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***** UpSide Weekly No. 41***** |
The MDSC 11th Annual Educator's Forum for Supporting Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities will be on the theme: "We Are All in This Together - Collaborating to Create Inclusive Schools".
The event, which will take place Wednesday, November 18, on the campus of Holy Cross College in Worcester, will feature workshop topics designed to provide teachers with tools and ideas to facilitate collaboration and planning for students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
The in-the-trenches perspective of our workshop presenters will highlight the goals, challenges and solutions to ongoing issues facing education professionals as they work with families to provide meaningful inclusive educational opportunities for students in all educational settings.
Discussion will focus on the unique issues related to inclusion programming in schools where standards-based student achievement and accountability play such a big role in our daily instruction.
Please Save the Date of November 18 and feel free to contact the MDSC at [email protected] or 781-221-0024 for more information!
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Jeanne Doherty has joined the MDSC staff as our Family Support Program Specialist.
Jeanne will be working closely with families whose children have Down syndrome and other special health care needs. She will provide helpful resources and support to families whose children are preparing for surgery, undergoing leukemia treatment, who have been diagnosed with Down syndrome and co-occurring autism, or who have other special needs. Jeanne will work closely with Sarah Cullen, our Family Support Director, to offer specialized supports and connections for families.
The MDSC and Boston Children's Hospital will continue to co-host our Complex Needs Support Group, which is open to all families experiencing special health care needs and concerns. The group meets quarterly in Waltham, and will be scheduling a September meeting soon.
Jeanne comes to the MDSC as the co-chair of the Down Syndrome Autism Connection, an MDSC affiliate. She is also the mother of three girls, including Jessica, who has Down syndrome and autism.
We are thrilled to welcome her to the team!
New Family Social on Saturday
Families of children with Down syndrome three years old and younger, as well as expectant families, are warmly invited to join our next New Family Social this Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. to Noon at our office building in Burlington.
Come meet other families and learn more about MDSC and helpful resources at this informal get-together with light refreshments! Siblings and Grandparents are invited as well!
WHERE: MDSC, 20 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA (01803) Lower Level Conference Room. RSVP to Sarah Cullen, [email protected] or by calling (781) 221-0024 x206
Out-of-State First Call Trainings
MDSC Family Support Director Sarah Cullen recently conducted two more trainings for programs trying to start of expand their own First Call Programs.
Sarah shared her expertise in building and growing the model Massachusetts-based First Call Program with the Piedmont Down Syndrome Support Network and the Triangle Down Syndrome Network, both in North Carolina, as well as the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin.
In total now, Sarah has traveled to conduct 15 trainings in 13 states sharing our model program with others to bolster their services.
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Buddy Walk Team
Join the Advocates in Motion's "AIM High for the Sky" Buddy Walk team, which will participate in our Buddy Walk & Family Festival on Oct. 11 in Wakefield. Any family with a child between 13-22 - whether you have been involved in AIM yet or not - can join the AIM High for the Sky. Go here to join.
Employment will be 2015-16 Theme
Next year's theme for our Advocates in Motion is decided: Employment! The MDSC is committed to helping individuals with Down syndrome throughout the lifespan to have opportunities to reach their full potential. Employment - which is also the focus of the Your Next Star public awareness campaign that the MDSC is readying to launch - is central to that goal. The AIM curriculum around the Employment theme is being developed.
The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress' AIM: Teen and Young Adult Program is for youth ages 13 to 22 and their families. They get together during the school year to have fun, meet peers, and learn new things! For more information, contact us at [email protected].
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On October 24, the MDSC will hold its very first adult conference in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital Down Syndrome Program on October 24th.
Titled "Growing up with Down Syndrome: Living a Longer, Healthier and Meaningful Life," the conference is specifically geared for adults with Down syndrome ages 22 and up, their family members and other supporters
The day will focus on empowering adults with Down syndrome ages 22 and up along with their families and support network to plan for a healthy and meaningful future.
Stay tuned for registration which will open in late summer!
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It was a magical start to our Buddy Walk season on July 26 at our 5th Buddy Walk by the Sea.
About 360 people with Down syndrome, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers, co-workers, and neighbors came together at Falmouth Marine Park to support our loved ones with Down syndrome.
Special guests included Self Advocate Ambassadors Carey Daly and Cynthia Goldberg; and legislators Congressman Bill Keating, Senator Vinny deMacedo, and Rep. David Vieira. Special thanks to event chairs Jessica and Brian Caprio, the Atlantic Ave. Band, event emcee Scott Lajoie, Marie Younger and the entire Planning Committee, photographer Kat Newland, and all our Team Captains, sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers.
Without your support the MDSC would not be able to offer our first-class range of programs, including Parents First Call, Advocates in Motion, Self Advocate Advisory Council, Annual Conference, Educators Forum, Allen Crocker Self-Advocate Internship Program and other education, advocacy and public awareness initiatives.
You're efforts help to make our mission a reality!
MORE BUDDY WALK BY THE SEA
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Buddy Walk & Harvest Fair - UxbridgeJoin more than 500 others on September 20 at River Bend Farm for this 3rd annual autumnal-themed event. The event brings over 500 people together to celebrate the Down syndrome community and support the important work of the MDSC. In addition to the 1-mile walk, the Buddy Walk & Harvest Fair features a raffle with tons of great prizes, a live performance by the band UP, field games by the fan-favorite Knucklebones, and a variety of other games and arts & crafts. REGISTER TODAY!
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Buddy Walk & Family Festival - Wakefield
Join our biggest fundraising and awareness event every year, our Buddy Walk & Family Festival. Now in it's 18th year, this celebration takes place on Sunday, Oct. 11, the perfect time to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month with family and friends.
It's a real party atmosphere with tons of activities for the kids (music making, face-painting, fire truck to climb) and a stage packed with acts throughout the day that are empowering and entertaining. For the second year, we'll have a variety of food trucks on site to give you a range of lunch options whenever you get hungry.
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Twenty-six runners are hitting the pavement day-in and day-out to train for the 7-mile Falmouth Road Race on August 16. These individuals are working hard not only for themselves, but to raise critical funds for people with Down syndrome. You can donate to their effort here. Just click "sponsor runner" and plug in their name. Or make a General Donation to support all our programs and services.
Danielle Athanasiadis of Lexington
George Athanasiadis of Lexington
Alison Boutiette of Reading
Fabiola Farrell of Worcester
Kimberly Forness of Stoughton
David Granfors of Holliston
Jennifer Graves of Topsfield
Nicholas Graves of Reading
Sam Graves of Topsfield
Stephen Hawley of Northampton
Emily LaMarca of Clinton
Eleanor Lawson
Caroline Ludwig of Barre
Rebecca Marcoux of Foxboro
Alison Marshall of Watertown
Christina Marshall of Boston
Alexandra Moore of Needham
Scott Paradis of Woburn
Christopher Petkewich of Leominster
Michael Pettinella of Grafton
Nick Pettinella of Milford
Mary-Kathryn Quinn of Stow
Ned Reichenbach of Newton
Danny Roads and Tommy Roads of Marblehead
Kyle Ross of Dartmouth
Chrystal Som of Stoneham
We can't say enough about these individuals, each of whom is raising critical funds for the MDSC and awareness about Down syndrome. You can read more about each of these competitors here.
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Joe Campagna - Youngest Player Ever to Play in Boston Bruins Alumni Hockey Game
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Sign up now to join the MDSC All Stars and you'll find yourself on November 22 at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough playing head-to-head against past Bruins greats like Terry O'Reilly, Bob Beers, Reggie Lemelin, Glen Featherstone, Kenny Hodge, Rick Middleton, Tom Songin, Bob Sweeney, and Andy Brickley. See the entire Bruins Alumni roster here.
The game is for ages 18+ with a few spots for 13-17 year olds. And the player who fundraises the most gets to be a Bruin for the day and play on their team!
For more information contact Development Director Becca Canavan at [email protected].
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Thanks Scott and EchoStor for your steadfast support!
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This spring and summer, the MDSC was lucky enough to have Ned Reichenbach of Newton serve as our Allen C. Crocker Self Advocate Intern. As you will read below in this letter from Ned, he was incredibly productive during his internship. Ned was also a true pleasure to work with - a consummate team member with a sharp sense of humor and a positive attitude. Thanks Ned!
"Throughout the past several months, the Allen C. Crocker Self-Advocate Internship has provided me with several opportunities to explore my interests, obtain new skills, and grow personally as I look toward the future. My excitement about participating as an intern has filled me with energy as I am able to get out of the house to I work at headquarters and travel to various events.
I chose to focus my internship on legislative advocacy and public speaking; the former due to a desire to learn more about the process of legislation and the latter due to a passion for public speaking rooted after having spoken at my elementary school graduation. The time I have spent as an intern has allowed me to pursue my goals in a number of unique and rewarding ways.
Over the course of my internship, I have made several public appearances at events with the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. In March, I was a keynote speaker at the MDSC Annual Conference in Worcester, where I shared my own story with teens and young adults participating there (photo above left). At the MDSC Eighth Annual Corporate Golf Tournament, I spoke to golfers and guests, including current players and alumni of the Boston Bruins, on the theme of employment. While at the Golf-a-thon, I was also interviewed by Dirty Water TV (photo above right)."
Read more about Ned's internship experience...
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