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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
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Surprise vacation for Marbach
by Ken Boesenberg |
Matt Marbach, 12 year old son of Nancy and Jerry Marbach will be enjoying a surprise vacation starting Wednesday, March 28.
He will be going to Washington, D.C. for three days and then on to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. for four days.
It will be a working vacation of sorts as representatives from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will act as ambassadors for Children’s Miracle Network children’s hospitals.
While in Washington, D.C. they will travel to Capitol Hill and The White House to share the message that their lives--and the lives of millions of children just like them--are better because of the tremendous work of children’s hospitals.
While in Orlando they will be participating in the national television production of the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration at Walt Disney World.
Each year the Children’s Miracle Network children’s hospitals treat 17 million children with ailments from cancer to, in Matt’s case, becoming an amputee as a result of a farm accident.
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At right, Matt Marbach, travels to Washington D.C. and Orlando thanks to the Children’s Miracle Network and Children’s Hospitals. |
Matt was selected by the Children’s Miracle Network to be one of their “Champions Across America”.
Each year one young person is selected from each state and the District of Columbia to be one of the Champions Across America.
The following was taken from the book that lists all 51 of the 2007 Champions Across America.
Just like anyone enjoying a long holiday weekend, Matt Marbach, 12, of Manchester, Iowa, wanted his trip to a relative’s farm to last a little longer. After calling his mom to request a few more hours on the farm, Matt joined his cousins to grind a load of feed for the farms’ livestock. The next call his mother received was one revealing that Matt had been involved in a severe farm accident.
While pouring in a feed ingredient, the sack Matt held had been pulled into an auger, severely damaging his left arm. He was rushed to Children’s Hospital of Iowa at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where doctors made every attempt to save his arm. Unfortunately his injuries were too severe.
After being fitted with a prosthetic arm, Matt immediately got back into the sports and activities he loves. He quickly learned to tie his shoes, write with his right hand and maneuver a bike. His prosthetic arm is even specially designed for catching a baseball. Whether it’s a whizzing baseball or any other challenge, Matt continues to face everything that comes his way with determination and courage.
The other 50 stories in the book are equally as touching and filled with triumphs made by remarkable individuals. All with the aid of the Children’s Miracle Network Children’s Hospitals.
Matt has touched the hearts of many people from in and around Manchester and will now be given the opportunity to touch many more hearts as he travels to Washington D.C. and Orlando.
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Disability students learning many life skills at WD
by Latisha Sand |
Since 1981 the West Delaware Special Education program has been teaching students within the areas of vocational training, domestic living, academic, recreation/leisure, personal awareness and community mobility.
“They all go together,” said Jean Resor, the special education teacher at West Delaware. “It’s really a hands on program.”
According to Resor, there are more than 25 area businesses that take part in the vocational aspect of the program, far more businesses than students. This year eight students in the program learned in-house vocational skills and then put them into practice by working at an area business.
“We try to match the student’s interest with the business,” said Resor. “They learn all job skills [during the vocational part of the program].”
Each student can work at various businesses throughout their four years of high school so they can learn different skills at different jobs. In the classroom, each student works on interviewing skills, filling out applications, following directions and several social skills.
“People with disabilities usually lose their job because of poor social skills,’ said Resor. But the area businesses really enjoy participating in the program. “I used to have to go out and ask businesses to participate in the program,” said Resor. “Now I have employers coming up to me and asking ‘Do you have a student for us?’”
During each job, the students keep a portfolio and are evaluated by each of their employers.
“Students are treated like everyone else that works there,” said Resor. “They have to call the manager if they are sick or going to be late.”
After graduation, there is a transitional period for the students where the school helps the students get jobs.
“Several of our past students have kept the same job since high school,” said Resor.
After graduation, there are several helping hands throughout the county, including the Delaware County Supervisors, ARC and Unlimited Services.
“We are very fortunate,” said Resor. “The county supervisors have done a good job of supporting the students after graduation. They are doing everything they can to help after graduation. They really work hard.”
While still in school, however, Resor teaches students how to cook for themselves in the full service kitchen within the classroom.
“We have a recipe book for them that has step-by-step instructions with what groceries and utensils they will need,” said Resor. “We teach them adaptations for the recipes so they can live on their own.”
Once a week the students will go to volunteer home sites in Manchester to work on cleaning skills. If scheduling allows, they will even cook at the volunteer home.
Other teachers at West Delaware help with sewing and laundry skills.
For their recreation and leisure lessons, many of the students participate in Special Olympics and all are in the regular physical education classes offered at West Delaware.
“We like to take the students to plays about two or three times a year,” said Resor, “but we read the play before we go see it.”
Resor also takes the students shopping for prom or interview clothes. The Delaware County Rec Center also is a big place to take the students to learn about physical fitness.
For personal awareness, Resor teaches students how to care for personal needs, using public facilities, filling out insurance forms, rebate forms and teaching them about time, like making appointments and planning their day.
Everyone at West Delaware, according to Resor, help out, including janitors and the cooks, because the program is so hands on.
“West Delaware has really supported this program,” said Resor.
The program did start in 1981 as a trial bases and was approved in 1983.
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Risky Behavior seminar held
by Ken Boesenberg |
The Risky Behavior seminar organized by Sue Daker, Director of School Improvement for the West Delaware School District, was packed with must know information for both parents and faculty.
The seminar was organized through the cooperative efforts of Mrs. Daker, Jennifer Sellner, the health sciences instructors, school nurses and counselors.
The initial idea was born back in February 2006 and really started coming together in August 2006.
From August until now there were monthly meetings with many different parties to mark progress and constantly update and refine the information to be discussed.
Local professionals were the speakers.
Dr. Ried Boom presented Risky Sexual Behavior; Iowa Highway Patrolman Brian Senne presented Drug and Alcohol Risky Behavior; and Cathy Glew did a presentation on Risky Behavior via the Internet.
The seminar was given twice.
The first time was for interested parents, last Tuesday evening at the West Delaware Middle School, where some 80 parents attended.
The second one was for the faculty of the West Delaware School District on Wednesday afternoon, also held at the Middle School.
Each of the three parts of the seminar were held in sparate areas with persons rotating to each portion of the seminar.
Each presenter gave an overview of their area while sharing many statistics involving sexual activity, drug and alcohol use and internet predators.
When asked about any future plans to continue the informational seminars Mrs. Daker responded.“We have some future plans to do a more in depth presentation for both parents and faculty. We will be looking at our surveys that were filled out by those attending to see which area has the most interest or need.”
She also commented that the seminar was very well attended as compared to others that have been held in neighboring school districts.
KEN BOESENBERG / Press
These three local professionals spoke to interested parents and the West Delaware faculty last week on various aspects of Risky Behavior. State Patrolman, Brian Senne, top left, displays a marijuana pipe during his talk regarding drugs and alcohol. Dr. Reid Boom, above, held everyone’s attention while discussing STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) with the West Delaware faculty. Cathy Glew, at left, with the Riverview Center, enlightened persons attending the seminar on Risky Behavior as it pertains to the Internet.
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