Transition Expo helps students with disabilities

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Bowling Green State University will host the Postsecondary Transition Expo for students with disabilities and their parents, educators and transition providers from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union.

The “It’s Your Future! Go For It! The Second Annual Postsecondary Transition Expo” brings together county agency representatives, employability specialists, special education experts, and vendors in one exciting venue. It is specifically designed for youth ages 14 to 22 who are on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and their parents, guardians, educators and transition providers.

The expo offers resources, vendor exhibits and informative sessions for students, parents and professionals. Breakout sessions for students will cover such topics as self-advocacy, Web-based accessible tools, and learning, working and living after high school.

Parent and professional breakout sessions will include Special Education Postsecondary Transition Requirements, Supporting the Transition from High School to College and others.

The event features a special keynote and presentations by LeDerick R. Horne. Although classified as neurologically impaired in the third grade, he has become a successful spoken word poet, playwright, speaker, entrepreneur and advocate for people with disabilities. He is the co-board chair of Project Eye-to-Eye, a national nonprofit that provides mentoring programs for students who have learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.

Students and their parents may choose to attend a walking tour of the BGSU campus.

The Expo is sponsored by the State Support Team Region 1 and BGSU’s Office of Admissions, Office of Disability Services and campus departments.

The State Support Team Region 1 is one of 16 in the state of Ohio, operating through the Ohio Department of Education. State Support Teams work to improve instructional practice and student performance and provide educational supports and resources to parents of children with disabilities and community agencies. The State Support Team Region 1 serves Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Van Wert, Williams and Wood counties, and Fostoria Community School in Seneca County.

For more information, contact Amy Szymanski, M.Ed., at lcesc_aszy@sstr1.org or 800-346-8495.

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(Posted November 03, 2011 )