Utah Family Saves Ukraine Girl | Video - ABC News

Utah Family Saves Ukraine Girl | Video - ABC News
Click on above link to watch a very moving story about a family from Utah that goes to the Ukraine to adopt a little girl with Down syndrome.



Hidden Angels: Two Sisters, One Bright Future | Video - ABC News
Click on the above link to watch a second news clip on little MIA and her new family ~ she now has 3 sisters and lives in Utah, USA


Looking to expand your family? Interested in knowing more about adoption of a child with Down syndrome? 
Reece's Rainbow is the leader in making 
'Forever Family Dreams' come true! 
Thank you Reece's Rainbow for all you do for so many!  http://reecesrainbow.org/

Radio Commercial for the MODELING event 4.21.12

Here is the RADIO COMMERCIAL for the Modeling show coming up on SATURDAY at the Double Tree Hotel by Sawgrass. Take a listen! This what my daughter Mariah is part of ~ it's been exciting to have her be involved in this event! Tia Frost & Yesse Leyva are doing a HOT job for this DEBUT EVENT!!

http://whqtfm.media.streamtheworld.com/audio/center_for_independant_101583321.mp3

‘Bloom’: One mom's struggle, joy with Down syndrome baby

‘Bloom’: One mom's struggle, joy with Down syndrome baby


Kelle's New Book ~ BLOOM Mom on Down syndrome surprise: ’Out of heartache comes happiness’ 
*click the lighter words above for the link.

Kelle Cryderman Hampton from Naples, Florida has a new book out called ~ BLOOM Finding Beauty in the Unexpected! Check out her interview with the TODAY Show. She has a blog called: Enjoying the Small Things - Kelle Hampton on Facebook.


Kelle is such an inspiration to many families raising a child with Down syndrome and is helping change the way society 'looks at' our little kiddo's with Down syndrome. 


Today the sky is the limit ~ Dreams really do come true!

Bloom Where You Are Planted: Why We Chose Public School by Sarah Reimers

Bloom Where You Are Planted: Why We Chose Public School by Sarah Reimers

This blog post is exactly what we ALL should be open to....and that is to BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED! Please click the highlighted underlined link to a wonderful blog posting above by Sarah Reimers. 


What are you doing to help your child's neighborhood school? As a mother raising a daughter with Down syndrome and a son with ADHD, I have had to advocate on many levels and for many different things over the years at their little Elementary School ~ Stephen Foster Elementary. I have been a volunteer parent at that same little school for almost 11 years now. I have seen over the years many volunteers come and go and one who has been our star parent volunteer and her son is now in High School. Parents at this school are not volunteering like they used to in years past. I pray parents at Stephen Foster Elementary School will BLOOM WHERE THEY ARE PLANTED and put in some volunteer service hours to help the teachers and staff at this sweet little school with some amazing teachers! 


This is my last year at this wonderful little school off Riverland Road in Fort Lauderdale. In a few short weeks my daughter will be graduating and going onto Middle School and my son will be a Junior in High school next year. I will miss this little elementary school they both were provided a solid foundation to their education. I pray parents will step up to the plate and get involved and do all they can to help support this school, volunteers are needed to help the entire school! Fundraising and getting the community to support this school is very much needed. All students in any school where parents are taking the time to volunteer will benefit from the efforts of those that are willing to put in some volunteer hours. It's about EVERY CHILD at all our Public Schools that need parents to volunteer and help with fundraising!


Are you BLOOMING WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED?


Get involved in your child's education by volunteering when you can!

YES YOU CAN! ~ Lloyd Bacharach

April 8, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A local motivational and educational speaker is using his story to inspire Chicago Public School students to believe in themselves. Never letting his disability keep him from reaching his goals, Lloyd Bacharach, a former paralympian, has a simple message -- "yes you can."

"Natural Inclusion Supported with Peers" FIN ~ PEER SUPPORT MANUAL

FIN ~ Florida Inclusion Network has wonderful programs & services that could be implemented in our schools to help provide natural supports via Peer Supports & Inclusion naturally by providing our schools with a PEER SUPPORT Program. 


It's about our District wanting to make a positive change that has to do with how our society thinks about people that are 'different' ~ ALL Students would benefit from a program like this, especially the student that needs positive redirection & maybe a scribe or a note-taker....or a friend even. The student that needs another person some of the time to stay on task and or with mobility help or technology assistance and it's documented on their IEP they need adult and/or peer assistance. Some students needing a 1:1 Aide or Para Professional and the funding not going through for some students for them to have an Aide, PEER SUPPORT Programs should be a priority to continue to help ALL our students be successful. 


Friendships, Peer support and reaching out to help others should be a natural thing happening in our schools & society. FIN has programs that can be set up and implemented in our schools fairly quickly. 


It's about creating a PEER SUPPORT Program that will provide a way for FELLOW STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER & BECOMING FRIENDS BY HELPING EACH OTHER. This should be happening naturally....but it's not. 


Students both without and with a disability benefit from programs like these.


PEER SUPPORT MANUAL AT-A-GLANCE
http://www.floridainclusionnetwork.com/Uploads/1/docs/PeerSupportManualAtAGlance.pdf



Building Inclusive Schools
http://www.floridainclusionnetwork.com/Uploads/1/docs/Building%20Inclusive%20SchoolsSessionDesc.-Flyer.pdf


FIN ~ Florida Inclusion Network PRODUCTS
http://www.floridainclusionnetwork.com/Research_Centers/CRSRL/Florida_Inclusion_Network/Products/General_Products.asp 

Here are a few great web links for your research on FLORIDA ESE & IDEA FUNDS ~ Have fun researching! 


FLDOE ESE ~ Direct Links & Resources
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/


FLDOE ESE ~ IDEA PART B 
http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/idea-partb-09.pdf


FIN ~ BUILDING INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS 
FIN Building Inclusive Schools ~ E-learning Module

2012 Summer Camps

So many ideas and great summer camps to choose from, time to start filling out applications now.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/camps/

Broward College Summer Camps
http://www.broward.edu/ied/SupportingContent/Open_House_Flyer.pdf

South Florida Parenting online CAMP Guide
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/south-florida-parenting/camp/