Meet Sarah Boyd, our Peer Mentor of the Month at Norwalk Community College (NCC).
Learn more about becoming a College Steps student at Rockland Community College
“The overwhelming inclusion that the College Steps students have experienced has led to countless opportunities for them to immerse themselves in the College community.”
~ College Steps Program Coordinator Chris Ryan
The folks at Affordable Colleges Online have also taken on the responsibility of educating students with disabilities on the negative impacts of cyberbullying by creating an in depth guide on the matter.
You can check out our entire guide here at this link: http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/cyberbullying-awareness/
This resource is very helpful for not only individuals with disabilities, but all students.
What is a peer mentor? As a member of the NCC Peer Mentor team I have learned that it encompasses a series of abilities from every spectrum. At times one can be both a friend and a tutor. But, most importantly, a person who meets a variety of students with different personalities who can make your day with a smile or an action that shows that the College Steps student is growing academically and socially!
Jessica Gomez, second semester as a Peer Mentor.
Another great day on campus - today, these smiling faces have completed an exam, given class presentations, written articles for the school paper, worked in employment experiences, taken driving lessons, and are enjoying some social time before getting on the bus to do it all again tomorrow. Just another day in the life of college students!
My name is Keila Hernandez, I am a sophomore at Southern Vermont College. I've been a mentor for a year now and I love it so much. Below are two pictures of some the wonderful relationships I have built in my role as a mentor at SVC. I attend class and lunch with Sarah, afterwards we focus on home work and Patrick and I are working on getting involved in social events on campus.
Meeting with College Steps students every Monday Wednesday and Friday has been amazing. Not only do I feel that I am helping them grow, but they are helping me grow. The smile on their faces when we finish an assignment or have great conversation is what keeps me going everyday. They are always willing to learn new things and meet new mentors. This experience has been great for me and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world!
Andrew:
Becoming a college steps mentor has taught me many things besides helping and supporting other students. I’ve learned that being a mentor gives you the opportunity to not only help, but also be a friend and a role model. Every student that I worked with, I’ve been able to build a good connection with each of them where we would smile, laugh, and have fun overall while we worked together. Each day, the students I work with always seem to grow and progress in many ways whether it’s their academics or social involvement. Not only do they grow, but the mentors grow as well by becoming much more confidant, and together with the students they support.
Dawn:
This is my last year at Southern Vermont College I would like to say how my experience at this college has been fun for me. I have learned so much from this college. The one thing I have learned is to try your best at something even if it is hard. My first year, I took Quest For Success with Stacey Hills. At first I did not know how hard the class was but, I stuck with the class, and I ended the class with an A-. The second year in college I was more interested in learning about different music cultures. Since then I’ve taken even more music classes with Eric Despard. I really likes his classes!
Please make note of new resources and scholarships for students with disabilities:
-- College Resources for Students with Disabilities:
http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/resources-for-students-with-disabilities/
-- Scholarships for Students with Disabilities:
http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/affordable-colleges-for-students-with-disabilities
Wonderful things happen with College Steps, even when classes are not in session! Over the winter break, AIC students and Program Coordinator continued working on independent living and social skill building, attending a Springfield Falcons hockey game. They independently purchased tickets, located their seats, and participated in intermission activities. College experiences build long-lasting memories.
Every year the Pathway to the Baccalaureate Program at NOVA has a Kick Off to College event for the new cohort of students held at George Mason University. This year the event is being held on Saturday, February 27, 2016. Last year there was a Resource Fair in the lobby of Dewberry Hall that was very popular, and College Steps returning this year to again host a table representing College Steps. Like last year, there will be 2 sessions for participants, a morning session and an afternoon session. There are usually about 800 attendees per session. The morning Resource Fair will open at 9:30 and end at 12:30. The afternoon Resource Fair will open at 1:30 and end at 4:30.
About Pathway to the Baccalaureate
Pathway to the Baccalaureate is a consortium of 10 educational institutions in Northern Virginia -- K-12 public school systems, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and George Mason University – who have joined forces to provide a seamless web of support to selected students as they pursue a four-year college degree, beginning with the transition from high school, through NOVA, to George Mason or another university. Pathway has emerged as an award-winning program model that has demonstrated remarkable outcomes in college readiness, access, success and completion.
College Steps looks forward to participating in the vendor fair for “When the Bus Stops Coming” scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 2016, at Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building in Ashburn, VA from 10:15 – 12:30. “When the Bus Stops Coming” is designed for parents and caregivers of youth with disabilities, ages 14 – 22. The conference will cover transition planning as well as provide information for students who will need more intensive or ongoing support upon exiting school. In the past, over 100 students and their families have attended “When the Bus Stops Coming” and we are looking forward to another excellent turnout this year.
Help us spread the word! This is a FREE event for families with a teenager or adult on the autism spectrum to get vital resources that they need. Every guest will receive printed Tool Kits and the opportunity to meet in small group settings with specialists in Transition Planning, Employment, Post-Secondary Education, and Housing. Please RSVP (free event, we just need a head count!) at the link below. Feel free to bring along as many members as your organization that will want to attend! RSVP HERE: http://events.autismspeaks.org/TransitionWorkshopNOVA
Event Details:
Autism Speaks Transition Town Planning Town Hall Workshop
Made Possible by a Generous Gift from the Gudelsky Family Foundation
*FREE PARKING, light refreshments, Northern Virginia specific autism resources
Date: Saturday, December 5th
Location: Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, VA
Time: 9:00AM – Service Providers Arrive to Set Up
9:30AM – Resource Fair
10:00AM – Panel Discussion
Followed by Breakout Sessions:
--Transition Planning
--Employment
--Post-Secondary Education
--Housing
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