[Ohio-talk] Fw: news article to appear: 09A_18SPED600001

[Crystal McClain]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carol Agler" <cagler at ossb.oh.gov>
To: "Macy McClain" <singinggirl017 at hotmail.com>; "Mark McClain" 
<MCMCCLAIN at CHARTER.NET>
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 6:18 PM
Subject: FW: news article to appear: 09A_18SPED600001



Here are some other colleges that are known for working with people with 
"developmental disabilities."  I may have forwarded it to you already, but I 
can't remember.

Kudos to Macy.

Carol Agler
Music Director
OSSBMB Co-Director
Ohio State School for the Blind
5220 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43214
614-752-1359
fax 614-752-1713


-----Original Message-----
From: James Peterfish
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 9:01 AM
To: OSSB Staff
Subject: FW: news article to appear: 09A_18SPED600001

 Thought you all might enjoy this article written by my daughters professor 
at University of Cincinnati, after attending the concert with our band and 
the Clark Montessori Steel Drum Band.  The first paragraph and a half and 
the last are the most important!
Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Peterfish, Julie
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 7:02 PM
To: youthletics at columbus.rr.com
Subject: FW: news article to appear: 09A_18SPED600001

This is an article my Professor of my Challenging Learner class wrote haha 
thought you'd appreciate the first part ;) love you :) 
________________________________________
From: Stephen Sunderland [stephen.c.sunderland at uc.edu]
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 6:10 PM
Subject: news article to appear: 09A_18SPED600001

This article will appear in an upcoming Metro newspaper.






I KNOW THE WINNER OF THE ROSE BOWL

BY STEVE SUNDERLAND


The winner of the Rose Bowl is easy to pick this year. You may be surprised 
to learn that this year's winner is the Ohio State School for the Blind 
Marching Band. No matter what happens on the field, it cannot compare to the 
courage, soul, and grace of this amazing organization. This appearance in 
the parade on New Year's day will be the Marching Band's first. They are 
currently rehearsing on a field behind their school by playing and marching 
in practice for the six mile event. I just saw the band in concert with the 
extraordinary Clark Montessori Steel Drum Band. The reason for the concert 
was to help raise funds to defray the costs of the trip to Pasadena. The 
real reason was to show just how powerful and prepared this group is for the 
thrill of being in the spotlight of a major event in college and national 
sports.

The inclusion of the OSSBMB in the parade is a major step forward in opening 
eyes to the necessity of including students with intellectual and physical 
challenges in all aspects of higher education. Students seeking a college 
education and who have an intellectual and/or physical challenge have a 
major set of obstacles to overcome in the attitudes of college faculty and 
students. Seeing a blind band in the position of being the only such 
organization in the world, brings home the point about just how excluded 
blind people, and by association, anyone with learning and physical 
difficulties, are from symbolic and substantial school activities. Recently 
at the University of Cincinnati, representatives from colleges and agencies 
like the Down Syndrome Association from across the nation met with 
researchers, teachers, graduates and parents who have all taken a keen 
interest in admission and success at colleges of challenged students. The 
research suggests that the national situation is improving but ever so 
slowly. Three young people, one a college graduate and two students 
currently attending college in Kentucky, gave inspiring power point and 
video presentations about their reasons for seeking a degree, employment and 
a future that is more and more in their control. We also heard from the 
mothers of two of these students and listened in awe to the work necessary 
for success for their young people.

Why is the admission of students with challenges so difficult in higher 
education? As taxpayers, as citizens of this country, as interested 
students, as people desiring a life of success, they have been left out, 
turned away, discouraged, and ill prepared for overcoming the hurdles of 
applying to the colleges of their choice.
Now, thanks to the work of some outstanding parents, young people, 
administrators and faculty, there is a new reality. Both Northern Kentucky 
University and Xavier are welcoming students with intellectual and physical 
challenges. Clermont College of the University of Cincinnati has people 
ready to assist in all levels of being a good student. Kent State University 
and Notre Dame College of Cleveland have also started to open their doors. 
UC's Peace Village has cooperated with XU and Hamilton County Developmental 
Disabilities to offer summer college transition experiences at the 
University of Cincinnati's Clifton campus. Students have lived on campus for 
a week, attended classes, ate in the dining rooms, attended concerts, heard 
outstanding speakers on a wide variety of intellectual topics, and just had 
fun. Starfire U, a private agency with an interest in people with 
challenges, also joined our college transition summer experience. The 
Starfire students had worked together as a learning group for the year prior 
to coming to UC and showed their ability to easily fit into a collegiate 
experience.
(For more information on college preparation and college transition 
programs, please contact Dr. Missy Jones, Northern Kentucky University, 
prof. Joe Link, Xavier University, Head of Disability Services, Clermont 
College, Ms. Jan Radt, Pat Dye, Hamilton County Developmental Development, 
and/or Dr. Steve Sunderland, University of
Cincinnati.)

Clark Montessori's school auditorium rocked with the joy of the marching, 
jazz and steel drum bands and the families and friends that came together to 
celebrate this amazing breakthrough. Thanks to Bruce Weil, Clark Steel Band 
instructor, and many fellow teachers and parents, we had an experience of 
feeling the power of music and inclusion. If there was a star of the 
evening, and there were many, it was Macy McClain, flute and choir, who 
played solos and with the band in ways that brashly and beautifully said, 
"We are ready for Pasadena!" Had you been there, you would have not only 
agreed but you would have been on your feet for the whole concert, cheering 
their courage and determination to open this important door. Thank you Macy 
and Bruce.