 |
| Ms. Bussiere's 1st Grade Class, Downsville Central School |
Achieve
means “to gain with effort”. Isn’t that what life is all about, striving toward
something important, wanting to be more and accomplishing one’s dreams?
A local
contest held by The Arc of Delaware County and Delta Kappa Gamma, Beta Omicron
Chapter for over 6 years has opened the eyes of Delaware County students to the
fact that people with disabilities are just like them, in that they have hopes, dreams, and goals and work
hard to achieve them. And those students
who have experienced the “Share, Learn, Grow” program at The Arc of Delaware
County have been surprised and amazed as they witnessed not only the struggles and courage of people with
disabilities but also their abilities, talents and achievements. One student
who participated in the contest and visited The Arc shared,
“I learned that no matter what challenges you
face in life, you can accomplish your dreams.”
The theme
of this year’s contest is “Everybody Can- Achieve”. Students in grades k-8 and after school
program groups are invited to take the challenge of learning about people with
disabilities and their achievements and then creating a project from what they
have learned.
Prizes will be awarded in 5 categories:
Grades K-4 class poster project, Grades 5-8 individual essay project, Grades
5-8 Individual or Small Group PowerPoint project, after school program small
group project using any medium and after school program large group project
using any medium. First, second, and third place winners of each category will
be awarded, $100, $75, or $50 respectively and every entry will be recognized
with a certificate.
Anne Bussiere, 1st
Grade Teacher, Downsville Central School, reflected on their participation in
last year’s contest: "My
class had a blast making the poster! They were thrilled when they won and were
able to donate their winnings to Heart of the Catskills and the school's
rain forest fundraiser. They learned they could really make a difference!"
Schools
and After School Groups can request a free interactive presentation by The Arc
of Delaware County and Delta Kappa Gamma to be held at their school. Pam
Thompson, Delta Kappa Gamma shared: “The elementary kids
at Downsville and Walton last year were eager to learn about Braille, sign
language, and Autism. They eagerly practiced ways to communicate with
people with these developmental disabilities."
 |
| Pam Thompson from Delta Kappa Gamma during a Downsville Central School Presentation |
For more information and details about
this contest visit the "News" section on our website at www.delarc.org. For additional
information contact The Arc of Delaware County, Community Relations Department,
Barbara Thompson (607) 865-7126 or email b.thompson@delarc.org.
