Movin' On in Montana Summer
Campus Experience
Pre-ETS Activity: Movin' On in Montana summer camp: Introduction to College Life on The University of Montana (UM) Campus.
Partners: Bronwyn Troutman, Project Manager for Movin' On in Montana, UM Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities (RIIC).
Students: 28 students participated in the two camps offered during the 2016 summer. (48 total since its inception in 2015.) They ranged in age from 14 to 19 years old. Acceptance was established on a first-come, first-served basis. Students were not required to provide proof of disability in order to participate, but all of the participants disclosed having an IEP (Individualized Education Program). Recruitment efforts targeted populations with disabilities through Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services (VRBS) counselors, special and resource education teachers and high school transition fairs. Several Montana towns were represented at the camp including: Missoula, Hamilton, Florence, Clinton, Helena, Great Falls, Whitehall, Laurel, Whitefish, Darby, Billings, Arlee and Rexford.
Pre-ETS Areas Addressed: Counseling on Opportunities for Enrollment in Post-Secondary Education; Job Exploration Counseling; Workplace Readiness; and Instruction in Self-Advocacy.
Bronwyn Troutman, the project manager for the program, was asked by Marty Blair of the RIIC to create a comprehensive summer campus experience which would provide high school students with a fun and educational glimpse into the collegiate world. The UM Disability Services for Students had offered transition camps in the past, but funding was insufficient to maintain the initiative. Bronwyn extensively researched transition programs across the country and designed Movin' On in Montana, which debuted in 2015. Demand was so high that the camp was offered in two four-day sessions during the summer of 2016.
Participants in the camp had the opportunity to get a feel for the whole college experience. The students lived on campus in an accessible dormitory. They enjoyed their meals in the campus cafeteria; attended a biology lecture with a lab component; toured the main campus, as well as the Missoula College vocational school; and discussed the differences between four-year and technical degrees. Camp organizers acknowledge that socialization is a crucial component of a well-rounded college experience. Therefore, participants enjoyed a number of structured recreational activities including a river float, a chance to watch the Missoula Osprey baseball team play, and the opportunity to enjoy the best pizza and ice cream Missoula has to offer. In addition to all the fun, participants were informed about the resources and opportunities available to those with disabilities. Amy Capolupo, the director of UM's Disability Services for Students, gave a talk to campers and their parents on the first day regarding the laws surrounding the Americans with Disabilities Act and the rights of people with disabilities on a college campus. VRBS was present to discuss how their agency can assist in the pursuit of higher education.
Students practiced advocating for their needs and learned how to request accommodations for college resources. The campers visited MonTECH at the Rural Institute for a hands-on demonstration of various assistive technology options. Many of the students had never heard of assistive technology and were surprised to learn that tools existed which could benefit them significantly. Additionally, students attended an informal panel held by current college students and recent graduates who have disabilities. The campers were allowed to ask questions and gain first-hand wisdom from those who had traversed college with a disability. On the last day of camp, the students were given an opportunity to create their own transition plan which they could bring to their IEP or 504 meeting. Many essential areas were covered during this short camp, and the students left with a clear idea of what college was like and armed with the confidence that they could do it, too.
Funding: Movin' On in Montana is funded in whole by Pre-ETS dollars as a special project. Areas of funding include the wages of Bronwyn, the camp assistants, the night staff at the dormitory, and the activities, food, and lodging for the campers. Students attend the camp free of charge, thanks to this funding.
Benefits of the Activity: The students were the main beneficiaries of this program. They will graduate from or return to high school with a greater understanding of what higher education looks like. Students were assisted in the process of creating transition plans so that they might move forward with their high school education with goals in mind regarding what they hope to achieve upon graduation. Additionally, the camp offers students the self-advocacy tools necessary in all walks of life, both in a classroom and beyond. Thanks to the participation of staff and mentors with disabilities, the students left the camp with the understanding that a disability need not pose an insurmountable barrier to education. This program creates a model for other campuses to emulate. In fact, Movin' On in Montana is hitting the road next year and will be held in Billings in hopes of reaching a greater swath of Montana's students. Movin' On in Montana will take place on both UM and MSU Billings campuses in 2017.
Recommendations for Other Schools: Bronwyn hopes that Movin' On in Montana will find a home on every campus across the state and that every student who wants to, will have a chance to explore the often shrouded world of post-secondary education. She was very clear that as other schools replicate or borrow from this model they must be conscious of the need to include people with disabilities in every step of the process. Movin' On in Montana is about socialization and fun, but it also is about success and empowerment. How genuine is a program centered on people with disabilities which employs none of this population? Bronwyn was proud of her program, because she made sure that the voices of people with disabilities were reflected at all levels. Her other advice is to make sure that service providers who work with students with disabilities have high expectations of the students. She believes in encouraging young people with disabilities to dream big and explore opportunities in post-secondary training and educational opportunities. Ideally, VRBS counselors who work in Montana high schools will identify and refer students who could benefit from this program.
Final Thoughts: Even though recruiting was challenging and there were several no-shows, Bronwyn was happy at the turnout for both summer camps this year. The students entered the program with varied levels of confidence that higher education was for them. Often, students with IEPs are not encouraged to pursue any sort of post-secondary curricula. After the camp, attitudes were utterly transformed. All of the students remarked that they were interested in some form of education following their graduation from high school. In the interim since camp's end, Bronwyn has been in touch with a student who has enrolled in a four-year program. At the beginning of the camp, he was unfamiliar with college student resources, but is now connected to many services including VRBS. He has figured out transportation to and from class and has begun asking for accommodations. Movin' On in Montana is currently tracking participants and it will be exciting to find out where these students end up after high school.
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