October 3-4 Event to Show High
School Students With Diverse Needs How to Reach
Their Goals and Achieve Their Dreams
WACO, TEXAS - Education Service Center
(ESC) Region 12 will present a transition fair for
students with disabilities called "The Spirit
Within...My Moment to Shine." The event will
focus on post-high school options and services for
students with diverse needs. It will take place 9
a.m. - 2 p.m., Fri., October 3 for students and from
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sat., October 4 for parents at First
Baptist Belton, 506 Main in Belton.
Sharon Fredriksson, Director of Special
Education for ESC Region 12 in Waco will welcome
participants to the Fall 2008 Transition Fair. The
fair will feature Kelly Sinclair, Temple singer/songwriter
as the keynote speaker. Sinclair is an assistant
children's librarian at the Temple Public Library
and former reporter.
"This is an event aimed at preparing
high school students to meet the challenges of the
post-secondary world of education, employment, and
life" said Sharron Stephenson, organizer of
this year's fair and education specialist for ESC
Region 12. "Our Transition Fairs are a way
of providing an opportunity for students and parents
to visit with representatives from various schools,
training programs, employers, and professionals to
receive information about exciting ways to achieve
goals."
Break-out sessions will focus on self-advocacy,
community resources, employer trends, driver safety,
financial aid, military options and college survival
skills. College and agency exhibitors will be onsite
with information about available resources. Representatives
will be on site with information about various post-secondary
programs throughout Central Texas. Texas State Technical
College will be showcasing programs in Computer Networking
and Systems Administration/Networking Security Technology
and Recreational Vehicle Maintenance. In addition,
representatives will be available from McLennan Community
College, Hill College, Temple College, Central Texas
College of Cosmetology as well as military options
and various employment options.
Gwen Ryan with ESC 12 will present
a session titled, "Celebrating Diversity." When
talking about her session, Ryan asks, "Think
being different is not cool? Think again. We all
have differences that are worth celebrating." Her
session will explore stereotypes related to age,
gender, ability and race. Participants will explore
ways to address these beliefs and develop an acceptance
of personal differences.
About Kelly Sinclair Sinclair will
welcome students with songs she has written geared
toward individual success as well as many others
that are close to her heart. Sinclair graduated summa
cum laude from the University of Texas-Permian Basin
with a degree in mass communications. Her message
to students will be about sticking with your dreams
in order to achieve what you set your mind to. A
former reporter for The Brownfield News, Sinclair
comes from a musical family and has performed various
styles across many venues most of her life. She has
played back up for a bluegrass fiddler, sang lead
in a progressive rock band, and written industrial
dance songs. She has also worked many years as a
writer and has a contract to publish a novel next
year. A poem of hers has been published in the Texas
Observer magazine.
Although the fair is free and open
to sophomores, juniors and seniors, pre-registration
is required. Lunch will be provided to students at
no cost. Interested individuals should register online
for this event by following these links: Session
# 29511 for the student day (October 3, 2008)
and Session
# 29547 for the parent day (October 4, 2008).
For more information, please contact
Sharron Stephenson at 254-297-1152 or sstephenson@esc12.net.
About ESC Region 12
One of 20 centers throughout Texas, ESC Region 12
provides professional training and technical assistance
for the purpose of improving student performance
for all students. Based in Waco, with offices in
Nolanville, Corsicana, Goldthwaite, Hillsboro,
and Teague, the Region 12 service area includes
Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton,
Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, Mills, McLennan and
Navarro counties.
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