SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Sonoma County Mayors Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities funded a $250 Scholarship that was awarded to Santa Rosa Junior College student, Jessica McDonald at the Honor Reception presented by the Disability Resources Department, April 30, 2010. David Wayte, Chair, Margaret Panely and Jack Geary attended the event. This scholarship is for a student with any disability who plans to transfer to a four year university. Jessica is the first person in her family to graduate from high school and the first person to attend college. Despite the challenges she faced, Jessica has learned to focus on her strengths and abilities and excel in college. She is on track to transfer to SSU within the next year to major in Accounting and eventually earn her master's degree. Jessica shared with us the following: "since I've gotten this far in my academics, the sky's the limit and nothing is going to stop me from accomplishing my goals!" We believe that for Jessica the sky is the limit and we wish her all the best. Congratulations Jessica! Download the SRJC Honors Program

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YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM

We participate in nominating and selecting delegates to the annual Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities.

The YLF is produced as a cooperative project that includes the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, State Employment Development Department, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Education, State Independent Living Council, CalSTAT and California Health Incentives Improvement Project/San Diego State University, California Workforce Investment Board, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, California Youth Leadership Fourum Alumni Alliance, and Friends of Californians with Disabilities, Inc.

This program builds leadership qualities in high school students with disabilities. At the Forum, selected junior and senior high school students with disabilities enjoy an all-expense paid 5 day concentrated educational and motivational career preparation training in Sacramento. Highly successful, California's Youth Leadership Forum model has been reproduced successfully in 33 other states.

We assist by distributing nomination packets to Sonoma County high schools, requesting teachers and other personnel to make nominations. After students have been nominated, we conduct interviews of the candidates either in-person or by telephone. We then make our recommendations to the Governors' Committee.

At the end of the Forum week, the Governor's Committee hosts a Mentors Luncheon in Sacramento. The Luncheon allows the YLF delegates to informally meet with adults active in the disability community to share ideas and experiences. On the morning of the Luncheon, mentors join delegates in small groups to meet with legislators at the Capitol.

Sonoma County YLF delegates are invited to the Annual Employers Best Practices Awards breakfast in October so they can share their experience.

Steve Shaw, past president, attended both the legislative visits and the luncheon. "These kids are sharp", he later recounted. "The first question I asked at our lunch table was whether the students thought that they received straight or evasive answers from the legislators they met with. They knew when they were being given the run-around."