Family Times April 2020 by Family Times

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APRIL 2020

Move Along Inc. aims to make sports more inclusive A look back at Jowonio Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history Special Olympics New York celebrates its 50th anniversary

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FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

EDUCATOR OF THE MONTH

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

TREAT YOURSELF

Get in touch with your inner artist at The Painting Café in Baldwinsville.

LOCAL FACES

Move Along Inc. aims to make sports more inclusive.

EDUCATION

A look back at Jowonio School’s history of inclusion.

FEATURE

Now the largest chapter in the country, Special Olympics New York is celebrating 50 years.

CLUB OF THE MONTH

CONTENTS

APRIL 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE

Positivity Project Club shares the importance of building relationships.

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FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

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EDITOR

In this month’s issue – our annual Inclusion issue – we highlight two local organizations that are making sports more inclusive. Established in 2009, Move Along Inc. offers a variety of adaptive programs, including sled hockey, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis. Check out the story by Tammy DiDomenico on page 12. And on page 20, I write about how Special Olympics New York is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Jowonio School also recently reached a milestone, marking 50 years in 2019. Christy Perry Tuohey takes a look back at the school’s history on page 16. Also in the April issue: We honor National Lawn and Garden Month with our Question of the Month (page 9) and I get in touch with my inner artist at the Painting Café in Baldwinsville for this month’s Treat Yourself (page 10). You can also read about our Club of the Month, the Positivity Project Club at C.W. Baker High School (page 22), and Educator of the Month, Bridgeport Elementary School teacher Toby Clark (page 8). As always, feel free to send nominations to courtneyk@familytimescny.com.

APRIL 2020 | ISSUE NO. 216

GENIUSES AT WORK PUBLISHER/OWNER Bill Brod EDITOR IN CHIEF Courtney Kless CourtneyK@familytimescny.com CONTENT DIRECTOR Steve Guglielmo PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Karley Harmon CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Tom Tartaro (ext. 134) SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Greg Minix GRAPHIC DESIGNER Karley Harmon CONTRIBUTORS Deborah Cavanagh, Neil Davis Jr., Tammy DiDomenico, Aaron Gifford, Eileen Gilligan, Molly Morgan, Tami Scott, Janelle Rozzano, Maggie Lamond Simone, Laura Livingston Snyder, Christy Perry Tuohey, Chris Xaver SALES MANAGER Tim Hudson (ext. 114)

COURTNEY KLESS

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Lesli Mitchell (ext. 140) LMitchell@familytimescny.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF

KIDS EXPO 2020 UPDATE Due to COVID-19 and a recent recommendation by the CDC to cancel or postpone events with more than 50 people for eight weeks (http://ow.ly/OiPg50yMUE1), we have decided that it is in the best interest of our readers to cancel this year’s Kids Expo. Please email courtneyk@familytimescny.com with any questions. We appreciate your support.

Advertising deadline for April is March 16. Calendar deadline for April is March 3. Advertising deadline for May is April 14. Calendar deadline for May is April 8. Design by Karley Harmon Cover photo by iStock

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FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

Toby Clark

Kindergarten Teacher at Bridgeport Elementary School BY JANELLE ROZZANO | PHOTO PROVIDED BY TOBY CLARK

How did you get into the teaching profession? I went to college at the University of Kansas for communication studies, where I also took some education classes. This, along with working as a teacher assistant, helped me become a certified teacher. I obtained my master’s in early childhood education and have been teaching for 11 years. I’ve taught kindergarten, first and second grade. Bridgeport Elementary is very big into the reading program PARP (Pick a Reading Partner). Can you tell us about it? PARP is a PTA (Parent Teacher Association) sponsored program that lasts three weeks. We set a goal of a number of books to be read by the school by the end of the three weeks. Our goal this year was 3,000 books. Each year, we pick a different theme to create excitement for the students. We pick it in the spring, so we have time to start creating it. This year, our theme is Candy Land, like the board game, so we decorated the school with homemade props. Some things we do to reach our goal and encourage PARP are daily silent reading time, we bring in community readers, we have a family fun night and we send home reading logs so we can track students’ reading. We also have spirit day, where we have an opening and closing assembly. Staff members dress in costumes and do dance numbers. It’s fun! By the art room, there’s a big mural wall where we created a little outdoor café with awnings and called it Cupcake Commons. Each day during silent reading, one student from each

Know an educator who deserves a mention? E-mail CourtneyK@familytimescny.com

classroom is invited to go read there. We go big out here and we do a lot in those three weeks to create excitement and engagement with reading. What advice would you give new teachers? If seeking employment, build relationships in interested districts by substitute teaching. For new teachers, I would say just breathe. Find a good work-life balance, because you can be really consumed with your work those first couple of years by getting your routines in order and setting up your classroom environment. That can be very overwhelming. Also, if there’s a mentoring program, use your mentor. If there isn’t, seek someone out that you can ask questions to and even observe in their classroom. I utilize skills that I learned by observing teachers during my work as a teacher’s assistant.

Janelle Rozzano is a freelance writer living in Fairmount with her family.

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FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

ocial painting events have grown in popularity in recent years. With that in mind, I headed to The Painting Café in Baldwinsville to get in touch with my inner artist. The Painting Café moved to its current space in the Titcomb Center this past June. According to owner Johnnie-Lynn Fioramonti, painting on canvas is most popular, but they also offer pottery painting, board painting, paint pouring and mosaics (among other things) for individuals and groups of all levels – and you can bring your own adult beverages. “What I try to offer is a relaxing, slowed down, calm environment,” she says.

Treat Yourself Create a masterpiece at The Painting Café PHOTOS AND STORY BY COURTNEY KLESS

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I did the painting on canvas, and Fioramonti walked me step-by-step through the process. I started by choosing my design (cherry blossoms – perfect for spring). Once you have your canvas, you have the option to trace a stencil of the design before you start painting. I wouldn’t exactly consider myself an artistic person (stick figures are about the extent of my drawing skills), so I used the stencil. It definitely made things a lot easier. Patrons can also pick their own colors or use the ones on the instruction sheet – I liked the colors, so I chose the latter option.

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Once my outline was on the canvas, I painted the background, followed by the tree branches and the cherry blossoms. Next, I filled in the detail of the flowers.

“ I was taught fine art.

I’m teaching fun art. “

“When you’re doing a landscape, or as we did, cherry blossoms, you’re trying to recreate something that you see on a flat piece of paper,” she says. “As you’re doing this, your brain subconsciously is working other problems out…Your mood will come out in the painting, and you can direct your mood. You can see as you’re painting, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s really grey.’ It can retrain your brain to say, ‘Ok, I need some yellow in there,’ and as you’re using the yellow, you notice that your mood is lifting.” I know I left feeling a lot less stressed.

– Johnnie-Lynn Fioramonti, owner of The Painting Café in Baldwinsville Once that was dry, I added a glaze to the entire canvas. The final touch was my signature in the corner. The entire process took about 3.5 hours, and as a beginner, I enjoyed the slower pace and explanation of the different techniques.

Courtney Kless is the Editor in Chief of Family Times. She lives in Jamesville with her husband.

If You Go

The Painting Café Location 52 Oswego St. #8, Baldwinsville

More information thepaintingcafe.com (315) 291-1965

Have an idea for a future Treat Yourself? E-mail CourtneyK@familytimescny.com

Fioramonti says the benefits of painting are numerous.

FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MOVE ALONG INC.

Move Along offers adaptive sports for youth, adults | BY TAMMY DiDOMENICO o matter who you are, or how old you are, being active can provide measurable physical and psychological benefits. For those with physical limitations, access to opportunities to be active, and to enjoy the benefits of competition, can be hard to find. Oswego resident Greg Callen has set out to change that.

Along since 2010, estimates that there are about 30 children and teens in Central New York who are regularly participating in Move Along programs. Always looking to reach more, Wright, and Sled Hockey Manager Susan Arnold, can frequently be seen out in the community coordinating demonstrations of Move Along programs at facilities throughout the Central New York area.

Callen, who suffered a fall in 2005 that left him paralyzed from the waist down, started Move Along Inc. in 2009. The mission was, and remains, to provide access to adaptive sport and recreation opportunities for those with disabilities (and their friends and loved ones).

Move Along also conducts inclusive sport demonstration programs for schools, bringing adapted wheelchairs to the schools to show how the equipment enables anyone to enjoy the game of basketball. Move Along has reached about 18,000 students in 16 different schools since its inception. “We believe that going into the schools definitely raises awareness,” says Wright. “This equipment builds inclusion.”

“I was driven to get others involved at that point, and to build off of that little program into others that could enable individuals to see opportunity to live again, and rebuild their quality of life through reintegration by athletics and recreation,” says Callen. A decade in, Move Along now offers adaptive cycling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, kayaking and paddling and sled hockey – 40 programs over a five-county area. Callen and his collaborators are always looking for more activities that can be adapted to be more inclusive, and are currently setting their sights on programs for golf and lacrosse. They also hope to expand the basketball program to include a competitive league. “The bottom line is, we offer people ways to get out and get moving,” says Jeff Wright, executive director. “Once they get out there and try one of these programs, they realize that they are not defined by their disabilities. It doesn’t matter if someone is 12 or 62. I’ve seen it happen again and again. It’s about taking that first step, and that’s a huge step.” While Move Along offers programs for all ages, Callen has made outreach to youth a priority. Wright, who has worked with Move 12

LOCAL FACES

But it’s equipment that is very expensive. An adapted bike costs anywhere from $2,400-$6,000, wheelchairs designed for basketball run upwards of $3,200 and hockey sleds run $1,100 and up. Callen and Wright have built strong relationships with various foundations that assist with the costs. The Veteran’s Administration supplies some funding, as many veterans utilize the organization’s programs. For most adaptive programs, participants can rent equipment from Move Along for about $75 a week. It’s recommended that they rent the equipment for at least two weeks. “This gives people a chance to see how they will use it,” Wright says. Those who wish to take their participation to the next level – or perhaps aspire to a level of competition that requires more rigorous training – are encouraged to apply for grants through foundations listed on Move Along’s website, www.movealonginc.org. continued on page 14

reg Callen knows that the challenges for those with limited mobility go far beyond the physical ones. When a fall left him paralyzed in 2005, it was the emotional trauma that hit him hardest. But four years later, Callen found his calling. He started Move Along with the mission of making physical activity and competition accessible for all. Today, Move Along, a chapter of Disabled Sports USA, connects people of all ages and abilities with the equipment they need to engage their bodies and hearts. These days, Callen is as active as ever, and his motivation is helping others reach personal goals they may have once thought lost to their physical limitations. Family Times recently asked Callen about the inspiration behind his wide-reaching non-profit, and why his organization is so important to so many. Were you an athlete prior to your accident? GC: Yes, I played youth sports starting at the age of 3 with hockey. After that, I remember being involved in baseball, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, cycling and running. At the age of 29, when I was injured, I was still playing in five adult recreation leagues in various sports. As someone in recovery from a traumatic injury themselves, why did you want to help provide access to physical competition? GC: I am a firm believer that physical fitness promotes mental health wellness. It also helps with reduction of hospital admissions and readmissions. Fitness is critical for everyone, but very critical for those who fight mental health issues associated with trauma and recovery. On your website, you share a bit about your own struggles with depression following your injury. Was that a factor in establishing Move Along? GC: It was something that become more discussed with me after my trauma, and was surely something I experienced deeply. It was surely a factor in establishing Move Along, for the opportunity to help others lessen this condition and face it with greater resources as they move on with life. It also was a personal factor in enabling me to feel I was helping myself and others overcome this challenge.

chasing me down an aisle to ask me if I was interested in coming out to play. I said, “I am really not interested in that at this point in my life, but thanks.” Little did I know, a year later it would become a passion to lift me back into a good quality of life. I was driven to get others involved at that point, and to build off of that little program into others that could enable individuals to see opportunity to live again, and rebuild their quality of life through reintegration by athletics and recreation. It is always challenging to get individuals to come out and get engaged. That is the largest challenge; “It’s not for me, I won’t fit in, I am already injured, why would I do that?” and so on. Move Along is now here to help take that burden away and make new experiences fulfilling. Why is it so important for young people to have access to inclusive sports programs? GC: I want our youth with different abilities to still have opportunities to play, compete and excel at sports and life just as their peers are able to. Have the opportunities for inclusive competition improved since you started Move Along? GC: There has definitely been an increase in the opportunity for adapted athletes to find competition and be part of teams/ programs. A few of our athletes are now competing at an international level, which is very rewarding for all of us who have built Move Along to this point of sustainability. In what ways can we do better? GC: Collaborations between health facilities to ensure they raise the awareness for those facing trauma regarding the opportunities to reintegrate in their local communities needs to be stronger. Also, schools serve as a great platform for introduction to the concept of inclusiveness. Students who attend our Inclusive Sports Education programs love it, and we hope it opens their minds to helping others, having more compassion or even seeking a career associated with recreation therapy, physical therapy, the medical field or the social work field. How do you go about adapting the equipment? GC: Most equipment is adapted specifically once an athlete comes out to try the sport. We use foam, straps, tape, whatever, to ensure a high comfort level when coming out to try the equipment. If an individual is going to stay involved, we can then order customized equipment for that person.

Your first adaptive program was basketball. What was the biggest challenge in bringing that program to fruition? GC: When I started Move Along, a few individuals, maybe 5-7, were playing at a gym in Syracuse. I remember one of those individuals approaching me in a Walmart and

Visit familytimescny.com for the full Q&A.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MOVE ALONG INC.

FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

continued from page 12 “There is help out there for those who want to get their own equipment,” Wright says. “To excel, they need [an organization like] J-Rob [a New Hartford-based foundation that supplies adapted sports equipment to children]. Every child who has applied from Move Along has been funded.” And the benefits are not all physical. “The biggest benefits [our clients] get come from the emotional side,” Wright says. “The laughter and camaraderie they get from doing this carries into other aspects of their lives. [Clients] start to realize – ‘I’m not a disabled individual. I’m an individual with a disability.’”

Wright says that the biggest misconception people have about adaptive sports is that they are not as competitive as the non-adapted counterparts. Non-disabled participants quickly learn that the programs typically require use of more, or different, muscle groups. “For example, for our basketball programs, all participants must use the chairs,” Wright explains. “Those who don’t use them all the time are surprised by the level of challenge. The modified bikes are geared very well for being used at higher speeds, and your legs don’t help you in any way – it’s upper body and core strength.”

As motivated as he is by those who have found or reconnected with an ‘He’s Definitely More active lifestyle through Move Along’s Confident’ programs, Wright says there is always James Favata, left, and his son Myles Favata of Liverpool Myles Favata, 10, is just beginning more that can be done. Transportation regroup following a sled hockey practice at Tennity Ice Pavilion to see the benefits of Move Along in is an issue for city residents interested in Syracuse in March. The Favatas both play with modified his life. The young Liverpool resident equipment provided by Move Along Inc. in the tennis programs. And, he senses Photo by Tammy DiDomenico and his dad, James, have been playing that there are many who would like to sled hockey through the organization try adaptive sports that simply are not for the past two years. Myles was born with spina bifida and has connecting with the organization. weathered about a dozen surgeries in his short life. He also de“There are still thousands of people with mobility issues who veloped an intense love of hockey. James Favata says because of could benefit,” he says. “The question is, how can we get the word Move Along, Myles can actually play the sport he loves. Now, he’s out and reach those people? Our message is simple; come out and developed a bit of the swagger – and the trademark hair flow – of have some fun. Once people do, they love it.” a true hockey dude. James Favata says as a parent, Move Along has been an “He’s definitely more confident,” says James Favata. “We knew amazing asset. While schools do what they can to offer students that it was going to be a different path for him. But seeing him get with disabilities adaptive physical education, it’s not the same as out there and play, I think he has the motivation to push, which a program that is fully inclusive. “It’s really nice to know that a is important from a life perspective. As he grows up, he’s going to program like Move Along is here,” he says. “It’s a method of entry need that kind of drive to be as independent as he can be.” for those who want to be active.” Myles’s love for hockey is unmistakable – as is his positive outlook. “I’m very happy that I get to play hockey,” he says, relaxing Award-winning writer Tammy DiDomenico lives in DeWitt with her after a recent practice at Tennity Ice Pavilion in Syracuse. “I’ve husband and two sons. met some friends, and it’s fun.” James smiles when he remembers finding the Move Along program through a casual Google search. He didn’t have to ask Myles twice. “It wasn’t even a discussion,” he says. “If we didn’t have this program here, we’d have to move somewhere where they did have it.” Now, Myles, a student at Soule Road Elementary School, is juggling practice schedules and weekend tournaments just like his classmates do. He likes bringing his medals in to show his classmates after a tournament. “I’ve got…I don’t know, five or 10 now,” he says. Myles plans to try the wheelchair tennis program sometime this spring or summer, but he is focused on hockey for the time being. His goal? To follow former Move Along client Colin Gooley to a spot on the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. Gooley, a Baldwinsville native, took up the sport about 10 years ago, and he now competes internationally. For the time being, Myles will have to settle for traveling to regional tournaments with his “fan club” of family members and friends cheering him on. James Favata says, like many non-disabled players, he wasn’t prepared for the rigors of sled hockey when he started. “There is no such thing as a natural born sled hockey player,” he says with a laugh. “This is hard! But, it’s fun. It’s a good time.” 14

LOCAL FACES

Year the organization was founded Programs that Move Along offers, including adaptive cycling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, kayaking and paddling and sled hockey Approximate number of CNY children and teens that regularly participate An adapted bike costs anywhere from $2,400-$6,000, wheelchairs designed for basketball run upwards of $3,200 and hockey sleds run $1,100 and up

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE JOWONIO SCHOOL

The Jowonio School marked 50 years in 2019 | BY CHRISTY PERRY TUOHEY n 1969, a group of Syracuse parents banded together to find an education alternative for their children whose social and emotional needs they felt were not being met in public schools. Fifty years later, that grassroot idea has grown into a 100 teacher, 11 classroom preschool, the Jowonio School. If you’ve driven by the East Genesee Street school and seen the green Jowonio sign, you may have wondered what the name means. It is taken from an Onondaga Nation word that translates as “to set free.” Freedom has everything to do with the school’s mission: “To provide model inclusive programs for young children, where diversity is celebrated and all are free to learn and grow.” Program Advisor and former Director Ellen Barnes was a Syracuse University student when she became involved in the original parents’ vision for their children’s education. “I was in an undergraduate program in psychology and ended up getting excited about the experience with the families who were putting the school together at that time, and that included Peter Knoblock (now SU School of Education Professor Emeritus) and a number of other parents who were physicians and faculty at SU who were looking for an alternative for their own kids,” she explained.

A New Kind of School

By January 1970, an alternative classroom opened at Park Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Syracuse. The students were between 9 and 12 years old. By the mid-1970s, founding member Knoblock obtained a New York State grant, which allowed the school to serve children with special needs. Accord16

EDUCATION

ing to Barnes, the funds allowed the school to hire four people to work with autistic children. The special needs students interacted frequently with the “typical” students, creating an inclusive environment for all. “When we started doing this thing called ‘inclusion,’ there was no literature about how to do it,” said current Jowonio Director Lori Saile. “There wasn’t research being done about it, and the staff here has really, in a lot of ways, made it up as they went along and figured it out.” “Families were calling and saying, ‘We’re looking for an alternative for our own kids, will you serve him or her?’” Barnes added. “And when that became clear, that there were families with lots of different kinds of needs that they were looking for support for, the school really expanded in terms of what was available.” As the New York State Education Department’s emphasis on special needs education developed and progressed, officials in Albany began pressing local public school districts to address those students’ needs. As elementary schools followed suit, Jowonio became a preschool, guided by “the idea that all children belong, regardless of abilities, needs or other factors such as race, family makeup, socioeconomic status or other differences, and that such diversity enriches rather than diminishes the experience of all,” Saile said. Saile joined the school in the early 1980s. She was placed at Jowonio while taking an undergraduate special education class, and came back later to do her student teaching there. “A position happened to open up in the classroom that I had been placed in

as of January [1988], and I rearranged all of my credits and graduated early so that I could stay,” she said. Also at Jowonio in the early 1980s was Hanah Ehrenreich, who, at three years old, was a student in the Rainbow Room, one of five classrooms which were then located at the former Sumner Elementary School in the Westcott neighborhood. Hanah is now a mother of two; her older daughter, Philadelphia, is a Jowonio student in the Koala Room. “Philly has been on the wait list since I was three months pregnant with her,” she said. “Jowonio’s just very unique and we knew that this was the best place for her.” Ann Marie Myers’ son was a Waterfall Room kid. He came to Jowonio with a classification of “preschooler with a disability.” She said the classroom’s design and look created a calm environment for her son. “That room is much more, I’m going to say, muted. It’s still fun but it’s not overwhelming, especially for a kid with sensory needs.” Jessica and Michael Everson’s daughter, Olivia, also has sensory issues. “When you go into the rooms, you’ll see there’s an area where they can go and calm down if they need to,” Jessica said. “If they need a teacher to come with them, there’s enough of a ratio that they can get that one-on-one time.” Although Olivia fits the description of a special needs student, with diagnoses including mixed receptive/expressive language delay and motor delay, her father says she has also learned compassion by playing and learning with children with other types of disabilities. “She also became an advocate for other students, like the nonverbal [students] in her class that she advocated for like crazy,” Michael said.

Color, Clay and Collaborative Play

In 2002, the Jowonio School moved to a new, bigger location on East Genesee Street. Over time, as other tenants of the building have moved out, the school has expanded – more classrooms, space for five speech therapists and an occupational and physical therapy area that resembles a colorful gym, with plenty of mats, padded climbing structures, swings and cloth tunnels. A peek inside any of the classrooms, all named for animals and nature’s wonders, might show a circle of children doing parachute play with a teacher. You might also see children climbing a ladder to the top of a wooden structure that serves as both a reading loft and a playhouse underneath. Standing at sensory tables, kids might be kneading clay or running their small hands through sand. You would see students using American Sign Language to ask teachers for a cup of water or a bathroom break. Saile said that the school’s staff have a strong, shared vision of the ways in which children with many different learning styles, needs and gifts have a right to a rich, developmentally appropriate school experience. They offer all students accommodations that may include individualized visual schedules, sensory diets, adapted seating or mobility aids to augment communication, such as sign language or iPads. Although she taught at Jowonio for eight years after joining the school, Saile left for several years to teach in the Fayetteville-Manlius school district. She is grateful for that experience and believes that sharing the skills she learned at Jowonio in another setting had a positive impact in the classes she taught.

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“But it wasn’t home,” she said. “And so, four years later, I came back because this is really home and this is teaching and collaborating and relating to kids and to one another as adults in the way that I would love the world to be.” Christy Perry Tuohey is an author, journalist and freelance writer living in Syracuse.

Visit www.countrymax.com/events for details! FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

Since 1969, Jowonio School has provided Central New York children with quality inclusive education. Here is a brief timeline of events that led up to the school’s 50th anniversary celebration. Parents begin meeting to plan an alternative school for children ages 9-12, focused on child-initiated learning and social emotional development.

1969

Peter Knoblock, one of the founding parents and a professor in Syracuse University’s School of Education, received a state grant to serve children with special needs. He placed that classroom in the same building as Jowonio. Children from the two different programs routinely visited each other’s classrooms, creating an inclusive environment.

1974 1975

Jowonio received a state charter and moved into the former Sumner Elementary School on Bassett Street in Syracuse’s Westcott neighborhood.

1977

1970

1976

1981

A federal lawsuit determined that home school districts were the “least restrictive environment” for children with special needs, and mandated districts develop programs to serve school-aged children within their home districts. Jowonio was no longer able to directly serve school-aged students with special needs. The school became an inclusive preschool at that time.

1983 1984

1980

Jowonio began a series of collaborations with community day care centers and nursery schools: Salvation Army Daycare at Sumner in 1992, Bernice M. Wright Child Development Lab School at Syracuse University in 1996, Early Childcare Center at SU in 1999 and Bellevue Heights Nursery School in 2001.

1992 2001

Friends of Jowonio purchased the building at 3049 East Genesee Street in Syracuse. Input from brainstorming sessions with staff was incorporated into the designs for extensive building renovations. The school moved and opened in the new building in September 2002.

2002

EDUCATION

2001

2018

Jowonio School opened at Park Central Presbyterian Church in Syracuse.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, also known as Public Law 94-142, was approved by the U.S. Congress and passed into law. It guaranteed “free, appropriate public education” to all children and young adults ages 3–21. That same year, Jowonio began receiving tuition from the New York State Education Department to serve children with special needs, as well as a federal grant to pilot an inclusive model of education.

School Director Peter Knoblock handed the reins over to Ellen Barnes, who was appointed director of Jowonio after doing research at the school for her doctorate program at Syracuse University. That same year, Jowonio began a pilot inclusion program in one classroom in the Syracuse City School District, at Salem Hyde Elementary School. After two years, the district adopted and took over running the program and expanded it to Edward Smith Elementary School.

Jowonio expanded its programming to include ENRICH, a home and community-based option in which Jowonio teachers and therapists went into homes and child-care settings to support children in their natural environments.

Friends of Jowonio established a parallel support organization to begin a capital campaign to purchase a new building for the school.

Ellen Barnes began her role as Program Advisor and Lori Saile was named Director of Jowonio.

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50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50

REACHING A MILESTONE

50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50

Now the largest chapter in the country, Special Olympics New York is celebrating 50 years

BY COURTNEY KLESS

ayla McKeon’s time with Special Olympics New York began on a soccer field. And it didn’t take long for her parents to also become involved.

“She fell in love with it right away,” Mark says. “She made a lot of friends, loved the competition, and just met a whole lot of parents and people in the same situation that we were. We probably watched for about a month and we said, ‘No, we need to get involved.’” Twenty years later, the Central New York family continues to participate year-round, Mark and his wife Patti as coaches, and Kayla as a multisport athlete (now 32, she is also the first lobbyist in Washington, D.C. with Down Syndrome). The chapter is celebrating its 50th year in 2020. Special Olympics was founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and the New York chapter was incorporated two years later. It has since grown to become the largest such program in the country, with more than 67,000 athletes participating. Today, Special Olympics New York offers 22 Olympic-style sports throughout the year, and partners with schools state-wide – 220 20

FEATURE

to be exact, according to its President and CEO Stacey Hengsterman – to offer Unified Sports. Though the chapter will celebrate the milestone with activities throughout the year, Hengsterman says that isn’t the only focus.

“ My daughter likes to say, ‘If you come once to cheer on, you’re hooked for life.’ ” – Mark McKeon “We’re working to really grow this unified generation of young people that are growing up differently than they did 50 years ago, 30 years ago,” she says. “When you saw someone with an intellectual difference, your parents might have told you to be polite, look away, don’t stare, and really that meant they didn’t get to know anybody. I think these young people that are growing up now, they see more inclusion in their schools and they know that they can be polite while still asking questions, finding out what the difference is, and they become friends. That unified generation

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEW YORK

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BY THE NUMBERS

I think has a lot to teach everybody, and that’s what we’re really spending our time cultivating for our 50th anniversary vision.” Also in 2020, the Fall Games will return after a five-year absence. Hengsterman says that approximately 1,000 athletes will compete in softball, golf, cycling, equestrian and more in Glens Falls. “We have competitions every single day, but for our athletes, what they work for and they compete for and they beat out their teammates and neighbors for is to get to that state-wide games,” she says. “They’re very excited about that, and I think that’s something that we really owed to our athletes.”

How to Volunteer In February 2021, the Winter Games will return to the Syracuse region for three years, and Special Olympics New York is currently looking for people for its games organizing committee. Day of event opportunities and coaching positions are also available. “It’s something that everybody and anybody can get involved in,” Mark McKeon says. “My daughter likes to say, ‘If you come once to cheer on, you’re hooked for life.’”

Regions in New York

Olympic-style sports that Special Olympics New York offers throughout the year

Schools in Central New York that offer Unified Sports

Schools in New York State that offer Unified Sports

220

For more information on how to volunteer, visit specialolympics-ny.org.

Courtney Kless is the Editor in Chief of Family Times. She lives in Jamesville with her husband.

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LEARN

Club OF THE

Month

Positivity Project Club C.W. Baker High School

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Positivity Project Club has a motto: #otherpeoplematter The group has set out to share the importance of building relationships. “We know, statistically, that for students to be successful at school, and then far beyond school, feeling connected to people, staff and their peers is going to set them up for greater success in life,” says Meredith Riggs, the club’s advisor and social worker at C.W. Baker High School. “So that’s really important to us. We want everyone to feel included and welcomed.” The Positivity Project, also known as P2, was already in place at the district’s elementary schools, starting with Palmer Elementary during the 2016-17 school year (the other schools followed in 201718 and 2018-19). The group at the high school began last spring – with one big difference. “The [members] are totally in charge of the mission and the movement,” says Riggs. “It was something that our district believed in and wanted it to be district-wide so that we all had that common language and a common understanding.” The Positivity Project Club meets once per month and has approximately 22 members in grades 10 through 12. The meetings are run by the students and, so far this year, the group has helped with sophomore orientation, painted the school’s windows with positive

quotes and organized a spirit week in February, where each day had a theme and character strength (superhero day, for example, was associated with kindness), among other things. No matter the activity, the club’s goal is simple: “For people to first understand themselves and then be able to understand others, which eventually will lead to a more supportive and inclusive community,” says Riggs. As for the future, a few bigger projects – including the creation of an informational video about P2 – are in the works, and the club hopes to bring even more awareness to its mission. “I think my goal moving forward for [the members] is just trying to grow P2 in the culture and the climate of the building, so it’s something that people see and feel all the time,” Riggs says. “There are 24 character strengths that encompass all of us, and so you take this quiz and then it ranks your top character strength. The teachers that have done that have chosen to put like bumper stickers outside their classroom door so that the students entering know what their teacher’s top strength is or even the other staff. So, when you enter someone’s classroom, you’re like, ‘Oh, this person’s top strength is teamwork. Well, that tells me a lot about that person that I’m about to go in here and visit.’ Just little things like that.”

To take the P2 Character Survey, visit viacharacter.org/survey/account/register.

CLUB OF THE MONTH

—Courtney Kless

In their words:

What is one thing you want readers to know about the Positivity Project Club? “P2 is for everybody. Even though the readers aren’t in school, it’s still something they can use in their own lives, in their workplaces or just when they’re out and about and being mindful of the people they’re interacting with. Anybody can be having a bad day, but if you take the time out of your day to just be positive and kind to people, it makes all the difference.” – Mckenna Atkinson-Snow Senior

“I think I would want people to know that just with thinking about other people with one gesture, one smile, you can make somebody’s day. It doesn’t have to be a huge big thing; it can be something small.” – Edan Yager Junior

“People matter. We say that all time. Yes, this is a good experience for us, but it’s an even better one for the people around us. Because it’s not always about you. And I personally would rather make an impact on the people around me than make an impact on myself.” – Jadyn Schlegel Junior FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

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THANK YOU EXHIBITORS

Please consider supporting these companies who had committed to our event prior to the cancellation

THANK YOU TO OUR FEATURED EXHIBITORS!

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WHERE?

KIDS EXPO 2020 UPDATE Due to COVID-19 and a recent recommendation by the CDC to cancel or postpone events with more than 50 people for eight weeks (http:// ow.ly/OiPg50yMUE1), we have decided that it is in the best interest of our readers to cancel this year’s Kids Expo. Please email courtneyk@ familytimescny.com with any questions. We appreciate your support.

FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

THANK YOU TO OUR ATTENDING EXHIBITORS! Longhouse Council Boy Scouts of America Mary Kay (Melissa Eppard) Melissa Rose Crafts Miss Military Star New York Mizu Marbling Art New York State Police North Syracuse Central School District Onondaga County Sheriff Papa Gallo Paradise Companies PAWS of CNY Pop Warner of Central New York Redhouse Arts Center Schoolgirl Slimes SK Henna Sky Zone Trampoline Park Solvay Fire Department

KIDS EXPO GUIDE

St. Mary’s Academy Sugary Delights Syracuse Police Department Syracuse Stage The Birdsong Café The New School UnitedHealthcare U.S. Army Recruiting Station Usborne Books WellNow Urgent Care Whole Me WonderWorks YMCA Camp Gorham

ALSO INCLUDING:

Scooch from the Syracuse Mets Otto from Syracuse University

April 2020

PLEASE NOTE: THIS CALENDAR WAS UP-TO-DATE AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION’S PHONE NUMBER OR VISIT THE WEBSITE TO CONFIRM EVENT DETAILS.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1

SUNDAY, APRIL 5

SEE ONGOING EVENTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 2

MONDAY, APRIL 6

SEE ONGOING EVENTS

Tissue Paper Crafts. 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Turn tis-

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

sue paper into flowers, rainbows and more. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

SEE ONGOING EVENTS

Nailed It: Dessert Decorating. 3 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 Easter for Kids. 9

a.m.-noon. Children ages 4-12 can participate in Easter activities. Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 8131 Soule Road, Liverpool. Free. (315) 622-2843. NYCrossofChrist.org.

Poetry Creation Station. Through April 30.

Use words cut from magazines to create a poem. Betts Branch Library, 4862 S. Salina St., Syracuse. (315) 435-1940. onlib.org.

CALENDAR

Children grades 2-5 can decorate pre-made desserts. A template will be provided. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. Registration required: (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

Maker Pop-Up. Through April 19. Use cupcake

liners, popsicle sticks and markers to create a bunny puppet. Betts Branch Library, 4862 S. Salina St., Syracuse. (315) 435-1940. onlib.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Cardboard Creatures.

2:30-3:30 p.m. Make a creature from recycled materials. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

Drive-In Movie. 2 p.m. Children ages 2-12 can

turn a cardboard box into a car, then enjoy a movie and popcorn. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. Registration required: (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

CNY Young Naturalists. 4:45-5:45 p.m.

Children ages 5-12 can learn about local wildlife. Held on the first Wednesday of the month. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Family Trivia Night. 6:30 p.m. Teams of six

or less can answer questions about pop culture. Refreshments will be provided. Community Library

FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. Registration required: (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 Chain Reactions. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Create a

contraption to move a ball. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Young Artists. 2 p.m. Attendees ages 9 and

up can learn about Roman Art and create their own masterpiece. Onondaga Free Library, 4840 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. Free. Registration required: (315) 492-1727. oflibrary.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

years and their caregiver. Stories, songs, arts and crafts, and more. Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 8131 Soule Road, Liverpool. $3/family. Registration recommended: (315) 622-2843. NYCrossofChrist.org/Tots.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Sacred Heart Church Spring Craft Show. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The event will feature food, raffles and more than 50 crafters. Sacred Heart Church, 8229 Brewerton Road, Cicero. Free. sacredheartofcicero.com.

InterNational Nanny Training Day. 9 a.m.-

2:30 p.m. The event includes five workshops and lunch. St Rose of Lima Church, 409 S. Main St., North Syracuse. $25/person. Register: Nannies of Central and Western NY Facebook page. (845) 300-6117.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 Toddler Dance Party. 10:30 a.m. Children ages

18 months-5 years can come play musical instruments, enjoy bubbles, and dance their sillies out. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Maker Lab. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Create your own

fairy house. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., Liverpool. Free. Registration required: (315) 457-0310. lpl.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26 SEE ONGOING EVENTS

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

MONDAY, APRIL 27

SEE ONGOING EVENTS

MONDAY, APRIL 20

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Homeschooling 101 for Parents. 7-8:30 p.m.

Friendship Bracelets. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Children

This month’s session will be a curriculum sample and swap. Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., Liverpool. Free. (315) 457-0310. lpl.org.

ages 5-12 can learn how to braid and macramé a friendship bracelet. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21 Teen Tuesday. 4-5 p.m. Young people in grades SEE ONGOING EVENTS

MONDAY, APRIL 13 Doula Speed Dating. 6-7:30 p.m. Share 15 min-

6-12 can take part in a different program each week. During this week’s session, decorate a planter. Fayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard St., Fayetteville. Free. Registration required: (315) 637-6374. fflib.org.

utes with each doula and learn about the other resources CNY Doula Connection offers. Presented by CNY Doula Connection. CNY Healing Arts, 195 Intrepid Lane, Syracuse. Free. Registration recommended: (315) 707-8097.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Board Game Day. 2:30 p.m. Attendees ages

10-16 can play board games, including Uno, Candy Land and more. Betts Branch Library, 4862 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1940. onlib.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

STEAM: Dash & Dot. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Children

SEE ONGOING EVENTS

ages 5-12 can play with robots Dash and Dot. Central Library, 447 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1900. onlib.org.

ONGOING EVENTS

STEAM Club Jr. 4 p.m.; also April 21 & 28.

Great Swamp Conservancy Nature Trails.

Origami Bracelets. 2:30 p.m. Attendees ages

Daily, dawn to dusk. Throughout the year, visitors can grab their walking shoes and explore 4.5 miles of well-groomed, flat trails. Trails feature a 900-foot boardwalk, osprey nesting platform, and wetland and grassland restoration areas. The area is a stop for many migratory waterfowl and songbirds; other wildlife include muskrats and beavers. Great Swamp Conservancy, 3.5 miles off I-90, Exit 34, 8375 N. Main St., Canastota. Free. (315) 697-2950.

Build a Bee Hotel. 4 p.m. Children grades K-4

Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Hiking trails and parking are free and open every day from dawn to dusk. 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus. (315) 673-1350.

Children grades K-5 can enjoy science, technology, engineering, art and math activities. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. Registration required: (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. 11 a.m.; also April 17. Each egg contains a clue. Soule Branch Library, 101 Springfield Road, Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-5320. onlib.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16 SEE ONGOING EVENTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 Time for Tots Playgroup. 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Education playgroup for children ages 18 months-5

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 10-16 can use recycled magazine to create an origami bracelet. Betts Branch Library, 4862 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Free. (315) 435-1940. onlib.org. can celebrate Earth Day by learning about bees and creating a bee hotel from recycled materials. Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, 5110 Jamesville Road, Jamesville. Free. Registration required: (315) 446-3578. CLDandJ.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 23 SEE ONGOING EVENTS

Wegmans Playground.

Boundless Playground for children (and parents) of all ages and abilities includes accessible swings, slides, bridge and more, including special section just for the tiniest tykes. Onondaga Lake Park, Route 370, Liverpool. Free. (315) 451-PARK.

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Creative Environment Day School.......... 24 New Testament Baptist Church................. 7 Crouse Hospital..................................... Inside North Syracuse Central School............... 21 Front Cover Pediatric Associates..................................... 10 The Dance Studio.......................................... 8 Smith Housewares & Eastview Mall.................................................. 5

Restaurant Supply.......................................... 7

Faith Heritage School................................. 31 Syracuse Children’s Theatre........................ 3 Flamingo Bowl.............................................9,11 Syracuse Stage.............................................. 24 Gifford Family Theatre............................... 24 Upstate Cord Blood Bank......................... 19 Glazed and Confused.................................... 8

Upstate Medical University...................Back Cover Good Samaritan 5K..................................... 31 Hematology/Oncology Associates........... 28 Wanderers Rest........................................... 31 Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse....................... 7

Weiss, Savedoff & Ciccone........................ 10

Jewish Community Center........................ 24 YMCA............................................................. 15 Joan Condlins ................................................. 8

MAY 23RD LONG BRANCH PARK

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Invest in what matters. Academic excellence from a Biblical mindset Purposeful learning with dual-credit college courses, Varsity Athletics and Performing Arts  A safe,, loving environment where teachers can teach, and students can learn. 

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7138 SUTHERLAND DRIVE, CANASTOTA | (315) 697-2796 FAMILY TIMES APRIL 2020

BRINGING HEARTS AND MINDS TOGETHER

FOR OUR COMMUNITY

As the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical university, we unite our hearts and minds to improve and protect the health of our community. We are here to help in the most challenging times, with forwardthinking actions and a caring and dedicated workforce.

E du ca tio n

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Pat i e nt Care

Family Times April 2020

Articles inside

LOCAL FACES

EDUCATOR OF THE MONTH

EDITOR’S NOTE

TREAT YOURSELF