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| March 11, 2009 |
Sent to: Email
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CREATE AN ARTHUR CHARACTER CONTEST
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Is your child an Arthur fan?
 Children ages 6 to 12 are invited to participate in the Arthur/All Kids Can Character Search by sending in their ideas for a new character. The character must have a unique ability, character trait or disability that might make life a little different but not any less fun. Kids can mail in their entries with a drawing of the character and a description of what makes their character special.
The winner, along with his or her character, will be featured in a live segment on the Arthur show and will receive a visit from Arthur creator Marc Brown at his or her school, local library or PBS member station. The character search is designed to teach children about the importance of inclusion and how children of all abilities can still play together. It also encourages parents and children to think about what life is like for someone they may know who has a disability.
Entries are due March 31. Visit the PBS website to download an entry form.
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JUNIOR GOLF GRANT PROGRAM: APPLICATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES
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The Florida Sports Foundation (FSF), a direct support organization of the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, has established the Florida Youth Golf Program from the proceeds of the Florida Golf License Plate. Developed by the State of Florida in 2002, the plate has helped to promote Florida’s thriving Golf Industry and to help the FSF establish a golf grant program that would benefit youth golf programs throughout Florida. The FSF Junior Golf Grant Program is designed to assist organizations in the State of Florida for the benefit of youth, introduce young people to golf, instruct young people in golf, teach the values of golf, and stress life skills, fair play, courtesy, and self-discipline. Additionally, the Grant Program is intended to help organizations that provide junior golf programs that serve economically disadvantaged youth, children with special needs and the general population.
Programs should demonstrate the following to be eligible for funding:
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 Not-for-profit-status as defined under Section 501(c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code or government entities such as schools or municipalities;
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For service to children through the 12th grade. Programs should provide provisions for an introduction component from beginners level to course play, and throughout various levels of competition (i.e., local, regional and national);
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Incorporation of lessons in life skills, core values (i.e., fair play, courtesy and self-discipline), with a time certain and demonstration of effective application;
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Affordable golf course access to the program for participants during the scheduled program and after the program is concluded;
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The Foundation will not fund the entire budget of a program. The applicant organization must contribute a percentage of the project’s expenses with their own funds and demonstrate a plan for fiscal sustainability for funding in subsequent years. These plans should include support from individuals, local organizations, foundations, fundraisers, in-kind services, etc;
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The Foundation will not fund a multi-year request for a program. The applicant must re-apply each year. Renewal of grants will be based upon strict performance data, continued program growth and positive outcomes reported by the grantees;
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For Grant Award reimbursement purposes each program must be able to provide invoices for each item and front and back of checks or credit card receipts and matching bank statements.* The reimbursement should total the grant award and be spent on all allowable expenses as seen below.
If a program is providing reimbursement for instruction or teaching hours then the invoice document for this purchase should include the days and hours taught, number of children reached and how much paid per hour.
Programs will be evaluated on the following criteria:
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Number of children served, number of minority, general population and economically, mentally and physically challenged;
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Incorporation of life skills component and effective measurement methods of application;
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Project plan has clearly stated goals, objectives, effective program structure and reasonable timeline for accomplishments;
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Accountability of the project by governing board of directors or other entity;
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Initiating efforts to market the golf license plate;
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Contract compliance and report/validation of funding use;
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Recruitment and retention of program participants as golfers;
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Provision for access to course/practice following the program.
Click here to learn more
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HYPERACTIVITY ENABLES CHILDREN WITH ADHA TO STAY ALERT:
TEACHERS URGED NOT TO SEVERELY LIMIT THAT ACTIVITY |
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ScienceDaily
3/9/09
A new University of Central Florida study may explain why children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder move around a lot – it helps them stay alert enough to complete challenging tasks.
In studies of 8- to 12-year-old boys, Psychology Professor Mark D. Rapport found that children with and without ADHD sat relatively still while watching Star Wars and painting on a computer program.
All of the children became more active when they were required to remember and manipulate computer-generated letters, numbers and shapes for a short time. Children with ADHD became significantly more active – moving their hands and feet and swiveling in their chairs more – than their typically developing peers during those tasks.
Rapport's research indicates that children with ADHD need to move more to maintain the required level of alertness while performing tasks that challenge their working memory, which involves remembering and manipulating information for a short time.
"We've known for years that children with ADHD are more active than their peers," said Rapport, whose findings are published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. "What we haven't known is why."
"They use movement to keep themselves alert," Rapport added. "They have a hard time sitting still unless they're in a highly stimulating environment where they don't need to use much working memory."
Rapport compared the children's movements during the tests to adults' tendency to fidget and move around in their chairs to stay alert during long meetings.
The findings have immediate implications for treating children with ADHD. Parents and educators can use a variety of available methods and strategies to minimize working memory failures. Providing written instructions, simplifying multi-step directions, and using poster checklists can help children with ADHD learn without overwhelming their working memories.
"When they are doing homework, let them fidget, stand up or chew gum," he said. "Unless their behavior is destructive, severely limiting their activity could be counterproductive."
READ MORE...
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| NEWS AROUND FLORIDA |
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Governor Charlie Crist today announced details about federal stimulus funding coming to Florida as a result of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. While addressing the Florida Hospital Association’s annual Hospital Day in the Legislature, Governor Crist confirmed the federal share of Florida’s Medicaid costs will increase from 55.4 percent to 67.6 percent, infusing more than $817 million into Florida’s economy.
“Especially during challenging economic times, we must ensure that Florida’s most vulnerable and persons with disabilities receive the care they need, and these additional Medicaid dollars will enable us to continue serving those in need,” Governor Crist said. “I urge the Legislature to quickly take the action necessary to ensure these dollars come to Florida as soon as possible.”
Don Winstead, Special Advisor to the Governor for the Implementation of the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, joined Governor Crist for the announcment. The federal Medicaid funding, known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), will provide a significant infusion of federal funds to Florida.
To receive the funding, appropriate budget authority must be approved by the Florida Legislature. In anticipation of that approval, Governor Crist announced that Florida’s Medicaid Program will submit two amended technical reports to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 10. One report will trigger the availability of $453.1 million in additional federal funds for the current quarter of January through March. The second report will trigger the availability of $363.1 million in additional federal funding for the completed quarter of October through December 2008. READ MORE...
When lawmakers debate bills that could affect Kim Glusky's autistic son she can virtually look over their shoulders from the comfort of her central Florida home.
Legislative floor action and certain committee meetings flow onto her computer screen by way of streaming video available on the Legislature's "Online Sunshine" Web site. She particularly monitors potential budget cuts that could gut her 18-year-old son's residential care program.
"You want to tune in as this is unraveling," said Glusky, who lives in Oviedo just outside Orlando. "My son's life depends on this funding."
Online Sunshine links to separate House and Senate sites that let citizens search for bills that may interest them, follow the progress of each measure through committee and floor votes and read staff analyses that explain what they would do, including their cost. Bill information is not only available for the current legislative session that runs through May 1, but back to 1998.
The House site even has a bill tracker that automatically sends e-mail updates on legislation selected by each user. Constituents also can look up their senators and representatives through their zip codes, learn what bills they are sponsoring and committees they serve on, read their biographies, send them e-mails and get their phone numbers and office addresses.
Lobbyist information, the state budget, calendars, journals and other documents are available on the sites.
The streaming video provides live coverage of up to five House and Senate committee meetings or floor sessions at a time. The House site includes a podcast feature. It lets users download audio the next day from all the chamber's committee meetings and sessions. READ MORE...
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