Ready for College!
Greetings!
Today I want to start with a #FlashbackFriday. Last December many of us gathered in San Diego to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of KIT and to dive into current trends in inclusive practice. One of our favorite parts of the day was a presentation by our board member Beth Foraker and her son Patrick about new college options for students with intellectual disabilities. Patrick shared his journey of applying to colleges and told us what it would mean to him to be able to go to college, as he had seen his older brother and sister do.
This is Patrick last Saturday as he opened his ACCEPTANCE LETTER to GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY! Click on the photo to see a video Beth posted on Twitter. Congratulations, Patrick!!
As Beth and Patrick shared with us in December, when Patrick was in kindergarten there were ZERO options for him to go to college. Now, not only has he been accepted to George Mason, he may receive other acceptance letters and have to pick between them. As Beth reminded us all,
KIT is creating more inclusive schools and communities for all children and youth. But, what happens when kids with disabilities leave high school? Often, an inclusive life ends, and the only opportunities are in a segregated setting. We need more options for young people to attend college so they can live the life of their dreams. Everyone should have access to education, employment, and recreation in a welcoming, inclusive community.If you would like to help, here are some things you can do.
You can also learn more by visiting the Think College website here. To see if your University currently has a postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities click here. And the next time you get a cold call from the alumni development office asking for a donation, how about asking them if they have a program and if they don’t when they plan to start one?
Many congrats, Patrick!! I am pretty sure you are going to rock college life.
Warmly,
Torrie