Want the K.E.Y.S. to a successful program? Take a spin with us to learn about a successful program model that addresses the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities in your community while meeting their interests and the goals of your organization. Get ready to drive to success using these K.E.Y.S.!

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner, Intermediate

Presenter: Katelin Colón, CTRS, is the Therapeutic Recreation Specialist for the City of Miami, Department of Parks and Recreation’s Disabilities Division located at the Sandra DeLucca Developmental Center. Katelin is responsible for overseeing the efforts made for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the parks and aquatics programs as well as inclusionary training for the department. She is passionate about the field of therapeutic recreation and hopes to increase advocacy and improve the service delivery of programs one step at a time! She loves spending time at the beach with her husband, Jon, and dog, Nena.

Inclusion is the intentional and systematic work we do every day, planning for the success of all. Camp and Recreation Programs are facing ever changing demands to keep up with the requirements set forth to ensure the health and safety of their community. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that Inclusion Is NOT Cancelled, by taking the steps to ensure ALL are welcomed, engaged and supported during these challenging times, especially those with disabilities.

You’ll learn that Inclusion strategies are good for ALL and embracing these strategies will not only be beneficial to children with disabilities, but also builds a positive camp or recreation culture as we recognize that ALL your participants (and staff) may be experiencing effects of the current global pandemic and resulting isolation and uncertainty.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenter: Lisa Drennan has a 36-year career supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be active and engaged within their community. At New England Village in Pembroke, MA, she gained experience in working as a Direct Support Worker and eventually as the Director of The Sollar Wellness Center specifically designed for this population. In 2014, she joined the South Shore YMCA as the first-ever Association Director of Inclusion, creating innovative programs and comprehensive staff trainings to build a culture of inclusion. In 2018 Lisa started her company, MERGE Inclusion Consulting where she provides consultation, staff training and systems implementation to community entities committed to recreation, sport and social program inclusion.

Learning about inclusion strategies is an important step in your inclusion initiative. Implementation and creating “buy-in” from your team is crucial in creating sustainable practices that turn into culture Let’s take the Inclusion Strategies learned in Part 1 and practice them through small group exercises. Wrap it all together by solving inclusion scenarios that typically occur in camp/rec settings. (NOTE: participation first in part 1 is highly encouraged.)

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenter: Lisa Drennan has a 36-year career supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be active and engaged within their community. At New England Village in Pembroke, MA, she gained experience in working as a Direct Support Worker and eventually as the Director of The Sollar Wellness Center specifically designed for this population. In 2014, she joined the South Shore YMCA as the first-ever Association Director of Inclusion, creating innovative programs and comprehensive staff trainings to build a culture of inclusion. In 2018 Lisa started her company, MERGE Inclusion Consulting where she provides consultation, staff training and systems implementation to community entities committed to recreation, sport and social program inclusion.

Although everyone would like to see inclusion occur naturally and effortlessly, it is obvious that communities have a lot of work to do. In Summit County, Ohio, we have begun that process, by not only increasing awareness in our county, but also by developing strategies and support that is readily available to those who need it.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: All

Presenters:

For Tricia Streharsky, M.Ed, inclusion has been an integral part of her life, both personally and professionally. She spent her youth observing the relationships her older brother, who has developmental delays, had with the community, both inclusive and exclusive. She quickly grew to understand that it was about a person’s knowledge and attitude about differences. She participated in many volunteer opportunities to become more familiar with and support persons of all abilities. She has worked in Early Childhood Education since 1995, teaching Head Start with two different programs for much of that time, and joining the Summit DD Inclusion Team in 2016. As the Community Support Specialist for the Early Childhood Focus Area, she has become even more passionate about including people of all abilities’ access and support to all community settings.

Erin Pemberton, BS EChEd, is a wife, mother to 2 amazing son’s, one of which is on the Autism Spectrum. She started her experience with Summit DD in 1993 by volunteering in Weaver school classrooms. She officially joined the Summit DD team in June of 1997 as a substitute for the children’s services department. Soon after she was hired as an assistant in the Calico Program, she returned to school to become a Child Care Specialist in 2008. She joined the Inclusion program in 2011, finished her Bachelor’s degree and became an Inclusion Specialist. In 2018, she began supporting her local community by offering training for staff and assisting in adapting practices for local businesses to be more inclusive further supporting Summit County in becoming Inclusive in all practices. Every day, she looks forward to helping her community become a place where every person is valued for their unique abilities, and acceptance is a way of life.

Structured Teaching is an evidence-based practice designed to improve outcomes for people with autism. The tools of Structured Teaching can be applied in almost any setting and can greatly enhance participation and learning. This presentation will help get you started on incorporating this powerful tool for inclusion.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: All

Presenter: Jon Blalock is the Director of Camp Lakey Gap Autism Programs in Black Mountain, North Carolina. While pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Therapy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Jon discovered the wonderful world of Adapted Summer Camp Programs through Camp Lakey Gap for Children and Adults with Autism. After Graduation, he spent 10 years as an autism specialist for the University of North Carolina TEACCH Autism Program in their Asheville, NC Clinic. In 2017, Jon was called back to the camp he fell in love while in college, and has directed the program since. He is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and is designated as a Certified TEACCH Advanced Consultant.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh has hosted virtual programs and provided opportunities for inclusive shared experiences for its members to strengthen connections and friendships while physically distant. This presentation will share and outline how we adapted from in-person, to virtual, to a hybrid model of programming.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner

Presenters:

Cara Paolicelli graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Therapy. Cara is very passionate about working with people of all abilities, and is motivated to work toward decreasing stigmas and advocating for inclusion in her community! She is currently enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh working to earn a Master of Science in Applied Developmental Psychology by 2021, and currently works with adult members in our office to complete tasks and engage in meaningful aspects of The Friendship Circle’s operations.

Rivkee Rudolph was born and raised in Pittsburgh, graduated from Yeshiva Schools, then studied at Seminary Chaya Mushka in Israel. She began her professional life as a preschool teacher, first in Pittsburgh and then in New York. In 2006, Rivkee founded The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh, where she has served as its Director ever since. She is singularly focused on and is largely responsible for Friendship Circles’s basic philosophy: all members are equally welcome and lines between abilities should be blurred as much as possible. Her commitment to executing this philosophy throughout the scores of programs and events FC sponsors has enabled the organization to become an integral part of both the Jewish and the general community in Pittsburgh.

Sara Pelikan-Cato joined The Friendship Circle in 2018. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her Masters of Education in Early Intervention with a concentration in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Sara is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Her primary responsibilities include programming and administrative support as well as staff development and overseeing daily operations.

This program is designed to inspire and educate families and professionals during the time of Covid-19 on ways to connect through virtual recreation; options serving youth and adults with disabilities. This session will show successful virtual recreation trends and strategies to plan for future shifts in an increasingly unpredictable time. We will look at creative solutions to combat barriers to technology access. Through sharing and visual displays participants will leave with an array of ways to engage in a time of social isolation.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Intermediate

Presenters:

Kyle Bywater graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. During college he worked part time for Specialized Programs. In 2013 he was hired on as a full time Recreation Specialist, he now serves as the Program Coordinator for Specialized Programs and is the ADA coordinator for program compliance for Seattle Parks and Recreation. His favorite part of working at Specialized Programs is supporting our Sharks Special Olympics teams. “I personally love sports and love the joy it brings to our participants on and off the field. I also enjoy being able to provide a variety of recreation programs for youth and adults with disabilities across the City of Seattle.”

Savannah Seiple graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in Psychology in 2014. During college she worked part time for Specialized Programs. After college, she was hired on as a full time Recreation Leader, she has worked at Specialized programs since 2013. Savannah is very passionate about advocating for participants and helping them learn skills towards a healthy lifestyle. Her favorite part of working at Specialized Programs is being a coach to the Seattle Parks Sharks Special Olympics teams. She also had the honor in 2018 of being the head coach for Team Washington Athletics at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.

Allison Leonard graduated from Columbia University with degrees in Socio-cultural Anthropology and Pre-Law. During college she worked part-time with Immigration Equality in NYC and seasonally for the Aquatics Department with Seattle Parks in Recreation. Her work in Aquatics evolved into coaching the Special Olympics Swim team with Specialized Programs and then achieving a full-time Recreation Leader position with Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Specialized Programs unit in 2015. Her favorite programs with Specialized Programs are overnight camps and trips. “I enjoy getting to know participants: it helps me better plan activities that truly delight the people we serve. Tailoring to needs and interests sets participants up for success, builds confidence and builds a sense of belonging through recreating. Recreation strengthens us (physically, emotionally, and socially). I enjoy seeing people build their skills and confidence much as friendships and community.”

Hannah Spaulding graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2016, earning a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration with a concentration in Recreation Therapy. Hannah is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and is registered in the state of Washington as a Recreation Therapist. Hannah’s passion is making sure that community members of all abilities have equitable access to meaningful and purposeful recreation opportunities. She has worked for 4 different Parks and Recreation agencies, including the City of Seattle.

Participants will learn how to apply foundational concepts of effective Positive Behavior Support to meet the needs of children with a wide range of needs across a wide range of settings.  Small breakout groups will analyze case examples of challenging behaviors to identify escalation patterns, behavioral function, and intervention ideas.  Participants will play interactive virtual games to differentiate between reinforcement, punishment, positive, and negative response strategies.  Participants will come away with practical strategies to effectively support the behavior of all children in their care.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Intermediate

Presenter: Dr. Amanda Kloo, PhD is National Inclusion Project’s Director of Inclusive Recreation Standards and Accreditation.  She is an educator, interventionist, and developmental specialist with over 20 years of experience teaching children of all ages and abilities.  She is a frequent presenter, a widely published author, and consultant to research institutions, educational organizations, and universities.  Amanda is also an adaptive fitness coach and athlete with cerebral palsy who provides inclusive play and exercise experiences to children and adults with exceptional needs.  She is passionate about all things inclusion and the power of play.

Stand up, shake off your conference fatigue, and share some refreshing laughter with other attendees with Flow Circus’ Paul Miller and Dawn Daria as they walk you through some energizing Flop Ball play. The flop ball is a flat, round, sand filled hand sack that is easy to pick up and hard to put down. This come-as-you-are lunchtime energizer introduces some basic tricks and styles of play, provides ideas for use in programming, and presents some strategies for thriving in the messiness of learning, growth and change -- with the Flop Ball and in life.

At Reach for Resources we are firm believers that inclusive adaptations are beneficial for all. Reach contracts with 11 cities and parks organizations to provide inclusion support and consultation. We have worked in many different settings and seen it all when it comes to supporting children and adults who need extra assistance. Making programs inclusive does not have to mean a full overhaul of the program! In fact, it should not. You can make small adjustments that will make a big impact. A few of the topics we will touch on in this session include tips on training and preparing staff teams, how to structure the schedule of your program/camp, and some styles of activities to include or avoid. Leave with a few concrete ideas that will take minimal effort to implement and make a big difference!

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenters:

Emily Orr, Director of Adaptive Recreation & Inclusion, has been working with Reach since October 2015, overseeing the Adaptive Recreation and Inclusion programs at Reach. Emily works with her team to develop and facilitate adaptive programs such as sports leagues, social groups, and group outings for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Emily also assists Reach’s partners in offering inclusion support for individuals with disabilities who participate in typical Parks and Recreation programming. Emily graduated from the University of Saint Thomas Graduate School of Professional Psychology with her master’s in counseling psychology. While in school she completed a practicum in Autism Day Treatment at St. David’s Center where she practiced Family Therapy and Play Therapy with a multidisciplinary team. Emily has been supporting individuals with disabilities since 2006 in various capacities, including many different roles at Hammer Residences where she served most recently as the Community Life Coordinator, planning and facilitating wellness activities for all 250+ residents and 500+ staff. After graduating with her Master of Arts degree Emily decided to pursue nontraditional therapies and has thoroughly enjoyed planning and facilitating adaptive and inclusive recreation programs ever since. Emily has a passion for recreation and outdoor adventure and spends her free time planning and participating in fun activities with her family and friends. She loves being outside, traveling, running, playing games, and exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer.

Jesse Hartrick, Assistant Director of Adaptive Recreation & Inclusion, began at Reach in July 2016. She graduated from Minnesota State University-Mankato, studying recreation parks and leisure services with an emphasis in therapeutic, resources management and leisure planning and management. Jesse spent four summers at Wisconsin Lions Camp in Rosholt, WI, working with children and adults with disabilities. She also did an internship with the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Colorado. Jesse is a registered therapeutic recreational specialist and worked in both our Independent Living Department and Adaptive Recreation & Inclusion Department before accepting this current role in 2019. Jesse spends as much time as possible with her family in Wisconsin. She also enjoys traveling, being outdoors, snowboarding, skiing, camping, and participating in any sport.

To most effectively run an inclusive health and fitness program we must understand the cognitive, behavioral, and anatomical differences of various disabilities and how they influence programming and instruction.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Intermediate

Presenter: Brendan Aylward is the owner of Unified Health and Performance, an inclusive strength and conditioning facility in Massachusetts, and AdaptX, an educational company for fitness and disability service professionals who want to start adaptive fitness programs. He races for Team Hoyt New England with his friend, Jacob. The duo, athletes for Newton Running, have completed more than 70 races together. His career revolves around making fitness more accessible for athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities. Learn more about Brendan's work at www.brendanaylward.com

Even before the onset of the recent global pandemic, isolation and loneliness are experienced by persons with disabilities at a considerably higher rate than their non-disabled peers. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we work to create opportunities for social connectedness and belonging. Inclusive recreation, sport or camp programs provide an ideal opportunity for this to happen, but we recognized that it may not be a skill set that recreation/camp staff come to the table with inherently. When we focus on a person's gifts and values that they can share with their community we have taken the first step in facilitating a friendship to be fostered based on a mutual interest that two people might share. Join us to create a pathway to friendship FOR ALL.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenter: Lisa Drennan has a 36-year career supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be active and engaged within their community. At New England Village in Pembroke, MA, she gained experience in working as a Direct Support Worker and eventually as the Director of The Sollar Wellness Center specifically designed for this population. In 2014, she joined the South Shore YMCA as the first-ever Association Director of Inclusion, creating innovative programs and comprehensive staff trainings to build a culture of inclusion. In 2018 Lisa started her company, MERGE Inclusion Consulting where she provides consultation, staff training and systems implementation to community entities committed to recreation, sport and social program inclusion.

TIES promotes the participation of children and young adults who have developmental disabilities in extracurricular and community activities by providing effective support.  This support is provided by trained peer volunteers in order to make the experience inclusive.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner

Presenters:

Kathy Costello, TIES Program Director at Starbridge, created Together Including Every Student (TIES) Program in 1997. TIES is a program which promotes the participation of students and young adults who have developmental disabilities in extracurricular, community and recreational activities with the support of trained peer volunteers.  Kathy realized the need and desire of her son Kevin wanting to be involved in his school and community.  She became his Boy Scout leader, School of Religion teacher and accompanied him to activities so that he could be involved.  Once he was in 4th grade, Kathy realized that her presence didn’t allow for the activity to be inclusive and for Kevin to have the opportunity to form relationships with his peers. With the support of trained peer volunteers, everyone is included!

Sarah Salamone, TIES Program Manager at Starbridge, joined the TIES Program in 2017 as a TIES Coordinator in the school district that her family resides. Being the mom of Brinley, a little girl with Down Syndrome, inclusion in all aspects has become a passion of hers.  Once hearing about the benefits of TIES, Sarah knew her school district should implement it to benefit all students.

Positive social interaction doesn’t always come naturally from play. Reflecting on play is a powerful tool for promoting positive social interaction and teaching students skills to last a lifetime! In this interactive workshop, we will play, reflect and identify what makes reflection the essential component for learning.

Standards Strand: Programming; Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenter: Lucinda is an education consultant and the creator and director of Whole Planet Consulting.  She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she also works as a Lead Facilitator for the University of Michigan Adventure Leadership program and a certified Challenge Course Manager and trainer.  She regularly speaks at regional, national and international conferences, highlighting her 30 years of experience in formal and informal education. She is an active member of the Association for Experiential Education, the Michigan Science Teachers Association, the Michigan Alliance of Outdoor and Environmental Educators and the Association for Challenge Course Technology.

Participants joined Aron Hall, NIP’s Former Director of Education & Training, with their lunch (or breakfast or brunch, depending on their time zone) and played some interactive games over Zoom. First ever game of Zoom Tag anyone?