Latest news with #DisabilityAwarenessandAcceptanceWeek
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
National FFA officer visits two Raleigh County high schools
GLEN DANIEL, WV (WVNS) — Future Farmers of America (FFA) has chapters across the country, including 87 chapters right here in the Mountain State. Raleigh County Schools kicks off Disability Awareness and Acceptance Week The Surveyor chapter at Liberty High School was one of two Raleigh County chapters to receive a visit from the Central Region Vice President of the National FFA Association. FFA has long been associated with the rural communities of the country. Rolling farmland, pastures filled with livestock, rows of rich soil ready for planting. But Future Farmers of America offers much more to the students who join their local chapters. Kaylee Ayers, President of the Surveyor FFA at Liberty High School, said she is taking her experience with FFA out of the agricultural realm. 'I think that's the stipulation a lot of people get about FFA is like, you have to want to be a farmer. But I want to do cardiac sonography. And while it's not an agriculture job, I think that the community work I've done with FFA has really inspired me to open my own clinic here and educate my community about heart health,' said Ayers. Ayers said leading her chapter of FFA has given her the networking and public speaking skill she feels she'll need to succeed in the medical field. Mary Schreiber, Central Region Vice President of the National FFA Association, said students like Ayers are why she loves doing school visits. 'It's really wonderful! These students are really great! I'm from Wisconsin, so West Virginia is definitely a new environment for me, but FFA students everywhere, no matter what state you go to, are always really welcoming, excited to learn, and they're enthusiastic and engaged. So, pretty much every classroom I walk into I feel really welcomed and right at home,' said Schreiber. Schreiber also spent some time at Shady Spring High School in Raleigh County and said her welcome was just as warm there. Hallie Basham, a sophomore in FFA at Liberty, said she was honored that her chapter of FFA was selected for a school visit. 'It means a lot to me that we've gotten recognition from all the way up in Wisconsin where she's from. And it just means that our chapter is growing and I just feel like FFA at Liberty has a really good future,' said Basham. Raleigh County Board of Education honors WV Young Writers Contest winners Basham said she can not wait to see what her final two years of high school bring in terms of working with her fellow FFA members and looks forward to her chapter growing even larger. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WV DoHS to hold engagement sessions to help improve child welfare system
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Department of Human Services announced a comprehensive statewide engagement tour and Advisory Committee aimed at bolstering the child welfare system. According to a press release, the initiative is set to begin in mid-May and represents a partnership to encourage open dialogue between the Department and stakeholders throughout West Virginia. Deadline approaches for FEMA Assistance in West Virginia The Department is collaborating with a team that focuses on coordinating and managing projects within the state. The department remains committed to a methodical and inclusive approach. The strategy is meant to gain insights from various portions of the community, including foster parents, providers, legislators, judiciary members, and others involved in the child welfare system. Engagement opportunities include: Stakeholder Sessions: In-person sessions at locations throughout West Virginia, such as Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Wheeling, Morgantown, Martinsburg, Clarksburg, Elkins, and Beckley. Judiciary-Specific Listening Sessions: Tailored sessions will engage members of the judiciary to explore the unique challenges and insights from a legal perspective on child welfare. Targeted Focus Groups: Done either virtually or in-person, these focus groups will involve critical populations such as state legislators, foster parents, and members of the judicial branch. The aim of the groups is to get a deeper understanding of the specific issues and suggestions from these important stakeholders. Upon the events' completion, the Department will analyze the feedback and compile a thorough report. In it, the report will detail key findings and give recommendations for increasing the effectiveness and response of the child welfare system. The Department will create an Advisory Committee, made up of department leadership, judiciary and legislative representatives, providers, and facilitators, to provide input regarding the action plan to be put in place. Raleigh County Schools kicks off Disability Awareness and Acceptance Week The effort highlights the Department's dedication to promoting inclusive engagement, transparency, and improving the welfare system in the Mountain State. By seeking and using input from stakeholders throughout West Virginia, the Department hopes to make meaningful progress toward bettering the care and support to vulnerable children and their families. For more information regarding the Department of Human Services, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Raleigh County Schools kicks off Disability Awareness and Acceptance Week
SOPHIA, WV (WVNS) – Students and educators alike came together on Monday, April 7, 2025, for a celebratory event kicking off Disability Awareness and Acceptance Week for Raleigh County Schools. The annual program encourages inclusivity and acceptance of those navigating various disabilities and those with special needs. Four years removed from its initial conception, the program is being recognized for the second year on a county-wide scale. Monday's event featured several performances promoting visibility among the special needs community, a practice which Behavior Specialist for Raleigh County Schools, Taffy Robertson, noted is equally applicable in the community at large. Beckley business trying to raise money to help local kid battling Guillain-Barré Syndrome 'They are not just in schools but they are people that are at Walmart and in the grocery stores,' said Robertson. 'A lot of my performers hold jobs, so you will see them in the community too.' Special Education Autism Teacher for Raleigh County Schools, Laural Coleman also pointed out the importance of inclusivity among students. 'It means a whole lot,' Coleman said. 'It means that my kids are better accepted, my kids are included, and they can create friendships outside of my classroom.' Many of these students demonstrated their skills for those in attendance during Monday's ceremony through group performances. Disability Awareness and Acceptance week will be observed in Raleigh County Schools throughout the remainder of the week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
