events, Kayaking, and Cycling. When Danielle was in high school, she lettered in Cross Country and Dance and Drill Team. Danielle has held several jobs and volunteer positions in her community. She is an active member of the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council, serving on numerous work groups, creating a Facebook page for the council, acting as the official photographer at meetings and conferences, and co-presenting at workshops with other members.

Theresa Baldry is a parent of six children, including a son with a disability. Her belief that "knowledge is power" has directed her areas of employment in the disability field. She has worked for PLUK, Parents Let's Unite for Kids, since 2001 and is a member of the Leadership Team. Technology has played a key role in her son's life and as his primary support for the last 20 years, she has needed to stay in front of what he has wanted that technology to do. She began working for MonTECH in October 2012 to share what they have learned over the years. She is a certified trainer for Proloquo2Go, a communication app. As a parent, she currently serves on the State of Montana Special Education Advisory Panel. She volunteers with Special Olympics on projects of interest. Theresa has been a member of the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council since 2010 and has presented at numerous conferences and webinars as a Council member.

Kim Brown, BSW, MSW, RSW, has worked at vocational programs and group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illnesses, a nursing home for the elderly and people with severe physical disabilities, and a psychiatric hospital for children. She spent 11 years with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in the public assistance arena. In 2001, Kim was hired by the Bitterroot Valley Education Cooperative to provide children's mental health services. She joined the University of Montana Rural Institute in July 2003. She currently serves as Project Coordinator for the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council and Co-Director for the Children's Special Health Services Transition Project, telecommuting and providing distance education from her home in Canada. Kim lectures and consults nationally and internationally on transition and customized employment. She has taught both on-campus and online undergraduate-level social work classes in the United States and Canada. In addition, Kim is a Crisis Counselor/Mental Health Counselor with the Pender Islands Health Care Society and is a founding partner of the Healthy Reflections Eating Disorders web site.

Title:	So You Want to Go to College?
Date:	Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Time:	1:00 PM - 2:30 PM MDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

One hour of Montana Office of Public Instruction renewal credit is available and may be requested at registration. (You MUST register and attend the full training to receive OPI credit.)

The University of Montana provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who request and require them. Please contact Kim Brown for information. If you will be using a screen reader for this presentation, please notify Kim by Friday, May 22nd.

This project is funded in whole or in part under a contract with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The statements herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department.