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The Florida Grantor, Spring 2002

FGA Update

WRP Database of Students Seeking Employment Now Available

The Office of Disability Employment Policy's Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) 2002 database is now available through The Able Trust/FGA. The WRP 2002 database on CD-ROM contains information on over 1,800 qualified, motivated, job ready college students with disabilities. To obtain a copy of the CD-Rom, call Kristen Knapp, APR, at 888.838.2253 or email kristen@abletrust.org.

The Able Trust and BLN Host Ticket to Work Seminars for Employers

On February 26 and 28, 2002, The Able Trust hosted two regional seminars to address the new Ticket to Work legislation and how it impacts employers. The seminars were held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex in Cocoa and in Tallahassee respectively. The seminars were part of an effort to educate Florida employers through the Business Leadership Network (BLN), a membership-based program for employers sponsored by The Able Trust.

Both seminars were free and attracted over sixty employers. In addition to a Ticket to Work overview presented by Capstone Consulting Group, each seminar featured a panel of employers who provided testimonials about the benefits, as well as "how to's" on hiring people with disabilities.

Special thanks to seminar participants Sharon Williams, Space Coast BLN Regional Chair, Laurie Hallman and Linda Alstot of WalMart, Eric Witcher of Delaware North Parks Service, Sharon Ofuani of the City of Tallahassee, Emerson Flowers of the Tallahassee Mall and Kevin Patterson of Target Stores. The Able Trust would also like to thank Community Partners for Employment for helping to underwrite the Cocoa seminar breakfast.

To keep up to date about upcoming BLN activities, visit The Able Trust website at www.abletrust.org.

NOD Finds People with Disabilities Still Behind on Internet Usage

A Harris poll released in January noted that people with disabilities still lag behind other Americans in use of the Internet - but they're catching up. "In 2001, about thirty-eight percent of adults with disabilities used the Internet at home, more than five times the seven percent who were online in late 1998. Over the same period, use among the non-disabled doubled from twenty-six to fifty-six percent," says the National Organization on Disability (NOD), who commissioned the survey.

Among those with disabilities, people with vision or hearing disabilities were most likely to use the Internet at home (43 percent), followed by people with learning or cognitive disabilities (39 percent), and people with mobility and movement impairments (35 percent), the survey found. If its growth among people with disabilities continues at the current rate, Internet usage among people with disabilities "should match the rate of other users in a few years," said NOD Senior Research Advisor Gerry Hendershot. More on the survey can be found on the NOD website at www.nod.org.

Venice, Florida Wins Accessible America Contest

Venice, Florida, was recently awarded the National Organization on Disabilities first annual Accessible America contest by the National Organization on Disability. Venice, which won over 64 other entries, will receive an award of $25,000, which will be used to further the inclusion of people with disabilities in Venice community life. More information is available at www.nod.org.

Project Interact Brings High School/High Tech Students to Kennedy Space Center

On February 18, 2002, approximately fifty students with disabilities from Brevard County and Orlando area high schools gathered at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to kick off "Project Interact", a new component to The Able Trust's Florida High School/High Tech program that is implemented by Delaware North Parks Services of Spaceport, Inc. Students met with Astronaut Sam Durrance and had an opportunity to discuss various topics related to careers in science and technology, as well as tour the Visitor Complex.

Through June 2002, more than 250 students from throughout Florida will participate in Project Interact at the Visitor Complex. The program is designed to offer students with disabilities in grades 9-12 a field trip opportunity in which they will participate in a guest speakers' program, job-shadow professionals in various fields of expertise, and learn more about summer internship and full-time career opportunities in high tech fields. During their field trip experience, the students will also enjoy the KSC Tour and various Visitor Complex films, exhibits and shows.

Project Interact is a component of High School/High Tech, made possible through a $259,000 grant that was recently awarded by the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), through the State of Florida, to Delaware North Parks Services of Spaceport, Inc., (DNPSS), operator of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex .

For more information about Florida High School/High Tech or Project Interact, contact Donna Mundy, Florida Project Director, at 321.631.5047 or flhsht@aol.com or Jennifer Skaja at DNPSS at 321.449.4364.

Students Selected for Third Annual Youth Leadership Forum

Fifty-three high school juniors and seniors with disabilities from around Florida have been selected by The Able Trust for Florida's third annual Youth Leadership Forum (YLF), a statewide leadership conference set to take place in Tallahassee from July 25 through 28, 2002.

Students competed and were chosen as delegates for their demonstrated leadership potential and involvement in their school and community. The following delegates will represent their community at YLF 2002:

Jamie Bailey - Woodland Hall Academy,
Kami Bell - Brandon High School,
Stephen Belsky II - First Coast High School,
Garrett Boles - Palm Harbor University High School,
Kaisha Branch - Cypress Creek High School,
Matthew Burke - Citrus High School,
Angela Buttrick - Belleview High School,
Andrew Canary - Booker High School,
Karen DeVault - Pace High School,
Kate Dubisky - Boca Raton Community High School,
Darren Ebersole - William T Dwyer High School,
Joshua Edwards - Armwood High School,
Lindsey Eppes - Lawton Chiles High School,
Rebecca Hartman - Hawthorne High School,
Jennifer Heller - Lakeland Senior High School,
Adria Hickson - Port Charlotte High School,
James Hitt - Vanguard High School,
Jennifer Jacques - Lawton Chiles High School,
Glenford James - Palmetto Senior High School,
Stephanie Johns - Palatka High School,
Taylor Jordan - Jackson Academy and Applied Technology,
Christian Linzy - Colonial High School,
Laketa Mann - Eastside High School,
Nneka Miller - Palmetto Senior High School,
Adam Miranda - Palmetto Senior High School,
Tasknee Mitchell - King Senior High School,
Martin Mojica - Lakeland High School,
Maverick Montgomery - Cypress Creek High School,
Robert Murphy - Taylor County High School,
Shayla Nelson - Palm Beach Lakes High School,
Phillip Parris - University High School,
Delaney Pawless - Escambia High School,
Summer Peavy - Largo High School,
Kenneth Ray - Ridgeview High School,
Steven Robbins - American School of Correspondence,
Sarah Russell - Crescent City High School,
Tavarus Ruth - Lakeland Senior High School,
Jenna Schilsky - New Smyrna Beach High School,
Sheri Siegel - Manatee High School,
Todd Simon - Vangard High School,
Gena Steen - Booker High School,
Danielle Stephens - Terry Parker High School,
Trenton Stryker - Lakewood Ranch High School,
Candice Swift - Rockledge High School,
Laura Ulloa - South Dade Senior High School,
Kaevin Wade - St. Lucie West Centennial High School,
Evan Wainwright - Citrus High School,
Katie Wall - Lawton Chiles High School,
Steve Wallis - Colonial High School,
Mary Wells - Spruce Creek High School,
Douglas Winter - Tampa Bay Technical High School and
Donita Wright - Dixie Co. High School.

Delegates will explore personal leadership and career plans, social, artistic and recreational activities. Guest speakers will address self-advocacy, academic opportunities, independent living and community resources.

The goal of the YLF is to develop a network of young adults with disabilities who realize their ability to pursue meaningful employment and societal contributions, while helping break down the barriers to independence for people with disabilities.

The Able Trust and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council sponsor the YLF. All costs for student participation, including travel to and from the forum, housing and meals, are paid for through corporate sponsors.

For more information about YLF, contact Kristen Knapp, APR, at 888-838-2253 V/TDD or kristen@abletrust.org.