ISVI Happenings
October, 2007
Recycling Program at ISVI
The recycling program at ISVI is flourishing. Mrs. Hauck’s Prevocational
Skills classes have been hard at work collecting and sorting recycling on
campus. They collect recycling every Monday from the Gym, Dining Hall, Unit 17
and the Main Building. In all, the students collect from about 45 classrooms,
offices and other areas. On Wednesday’s, these students sort the materials into
different categories including: newspaper and colored paper, white paper and
cardboard. At the end of the week, the students take the sorted recycling
material to dump into the large recycling dumpsters in the back of the ISVI
campus. Midwest Fiber and Recycling then picks up the recycling and takes it all
to their headquarters in Decatur every two weeks. The recycling program has been
around for approximately 17 years. In addition, one of the on-campus jobs is to
collect the recycling from the dorms. It takes a team to ensure that the
recycling project is done and that is what these students are doing! Thanks to
all who are involved.
(Picture of a ISVI student sorting the recycling material)
More Recreational Activities
An air hockey tournament was in the teen center for all that wanted to
participate. The first place winner received a digital talking calculator/clock.
The student that came in second place won a talking watch. Good job! The annual
Fall Dance was held on September 14th. The students had a wonderful
time. Mr. Thompson was the disc jockey for the event. A pool tournament was held
in the teen center. First place winner received a talking watch. Second place
received a coolie lunch bag.
(Picture of ISVI student playing pool)
Student’s Speaking Engagement
Last year, Professor Jamie Klein from Illinois College asked an ISVI student to
speak to her Multi-Cultural Issues in Education class about visual impairments
and other issue’s. The student did so well last year that Professor Klein asked
her to come back and speak this year. She went to Illinois College and did a
wonderful job once again. She compared strengths and weaknesses in public versus
residential schools. Also, the student showed them some of her assistive
technology devices. When asked how her presentation went, she showed a big smile
and said, "It went the best it could possibly go". She told them that she plans
on attending Heartland Community College in Pontiac after graduation this year.
The student has already been invited back to Illinois College as a guest speaker
for the 2nd semester class. Mr. Strader accompanied her and spoke to
the class on visual impairments and provided some vision simulators for the
class to use. Great job!
(Picture of ISVI student with Mr. Strader)
New Child Development Class
ISVI now is offering a Child Development Class for students. Mrs. Barb
Strang teaches this class to nine students this year. It is a year long course
that uses The Developing Child textbook. This new book is available in
Braille, large print, and regular print for our students who are taking the
class. The course is designed to help students gain knowledge and understanding
of the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of children from
birth (conception) to six years. Information is given on practicing health and
safety standards for children. Careers related to the child care field are also
incorporated within the course. Mrs. Strang’s goal for this course is to help
students become aware of the area of Child Development, whether they want to
pursue a career in Child Care (babysitter, day care worker, teacher,
pediatrician, etc.), to be a better sibling, aunt or uncle and to give them
information for when, and if, they choose to become parents. They will have
guest speakers and various activites throughout the semester. Some of the
activities will include: bathing a baby, diapering a baby, guiding behaviors,
and caring for a sick child. So far, the students seem to really enjoy the
class. One of the first assignments that they did was to complete an information
sheet about their own "babyhood" with their own parent or guardian and to bring
in a baby picture of themselves. They had a lot of fun with this. They also
stated that they had fun discussing this activity with their parents.
(Picture of class listening to a guest speaker)