Most people planning a summer vacation think of the beach, an amusement park, a resort, or a cruise; but not my family. Our big summer vacation is the Transition Conference at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College, PA.
Transition can be a hard road to cross when you have a typical child, let alone a child with special needs. However, this 3 day conference is a map to make the transition easier for special needs youth and young adults ages 14 to 25. They offer help with self advocacy (yes, the youth go out on their own and even have a dance on the last day), tips and tools for parents and caregivers, and tips and tools for the youth.
You can also apply for a scholarship to the conference. This helps our family because they pay for the motel and wave the conference fee, leaving us to pay only for the evening meal and transportation.
The highlight for my 12 and 13 year old boys was the Accommodations, Supports, and Resource Exposition. Over 50 agencies had information ranging from curriculum and technology to career and college information. My older son's goal is to drive a car and the younger boy's goals change from day to day.
