A New Joint Venture in Summer Learning Programs

From The Bubel/Aiken Foundation Website:

3/06/2009
MEAF Awards $40,000 Grant to Support Partnership with The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and Johns Hopkins University’s National Center for Summer Learning

RALEIGH, NC – The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) has announced $360,000 in new and continuing grants, raising the total investment in the Foundation’s five-year Inclusion Initiative to $3.2 million. The newest inclusion project is a joint venture between The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (TBAF) and the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University.

Building on a three-year partnership, The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and the National Center for Summer Learning will create a distinct and powerful new force for change in the field of summer learning for all children, especially those with disabilities. The partners will expand access to high-quality, inclusive summer learning opportunities for young people by developing a summer learning curriculum to help summer camps fully include youth with disabilities.

Research suggests that inclusive summer learning programs can prevent summer learning loss and promote academic achievement for all children and youth, foster positive relationships between children with and without disabilities and adults, and promote improved peer relationships and acceptance of diversity.

“We are very pleased to incorporate this project into our Inclusion Initiative, expanding inclusion outreach to the critical area of summer learning,” said Rayna Aylward, MEAF’s executive director. “The Bubel/Aiken Foundation and the National Center for Summer Learning add valuable experience and focus to the inclusion mix, and their collaboration will enrich the lives of many thousands of youth with and without disabilities.”


About MEAF: Established in 1991, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation is the corporate foundation of the Mitsubishi Electric companies in the US, which makes grants to support national nonprofit organizations and works to engage company employees in philanthropy and volunteerism in Mitsubishi Electric communities through its matching grants program. The Foundation’s mission is to help young people with disabilities maximize their potential and participation in society. For more information about the foundation visit www.meaf.org.

About TBAF: The Bubel/Aiken Foundation serves to bridge the gap that exists between young people with special needs and the world around them. By providing services and financial assistance, TBAF supports communities and programs in creating awareness and opportunities for full inclusion where barriers break and doors open. It is their goal to create an environment for children where inclusion is embraced. To learn more about The Bubel/Aiken Foundation or ways to get involved visit their website at www.bubelaiken.org.

About the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University: The vision of the National Center for Summer Learning is for every young person to experience enriching, memorable summers. Based at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, the Center engages in research, develops policy, and delivers professional development to improve program quality, increase funding for programs for young people living in poverty, and make summer learning a public policy priority. The Center focuses national attention on how high-quality summer learning programs help close the achievement gap, lead to higher graduation rates, and promote healthy development. For more information, visit www.summerlearning.org.

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Golfing for Inclusion: The Performances

Here are the promised performance videos from yesterday's charity benefit:

Vocals by Clay Aiken and Ben Cohn on piano



~I Don't Have The Heart to Hurt You~


~This Is The Moment~


~Right Here Waiting~


~Proud of Your Boy~


~Mandy~


~Sorry Seems to be the Hardest World~


Among the many auction items was a dinner for four with Clay which went for an amazing $35,000. Awesome.



Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken Ben Cohn Golfing for Inclusion TBAF Bubel-Aiken Foundation fundraiser video performances I Don't Have the Heart Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word Mandy Proud of Your Boy Right Here Waiting This Is The Moment

Golfing for Inclusion

Hot off the presses pictures from the golf course at Mirasol Country Club where The Bubel-Aiken Foundation is holding their second annual Golfing for Inclusion. First up golf, then dinner, an auction, and a performance by Clay in the early evening.







Clay is traveling around on a golf cart visiting with the golfers and taking group pictures. Stay tuned for more reports and hopefully some performance video.

Tags: Clay Aiken Golfing for Inclusion TBAF Bubel-Aiken Foundation fundraiser

TBAF: America's Giving Challenge

The Bubel Aiken Foundation is participating in America's Giving Challenge in a quest to receive a $50,000 donation. To do so, TBAF needs to be in the Top 4 of total number of donations received. Right now TBAF is is fifth place. Each $10 (10.47 to cover the Credit card fee) helps. If you can help, please click the badge at the right.



Here is a message from Aron Hall of TBAF

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The Case Foundation and Parade Magazine have presented an incredible opportunity to non-profit organizations to not only reach out to friends and family and get them involved in what we are passionate about, but also to maximize the effect of our monetary donations. America’s Giving Challenge will conclude on January 31 at 3pm EST. Only 3 Days Left!!! The four US-based charities that receive the most donations ($10 minimum) will receive a $50,000 grant from the Case Foundation. The winners will also be featured in Parade Magazine which has a weekly readership of 72 million people!

The good news is that we have had over 1000 donations and the almost $14,000 that we will receive through the generous support will fund at least one camp that will open its doors to all children and give them the opportunity to experience all that life has to offer. The bad news is that after a week of being in fourth place and thus in the running for the winning grant, we have been passed and are sitting in fifth—71 donations behind as I write this. We must be in the top 4 to receive the additional $50,000!

Why is it important that not only you but also your friends and family participate? You can make a difference in the life of a child like Adam who had been kicked out of every program he had ever attended until he came to a Let’s ALL Play program where the extra staff gave him the attention he had been craving. He has now had 4 successful summers in our programs as well as seeing marked improvement in his school performance. You could open a door for a Lee who came to his first summer with almost no verbal or social skills. You can now find him playing kickball and talking at lunch with all his new friends.

So how can you help?

1. Make sure you’ve donated. There is no need to delay. Again, the deadline is this Thursday, January 31 at 3pm EST. Click on this link http://www.networkforgood.org/Pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=109694 or copy and paste it into your browser to visit our badge and make a donation. Again, $10 is all you have to give.

2. Get the word out! Email, blog, and put the badge on your webpage! There is information on the badge about how to share it.

3. Phone-a-Friend—We believe that the charity that has surged to fourth may be doing a phone-a-thon or phone-a-friend type of campaign. So many emails (especially charity forwards) get deleted, that a friendly voice may make a huge difference!

“The Giving Challenge provides each of us the opportunity to magnify our impact on the lives of children. Thanks for all that you do!” TBAF Co-Founder Clay Aiken

Please join us in taking a tremendous opportunity to open doors for ALL children to participate fully in their communities!

Sincerely,

Aron Hall
Director Services
Creating communities where ALL children can learn, live, and play together.
The Bubel/Aiken Foundation
8601 Six Forks Road
Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: 919.882.2152
Fax: 919.882.2155


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A Possible Dream: Let All Play

A Must-Read article:

Caregiving: Clay Aiken to expand camps
By ALEX CUKAN



ALBANY, N.Y., July 31 Long before appearing on Fox's "American Idol" in 2003, Clay Aiken had a dream that did not involve being a pop star.

As a YMCA camp counselor, it saddened him that children with developmental disabilities had to be turned away from not only the fun of camp, but from the experience of being with other children, and he promised himself that this was something he would try to change.

"American Idol," several hit tours and 4.3 million album sales later, the pop star announced earlier this month that his dream is becoming a reality with the goal of raising $1 million to expand the Bubel/Aiken Foundation's "Let ALL Play" initiative so that 100 camps in 2008 would become inclusive to children with special needs.

It's simple concept really, but all too often, special needs children are excluded from everyday activities like swimming, arts and crafts, games, community service and physical fitness programs.

"It's an ambitious goal and it will be a challenge -- 100 camps and $1 million dollars in less than one year -- but we are about 20 percent of the way to that goal," Jerry Aiken, executive director of the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, told UPI's Caregiving. "But we also have a fan base with a tremendous amount of experience and strong passion for this issue -- we have close to 1,000 volunteers -- working with the foundation and we have been listening to them and they have some great ideas."

Jerry Aiken, Clay Aiken's uncle on his mother's side, held senior level positions at Nortel Networks, TRW and Fujitsu Network Communications, before coming to the foundation in May.

"I was told of a parent with a child with special needs and on the first day of camp the parent is coaxing the child to get out of the car and give camp a try, but a couple of days later the child can't wait to get to camp and is running inside -- when you hear these stories you see the value -- the self-worth element -- of inclusion," said Jerry Aiken.

"There was a 8-year-old child with autism, who was diagnosed at age 2 and he attended a YMCA camp this summer -- his vocabulary before the camp was about two words and after attending camp it jumped to 11 words -- that's huge."

There are several things currently in the works to raise funds, including working with a number of companies to gain sponsorship and there will be a celebrity version of the TV show on Fox's "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader" that may offer us some opportunities as well, according to Jerry Aiken.

In addition, Jerry Aiken, a golfer, is working toward a golf tournament tentatively scheduled in Florida this year or in early 2008.

"I play golf and I have encouraged Clay to take it up, but golf takes a commitment and at the moment he doesn't have the time for golf, but he would be at the golf tournament," Jerry Aiken said.

The foundation is working with established camp programs such as the YMCA or other qualified American Camp Association members by providing financial support plus a detailed camp manual, training and ongoing assistance -- most of the funds that we raise cover training, additional counselors, equipment/supplies as well as a camp scholarships if required, according to Jerry Aiken.

"We stress to the camps they should not significantly change their program; the 'Let's ALL Play' manual and the training is about developing the camp team to provide a typical camp experience."

There is tug of war in pedagogy and psychological circles on how to best challenge the special needs child and the typical child so both experience optional challenges, according to Dr. Larry Lachman, a licensed clinical psychologist at Chapman University in Monterey, Calif.

"If either the special needs child, or the typical child does not get enough stimulation, it won't work," Lachman told UPI's Caregiving.

"Assuming the staff/counselors are trained in special needs, that the design of the program is appropriate and the typical children have the emotional maturity so they do not tease, this can be a highly beneficial experience and broaden the skill sets of both sets of children -- it sets the bar higher for all the children and opens everyone's eye to seeing something from a different point of view."

I saw things from a different point of view after I heard Clay Aiken in an interview several years ago with Diane Sawyer of ABC News. He said what made him passionate about being a special education teacher was the challenge -- the puzzle -- and how to figure out ways to help unlock the world so that a special needs child could connect and function better.

At the time, I was experiencing the "distancing" of friends of mine and friends of my father who treated the news of my father's Alzheimer's disease as if it was leprosy. I never heard from them again.

But thinking about dementia as a challenge, as a puzzle that can be solved, bit by bit, instead of giving up, made a big difference for me. It's certainly not the message I got from traditional healthcare.

So I understand why Clay Aiken's fan base is more than just the usual pop star fan base of teens -- many of his fans are caregivers -- who appreciate the message of inclusion.

In an era when many men in their 20s are only passionate about video games or have nothing else on their minds than perfecting their backhand, Clay Aiken talking about inclusion of those with special needs is enormously attractive to women of all ages, so I can understand why his fans are so devoted and why the foundation has such ambitious plans.


Clay Aiken, TBAF, Jerry Aiken Bubel-Aiken Foundation, YMCA, American Camp Association, Inclusion