YES I CAN AWARD
2009  ProgramState winners 2008-YES I CAN

 

 Purpose:  The Foundation for Exceptional Children established the Yes I Can! program in 1981 to acknowledge the achievements of children and youth with disabilities; to overcome barriers caused by disabilities or   public misconceptions; to encourage children and youth with disabilities to seek their highest potential; and to increase public awareness of the abilities, aspirations, and personal qualities of people with disabilities. Each year children and youth with disabilities are recognized for their accomplishments through the international Yes I Can! program.

Recognition:  Nominees for the Yes I Can! Award Program will be recognized in one of the following categories:

· Academics
·  Arts
·  Athletics (to include motor skills)
·  Community Service
·  Employment
·  Extracurricular Activities
·  Independent Living Skills (includes Self Care Skills)

Thirty-five international award winners will be recognized and given special awards at the CEC Annual Convention .

ALL PERSONS NOMINATED FOR THE YES I CAN! PROGRAM WILL RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT PERSONALLY INSCRIBED WITH HIS/HER NAME.

     TO NOMINATE: Nominees for the Yes I Can! Award program must be 2-21 years old. Each nominee is eligible in ONE category. Both nominators must select the same category or nomination will be considered incomplete by the Yes I Can! Selection Committee.

     Send nomination forms to:

     YES I CAN!
 Foundation for Exceptional Children
 1110 North Glebe Road
 Suite 300
 Arlington, VA 22201

ALL NOMINATION FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN October 14, 2008 FOR THE NATIONAL AWARD
To download the form for national submission click here.

     Note:  Awards will be given at the Council for Exceptional Children Conference in Missoula on April 17, 2009 To be considered for the YES I CAN AWARD submit form below or send copy of completed forms to appropriate regional coordinators.
YES I CAN!  GUIDELINES 

     If you would like to nominate a youth or child with a disability for a Yes I Can! Award, please follow the directions below:

     1. Each applicant must be nominated by TWO people.  Each nomination form must be individually completed and should provide specific information about the nominee. A form completed by one person and duplicated as the second form will not be accepted.  One of the nominators should be other than a family member.

     2. Nominee must be selected in one category only and in the same category by both nominators.  Failure to do so will result in an incomplete form and will not be judged by the Selection Committee for the international awards.

     3. Please print or type all information.  It is extremely difficult for the  Selection Committee to judge forms that are not legible.

     4. Answer ALL questions. 

     5. Photos and news clippings, which help to support the nomination, are encouraged and may be submitted. Please do not send video or cassette tapes.  Due to the large volume of nominations received, the Selection Committee does not have the time to view these tapes.  None of the additional material submitted with the application will be returned.

     6. Please be sure to check the box on the nomination form that will indicate which nominator should receive the certificate to present to the nominee.  Certificates will not be sent directly to the nominee.

     7. Please send two copies of nomination forms.

     8. Nomination forms must be postmarked no later than October 14, 2008  for national and January 31, 2009 for Montana. 

9.Whenever possible, both nomination forms should be returned together. Matching nomination forms that arrive separately adds a considerable amount of time to the selection process.

     10. Send completed forms to:

     Yes I Can!
Foundation for Exceptional Children
1110 North Glebe Road
Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201

And a copy  to:

     Region I - Karen Pickart, Region I coordinator
                 207 Third Street
                 Glendive, MT 59330
                 406-377-6489

     Region II - Aileen Couch, Region II coordinator
                  Box 7791
                  Havre, MT 59501
                  406-394-2375

     Region III- Debra Miller, Region III coordinator
                   MT Center on Disabilities
                   MSU-Billings
                   1500 University Drive
                   Billings, MT 59101
                   406-657-2072

      Region IV -  Denielle Miller, Region IV coordinator
                     606 Prairie Avenue
                     Bozeman, MT 59718
                     406- 587-1305

      Region V - Nancy Marks, Region V coordinator
                   Missoula Co Public Schools
                    3524 South 3rd St. West
                    Missoula, MT 59801
                   406-728-2400 ext. 1088
                  
      or submit below.

      NOTE:  Nominators should take care in completing the nomination form.  The more complete and detailed the information, the better.
 

YES I CAN!
Nomination Form

This format is only available for submission to the regional representative, not the national competition.

Click here to download the form for National submission.

     Please check Category of Achievement (ONE ONLY)
Both nominators must select the same category

A  ACADEMICS - achievement in a particular subject area such as math, science, reading, social studies, language arts, foreign languages, etc.

     ARTS - achievement in a particular medium such as music, art, drama, dance, or written expression, etc.

     ATHLETICS (to include Motor Skills) - Achievement in motor skills or a particular athletic activity through a setting such as intramurals, Special Olympics, or physical education classes.

     COMMUNITY SERVICE - contributions to the community through activities such as volunteer work, youth work, clean up campaigns, etc.

E   EMPLOYMENT - achievement through work experience in workshop settings as well as the competitive job market.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY - achievement in organized activities through groups such as Boy/Girl Scouts, church, clubs, or other activities.

 I  INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS (to include Self Care Skills) - achievement in mastering activities for daily living such as personal hygiene, cooking, dressing, use of public transportation, etc.

    

Information about Nominee                Information about Nominator

Name
Address

Age
Disability
Age when disability occurred		 Name
Address

Age
Disability
Age when disability occurred
Certificate will be sent to one nominator
only. Please check if you wish certificate
sent to you.

     Please check box (  )  if Braille certificate is needed.

 

     1. Describe the extent of the nominee's disability.

     2. Describe the nominee's achievement. Include: a) details about the category of achievement, and b) the setting in which the achievement took place.


3.  What training was required for this achievement?


4. Period of achievement (how long has the nominee achieved in the category).


5.What impact did the achievement have on the student?


6. If the nominee attends school, is he (she) in a general, inclusive or special education class?     General Education Inclusive  Special Education


This format is only available for submission to regional representatives, not the national competition. Click on the region you live in.