UT to host Exceptional Extravaganza for students with disabilities
By Casey Cheap : April 23rd, 2013
Toledo area high school students will team up with The University of Toledo for the Exceptional Extravaganza, a social event for students with disabilities.
The Exceptional Extravaganza, known as ExEx 2013, will take place Wednesday, April 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ingman Room.
The annual event originated in 2006 when a Washington Local School District teacher noticed many of her students with significant needs were not able to participate in several typical spring social events, such as prom.
The 2013 event will include corn hole, basketball, arts and crafts tables, music, a DJ, and pizza for students. Special guests will include the Blue Crew and Rocky.
About 60 high school students from Toledo Public Schools, Sylvania Schools and Springfield Local Schools will participate, said Dr. Patricia Devlin, associate professor of special education and coordinator for ExEx 2013.
“This is an event that touches the lives of many high school students with significant disabilities in the Toledo area,” Devlin said.
The UT School of Interprofessional Teaming is the main sponsor of ExEx 2013, along with the Department of Early Childhood, Physical and Special Education in the Judith Herb College of Education.
The mission of the school is to prepare and guide professionals to engage in collaborative best practices and service to individuals with special needs and their families. The school receives support from the Herb endowment.
Student organizations involved include the Council for Exceptional Children, Kappa Delta Pi, Disability Studies Student Organization, Alpha Xi Delta, Pi Kappa Phi, Project SEARCH and Toledo Transition.
“It has been an exciting planning experience giving UT students from various disciplines the chance to share their expertise in serving this population of students,” Devlin said.