Blog post for the Week of 9/17.--Sorry no pictures this week.

THRIVE Director Notes

Posts on this Blog will be directed to help families see what is going on in our THRIVE Program.  Items 
discussed on the Blog have already occurred. To keep updated on what’s coming up please refer to 
the THRIVE activity calendar or UCM activity calendar.

First-Year Students:

University Foundations:  Monday we discussed what it takes to be an engaged learner. Listening in class, 
meeting with fellow students to study, taking notes and asking questions. Highlighted was how to be a 
productive group member in a study group.  Students are learning how to outline the chapter. We took the 
VARK- Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic test. To determine what the best way is for each student learns. 
Them we focused each learning style and discussed how to use the information to their available. Discussed 
was learning with a learning disability. Determination and self-reliant and asking for help were mentioned.

Daily & Independent Living Skills:

In DLS we have been talking about Work Ethic, We viewed the interview about Will Smith. The students 
were required to write down the quotes that Will Smith shared during the interview. The students were 
then to write an essay using the quotes relating the work ethic quotes to themselves as an individual. In 
Personal Safety Class we have been discussing daily routines, personal hygiene, Health and Wellness, 
and transferable skills.

Technology Literacy:

We have been working on PowerPoint presentations for the last two weeks in Tech Lit. Next week we will present them in class. The students are having fun with this "All About Me" assignment. They are doing some impressively creative slides. I can't wait to see their final products next week.

Relationships 101:  We continued the discussion on dating. Focused more on safe behaviors in relationships. 
Decision making was a big part of Friday’s lesson. We discussed emotional, physical and sexual abuse in relation-
ships. Emphasized behavior differences between jealousy and love. Red flags in relationships was an important 
topic. Telling a girl/boyfriend what to wear/ who to talk to/explosive temper/ extreme jealousy/checking your 
phone/ making false accusations/ treating others or animals poorly/constant put-downs/getting mad for no 
reason are just a few of the topics of the day.

Second-Year Students:

Transition Planning I:  Reading/discussing from the 7 Habits book on Personal Bank Accounts.  We 
are discussing/writing on how an individual makes deposits/withdrawals in their personal bank account.  
The deposits/withdrawals can be on how we eat, exercise, relationships, time management and etc. 
This week we are starting Habit 1 - Be Proactive vs Reactive.

Internship I:  We are discussing the skills an individual may need for certain careers.  The students 
will be researching a career that they have discussed in their Professional Development Plan.  During 
that research, the students will discuss what skills/education that they will need and the salary range 
for that career.

PLATO:  Several students had to go to mandatory study hall this week. Each student is to complete 2 hours 
of each Writing, reading, and math each week. Several fell short of their required hours for the week. A student 
could actually work over the amount in one area and none in another area and be required to go to a mandatory 
study hall.  I run the Plato report early Monday morning that reflexes the previous weeks work for each student.

THRIVE Activities:

This weekends activity had to be postponed.  We will be setting up another bowling activity in the near 
future.

Important upcoming dates:

Special Olympics Bowling-Special Olympics is sponsoring a Bowling event on UCM”s campus on September 12th.  We have three 
members of our THRIVE students that are attending this activity. I hope to have some pictures this 
coming week.

Slow-Pitch Softball We have had 2 great games the last two weeks.  We have 1 win and 1 loss. The 
students will have another game this week.  It will be held at Jennie’s Feild, off of DD highway. It will start 
at 10:00 pm.  Hope to see some cheerleaders their to cheer for our team.

This year THRIVE is a sponsor for the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City’s Step up 
for Down Syndrome.  We have 10 students that have signed up for this walk.  The students will be 
traveling with me to join in the event.

Homecoming Weekend is October 27th.  The students have been asked to participate in at least two 
events this year.  The events are Parade, Spirit Windows, Cheer, Blood Drive, Bowling Team, Donation 
Creation, Community Service Project, and a THRIVE Talent Show/Dance.  There are sign up sheets in 
the THRIVE Suite.

Athletics to watch: Women's Volleyball, Cross-Country, and Mules Football start up later this month.

"This blog is a programming blog written by the director and staff of the THRIVE Program 
on the University of Central Missouri campus.  This blog doesn't accept any form of cash 
advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions.

The views and ideas expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.  This blog does 
not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.  We are simply telling 
you what we plan to do in our program and using the blog to help spread what we are 
doing on a weekly basis."