Dear student,

You are invited to participate in a research study to understand your motivation and participation in physical activity. The study is being done by Dr. Deborah Shapiro and Mason Sur at Georgia State University.  You do not have to be actively involved in sport or physical activity to complete this survey.   The survey will take 10 minutes or less of your time. By participating in the survey, you will have a chance to win a $20 Amazon e-gift card. A total of 10 winners will be selected after the completion of the study.

You must be 18 years or older to participate in the study and the raffle. Please click the link to the consent form and the survey.

Survey link:  https://gsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hDlXFnQK9HDUpv

If you have any question about the survey, please contact to Mason Sur at (815) 761-2399 or msur1@student.gsu.edu

Regards,

Mason Sur

Doctoral student

Physical Education and Teacher Education Program

Department of Kinesiology and Health

Georgia State University

Sport Arena #122

Email: msur1@student.gsu.edu

Many students think of summer as a time to take an opportunity to relax from classes and employment responsibilities, but that doesn’t have to be the case. While summer break can be a time of getting extra Vitamin D and rest, it is also important that we continue to engage in activities that will strengthen our independent living, healthy lifestyle, and lifelong-learning skills.

One thing that I know we have learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is the power of technology. We have been able to engage with one another socially, career-wise, and academically through Zoom and other outlets with the single click of a mouse or opening of a phone application. The opportunities that are available for skill development, especially on smart phones, are endless, and I would really like to see students taking the time this summer to explore some applications that might help them to be more independent, responsible young adults.

Here is a link to a compilation of apps that can help develop and maintain positive independent living skills throughout the summer. The apps are categorized by “Occupational Performance,” and include, but are not limited to Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Safety and Emergency Maintenance, Leisure, etc. They also include the compatibility of the app and the price, if applicable. There are several wonderful applications on the list that hopefully, will be able to address target needs.

If there are any questions that you might have regarding specific applications or specific areas of need, please reach out to the TOPS staff. As professionals in the disability field, we are constantly being made aware of new technological advances and tools to help support our students.

Take care and hAPPy summer!

Our students would like to say a big thank you to the professors, supervisors and partners they work with. Check it out!

In partnership with other programs around the state, TOPS is building a model curriculum to deliver Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). The Pre-ETS curriculum will include five parts: (1) Instruction on Self-Advocacy; (2) Job Exploration Counseling; (3) Counseling on Postsecondary Education Programs; (4) Workplace Readiness Training to Develop Social and Independent Living Skills; and, (5) Work-Based Learning Experiences. Each learning module will include 8-hours of coursework, except for self-advocacy instruction, which will be a 4-hour course. The Pre-ETS curriculum aims to increase career awareness and develop evidence-based skills that improve transition outcomes for students with disabilities. This coursework will enrich our existing programming and services and be available to eligible students at no additional cost. We will keep you posted on our progress as we build the curriculum and apply to become a provider for these specific services this summer. To learn more about Pre-ETS, see OOD’s Students 14+ website: https://ood.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/ood/individuals-with-disabilities/services/students-14-plus

Are you a person with a disability or chronic health condition ages 18-65?

We are doing a survey with people with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

· What about your life has changed since the COVID-19 outbreak?

· What services and supports have changed?

· What are you worried about?

    Your voice is important!

 What will happen in the study?

• You will do an online survey.
• You can do the survey of your own phone, tablet, or computer.
• The survey will take 20-45 minutes.
• We will not ask for any personal information. Everything you say will be private

Is the study right for me?

• We are including people who live in the United States.
• We are including people with most disabilities and chronic health conditions.
  • If your only disability is a learning disability, ADHD, or a temporary physical condition (such as a broken leg), then we will not include you.

Go to the survey: https://bostonu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eRJqZP7L950ey2N

 Ariel Schwartz at Boston University is in charge of this study. For more information, contact her at: aeschwar@bu.edu

Recruitment flyer_PWD

TOPS employment team would like to make a shout out to The OSU Marching Band (TBDBITL)!  They have been a huge supporter of the program for the last four years.  TOPS had one student, Jackson Hilliard, intern with them for all four years he was in our program.  When the employment team talked to the band about a potential partnership they were happy to support the program.  TOPS would like to thank everyone who had a part of this FANTASTIC experience for Jackson and The TOPS Program!

Anthony and Alex, current OSU students put their technology skills to work to enjoy some down time with a current mentor and a graduated mentor. If you need help using Zoom, leave a comment below!

Below is a very cool opportunity to highlight what you are doing while in TOPS! (Alumni, you count too!) Staff can support you if you wish to participate.

The week has flown by. We have spent time getting to know ourselves through assessments. We have had classes to learn about academics at OSU, the internships available, some tips for living independently and how to be social. So much to learn but students are eager to learn and get back in August. Students have asked such good questions about their transitions to campus in the fall.

We have had a lot of fun too! We met some alumni and current students for game night. We headed to Miner 49er and HoundDogs for pizza. Trivia was a bust because it was 21+ only but we stopped for ice cream on the way home instead.

Some of our incoming students were able to get their BuckID’s. Check out Matt’s!

Students have been hard at work on their video presentations. Here is a group working at the Research Commons!