Blog 3/25

 

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.  Also, if you are interested in learning more about assistance with your son/daughter learning how to drive please contact Mr. Brunkhorst.  

Director Notes: 

Softball Read the new information below in our activities section.  We start this Thursday night with a double-header…

Easter is Coming… Sunday, March 31st is Easter this year.  However, UCM doesn’t have any days off before or after.  So, if students do head home early they will need to get with their professors and find out what they are going to miss, then get this done for classes on Monday.  Also, I will be sending out a Google Form to see who is leaving for that weekend so our mentors and staff know.  If you do pick up your student please ask if they have filled out the Activity Log before they leave and let the mentor know.

First-Year families:

Housing Agreements for Fall 2024:  Hello Families, If you’d work with your students to fill out the Fall Housing Agreement.  They are located on your student’s MyCentral Page.  It’s on the left side towards the middle I believe.  I’ll also be sending an email to families about giving us a Letter of Intent for next year.  This helps us prepare for students.

First-Year Students:

Foods & Nutrition I: Debra Southard  

This week we discussed nutrients. Students made energy bits using oatmeal, peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips. Students worked in groups and made slide presentations on a nutrient. We talked about what foods are good for us and which ones are not. 

Energy… anyone…

Workplace & Community Skills: Gary Manning

 Students printed and turned in their resumes, cover letters, and thank-you letters to Dr. Manning. He had tutorials with each student and discussed ways to update and improve them. Students are completing their job shadowing in the next couple of weeks and will have a couple of paragraphs about the experience.

Further, the student will continue to meet with Dr. Manning to discuss Fall 2024 classes and Fall 2024 internships.  Please have a conversation with your student about these two items.  

Some of our Job Shadows the last few weeks…

Daily & Independent Living Skills (DILS):  Joni Shelton

This past week 1st year students in DILS toured the Professional Clothing Studio. This is a part of the UCM Career and Life Design Center. All UCM students can receive professional clothing items and accessories from the clothing studio. Students can get up to four items free per month. All items are donated. The Clothing Studio staff also talked to students about dressing for interviews and on the job, and care of professional clothing. We also completed a Nearpod activity about behaviors in the workplace.

Touring some of what the Career Center has to offer our students…

Second-Year Students:

Transition Planning II: Gary Manning

 During class, we have been discussing what the next six weeks will look like until the end of the semester and graduation.  Usually this time of the year the students get stressed. overwhelmed, sad, and excited. We discuss these emotions during class and with the THRIVE counselor in training.  

Further, during class and weekly meetings, the discussions involve what the student is going to be doing after graduation.  If the student is coming back for a third year we are discussing classes in the fall and internships in the fall semester.  If the student is choosing to not come back for the 3rd year program we are discussing applying for jobs and having discussions with families about what may be next.

Foods and Nutrition II: Lisa 

I am so pleased with these young people and their determination to be good cooks. Our latest cooking adventure has been learning about the nutrients and health benefits of fruit and making a fruit salad.

Internship I: Gary Manning

We have been discussing different types of motivation within a career.  That motivation can be doing something that you love doing, making money, and being independent and responsible.  

We also have been discussing as we get older and have jobs, how we should be able to handle stress and being overwhelmed with your job.  

Third-Year Students:

Transition Planning IV: Lisa Garnier

We are utilizing resources at the Office of Career and Life Design to update professional resumes and cover letters. We are also continuing to look at possible jobs for when they leave THRIVE in May.

Internship IV: Lisa Garnier

Internship supervisors gave glowing reports in midterm evaluations. Students are currently working on interviewing people currently working in their field of interest to gain more knowledge of what that career is like on a real-life, day-to-day basis.

A little studying going on…

Fourth-Year Students:

4th Year Seminar/Portfolio: Lisa Garnier

We’ve taken a step back to review organization and time management, as the students are a bit out of sorts after Spring break, but they are getting back on track now. 

Internships:

For the most part, they are going well. There has been a hurdle or two to overcome lately, but we are getting back on track here as well.

Plato: Several students did not get their plato completed last week. 

THRIVE Activities:

Intramural Softball starting up this week…

Here are the game times: 

3/28 at 6 & 7,

4/4 at 6 pm

4/11 at 6 pm

Students will arrive about 30 minutes before game time to practice and warm up.  Then the games begin.  I’ll keep you posted with pictures and updates.  If weather causes a delay or cancellation I’ll use Facebook to update families.  If you are planning on coming down please get with your student the day of the game between 3-5.  If they have Study Hall Plus they won’t be able to play.  Fingers crossed, normally during the softball season the students are good at getting things done.  We have about 20 on the team between the mentors and students, and all, that have signed up, will get a chance to play.  Monday night we have a double-header so they will be tired the next day.

Mentor Activities: 

This past weekend the students played a football game on Saturday.  

Great Job Everyone!!  For more pictures please join our THRIVE Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Important upcoming dates:   

Softball Practice  Started last week… Please have students bring their gloves and any other softball gear back with them after Spring break.  I’ll keep you posted once we receive the dates of the games.

Next Mentor Activity:  

The next activity, for those here over Easter weekend, is Dying Egss.   We’ll watch for pictures.

UCM Athletics:

Mules and Jennies Baseball and Softball are currently going…  The Mules were on an 11-game winning streak until this past Sunday.  We’ll see how they both do this week.

"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."