Registration Form ~ Camp Staff Bios

Accessible Arts Summer Camp

July 11-15 & July 18-22, 2005 For Youth Ages 7-13 Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

What is Accessible Arts Summer Camp? Two one-week day camps focusing on the arts including drama, music, dance and visual arts. The camp will be held on the campus of the Kansas State School for the Blind (1100 State Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas).

Who Can Attend? Children with & without disabilities, ages 7-13.

When Does it Happen? July 11-15 & July 18-22, 2005 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Monday through Thursday; 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM on Friday. Extended hours available for an additional fee.

How Much Does It Cost? $250 per child, per week Some scholarships available; must request in writing by July 1st

This Summer Camp will bring together children with disabilities and their non-disabled peers to experience arts in a celebration of diverse cultures in an inclusive environment. Professional artists will guide children through an exploration of Australian cultures (Aborigine and British settlers) during the first week and the ancient culture of Japan during the second week. Each Friday at 5:00 PM, the children will present a culturally themed production for their parents using the artistic skills they have been exploring all week.

For more information call: Accessible Arts, (913) 281-1133 or e-mail accarts@accessiblearts.org www.accessiblearts.org

SPECIAL NOTE TO PARENTS! Please fill out the form on the next page. Send it and your check to the address at the bottom right. A registration packet will be sent to you. It is our intention to accomodate children of all abilities, but we need your help. If your child requires one-on-one attention, no registration fee will be charged for a personal attendant. Accessible Arts cannot provide personal attendants; families must arrange for them. Children using wheelchairs must be able to transfer by themselves or the family must provide a personal attendant. Nursing staff will be on hand to administer medications.

Children must bring their own lunch each day. Afternoon snacks will be provided. All arts materials will be provided. All facilities are fully accessible. Ask about our sibling discount!

Print Registration Form Only

Summer Camp Application (please type or clearly print all information & feel free to duplicate this form) Name_________________________________ Age_______ Male_____ Female____ Parent/Guardian_________________________ Address_______________________________ City, State, Zip__________________________ Phone (work)_________ (home)___________ Phone (cell)___________ e-mail______________ If you DO NOT wish parent/guardian name to be added to our Accessible Arts mailing list please check here __ List special needs related to visual impairment, mobility, developmental, mental or other disabilities (see note on previous page). ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Week #1, July 11-15, 2005 _____ (# of children) x $250 = _________ Week #2, July 18-22, 2005 ______ (# of children) x $250 = ________ TOTAL ENCLOSED________ ___Enclosed is my letter requesting a scholarship (no scholarships will be given after July 1st) Please send this form and your check payable to Accessible Arts, Inc., 1100 State Ave., Kansas City, KS 66102 Phone: 913/281-1133 ~ Fax: 913/281-1515

Camp Staff BiosBack to top

Kit Bardwell holds degrees in music from the North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She was the founder and Artistic Director of the Pocket Theatre, a touring company that offered participatory theatre for children. Over the past twenty years, Kit’s experiences also include working as a Program Specialist for the Kansas City Young Audiences, General Manager for the Paul Mesner Puppets and as a freelance performer, director, and playwright. She has presented numerous presentations at national and international conferences and is well known for her work as an Orff Schulwerk clinician. Her experience in working with individuals with disabilities include teaching music at the North Carolina School for the Deaf and working as a Program Coordinator for Triality, a provider of day habilitation for adults with developmental disabilities.

Martin English has served as the Executive Director for Accessible Arts since March of 2000. Accessible Arts is a non-profit agency that champions the arts for children with disabilities and advocates access to the arts. He directs all arts programming, facilitates advocacy efforts, oversees all aspects of fiscal management and supervises Accessible Arts staff and consultants. From 1997 to 2000, Martin served as the Executive Director for FilmFest Kansas City and the KAN Film Festival. His experience includes managing not-for-profit organizations, fund raising, grant writing and promoting the arts. With an MFA in Acting/Directing from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, he has extensive experience in theatre including the creation and performance of many workshops in Kansas and Missouri schools. Martin has maintained a long-term relationship with Young Audiences and Arts Partners of Kansas City to ensure artist residencies in the schools. Martin has also directed and produced several training video projects for corporate and non-profit clients.

Kim Ratliff has been an educator and performer for over two decades. She has degrees from the University of Kansas and Saint Mary College as well as being an alumni of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Kim loves working with young people and helping them discover their own creativity. Improvisation and comedy are Kim's favorite forms of performing. Kim has been a teacher in the Shawnee Mission School District for the past 13 years and is also the proud mother of two very unique and exceptional children.

Travis Morlang is a Kansas City, Kansas Special Education Teacher who specializes in pre-K education for children with and without special needs. With the Wyandotte Special Education Cooperative for fifteen years, she has worked in the infant/toddler and preschool-age programs as a home visitor, playgroup director, classsroom teacher and, for last three years, has been Program Coordinator. Her over age five experience has included teaching Sunday School, volunteering with AAI's 99 Drums for three years, and tutoring. She designed the A Tree and Me exhibit at the Children's Museum of Kansas City and wrote the companion workshop series entitled Growing Great Brains. Her Master of Education degree is from Montana State University Billings, formerly Eastern Montana College.

Bethany Good recently received a B.A. from Eastern Mennonite University, majoring in visual arts with a minor in psychology. Her area of concentration is in throwing pottery on the wheel. Since graduating, Bethany assists Kit Bardwell in the after school visual arts club at the Kansas State School for the Blind. She focuses on teaching students who are visually impaired how to become comfortable on the potter’s wheel. Bethany is also currently involved in the daycare at Friendship House, a transitional living house for women (and their children) recovering from substance and alcohol abuse. She works in the daycare and has taught art projects during group time. Last fall, she was a substitute teacher at Loudoun Academy of the Arts in Leesburg, VA for a couple of art classes. Last summer Bethany taught wilderness art classes at Spruce Lake Wilderness Camp. She has taken two additional classes at neighboring school James Madison University in Interior Design and her Senior Art Seminar class at Bridgewater College.

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