Congratulations, Graduates
The Center for Students with Disabilities is proud to announce that nineteen students registered with the Center achieved their dream when they graduated with a degree from El Paso Community College May 9, 2008.
Among them was Nicole Coleman who received an Associates of Arts in Psychology.
Claudia Varela, CSD Student Assistant I from Valle Verde Campus, received a Bachelors degree from UTEP in Special Education during the May 10, 2008 graduation ceremonies. Futhermore, she now has her Texas Teaching Certification in Special Education.
Ivonne Badillo, CSD Sign Language Interpreter, received an Associates of Applied Science degree from EPCC May 9, 2008 during the graduation ceremonies.
Gerry Perez, CSD Campus Representative,completed teaching a sign language course for parents and children at Northwest Campus.
Who's Who at CSD
Welcome to Erick Garcia who joined the Center for Students with Disabilitis in July 2008 as the Assistive Technology Specialist.
Evangelina Martinez, Child Development major at Valle Verde, will graduate this December with and Associate of Applided Science degree from EPCC. She is an EPISD November 2008 Volunteer of the Month honoring her work at MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate School. She was honored at the "Sweet Pea" luncheon on October 29, 2008, held at the Marriott Hotel where she received a plaque. She is already working at MacArthur Elementary-Intermediate School as a substitue teacher. Congruatulations, Evangelina.
Congratulations to Grant Johnson, winner of the Patrick Bernadette Memorial Scholarship. Grant is a student at our Transmountain Campus.
Congratulations to Elva O'Hara, winner of the Amado Pena Jr. Scholarship. Elva is a student at the Rio Grande campus.
Congratulations to Luisa Lazalde, CSD student at Rio Grande Campus, who received $2,000 from the AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship for the Academic Year 2008-09.
Congratulations to Valerie Simone, Student Assistant I, who was elected Vice-President of the El Paso Community College Student Government Association for the 2008-09 academic school year.
Congratulations to Selene Soria, student, whos poem was published in this years Chrysallis. Congratulations also to Mary Ojeda, Student Assistant I, whose poety and art were also putblished and to Joyce Whiteside, CSD Instructor, whose photo was included on the back cover of this years Chrysallis.
Congratulations to Amada Marquez, CSD Sign Language Interpreter and Lead Interpreter, who was named the April Employee of the Month at Valle Verde.
Deaf Student Teaches CSD Staff 
Martin Yanez, a student at the Rio Grande Campus, is helping the Rio grande CSE staff learn sign language. Since Mr. Martinez is deaf but like to communicate with others, he took it upon himself to teach others how to communicate using sign language. Now there is a lot of communicating going on at CSD with talkative hands.
CRLA Renews Certification for CSD Tutoring Program
The College Reading and Learning Association have re-certified the Center for Students with Disabilities tutor training program till June 30, 2012. CSD is authorized to issue CRLA International Tutor Certification at the Regular, Advanced, and Master Levels to tutors who complete the Center's tutor training requirements.
Where Are They Now?
Sheila O Kelly, who wrote Sometimes I Feel Like Writing, is becomming a freelance writer for a major magazine, Slate and Style, that caters to visually impaired persons. Her article will appear in the August 2008 issue. She is now working with Southeastern Radio Reading Service for the Blind. Right now, she is also helping young people at her church do a show for teens with disabilities.
Clara Chavez, former CSD Student Assistant, now is a special education teacher for pre-school three to five-year-olds in the Socorro School District. She teaches at Escontrias Early Childhood Center.
Paloma Vargas, former CSD Student Assistant, tutored math and science. She is now a Ph.D. candidate at NYU, where she received her Masters of Sciene degree in 2008 from a combined Master/Ph.D. program. She plans on graduating with her Ph.D. in molecular biology from NYU in 2010.
Alma Contreras, former Student Assistant I and CSD Campus Representative at Mission del Paso Campus, is nwo teaching in the Special Education Department at Americas High School. Her speciality is math. She now has a Maters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She is also a part-time instructor at El Paso Community College teaching Education 1300.
Janie Seeber, former Student Assistant I, is now an Instructional Aid in the special Educattion Department at American High School.
Congratulations to Adriana Garcia, Sign Laguage Interpreter and tutor with the Center for Students with Disabilities. This fall she became a full-time tenure track instructor in the Sign Program at El Paso Community College. The Center appreaciates all the years of excellent service Ms. Garcia consistently provided for students with disabilities.
Opportunities
Parent Student Day at EPCC
The Center for students with Disabilities at El Paso Community College will host a Parent Student Day in the Annex at Valle Verde February 14, 2008 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Representatives from EPCC, Region 19, and UTEP will provide critical information on opportunities available for higher education. For more information, call 831-2203.
Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities
Email
kruger@gmail.com for more information about this program which provides experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to veterans disabled as a result of their service supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Scholarships for this program are available.
Paso del Norte Youth Leadership Forum
The Paso del Norte Youth Leadership Forum is looking for college level students with disabilities students and volunteers to participate in year round activities. Contact Jill Gomez at 449-4723 (
jillgomez@sbcglobal.net ) or Michelle Robbins at 373-3285.
El Paso Rehabilitation Center Training Tomorrow's Mentors Today
Would you like to mentor high schools tudents with disabilities? The Center is looking for adults 18 years or older that have a disabilitie and are interested in mentoring. For more information contact Lucila Lozano, M.A., LPC at 544-8484 ext. 144.
In August, 2008, The Center for Students with Disabilities presented a full day of tutor training on the Advanced CRLA level. Fourteen tutors attended this training.
Video Relay is available at the Center for Students with Disabilities and at all the campus libraries to facilitate phone calls for the deaf community. It is a video telephone. Deaf persons can contact each other and sign into a camera to communicate. They can also use video relay to communicate with hearing persons. The hearing person calls 1-866-327-8877 and gives the name and number of the deaf person they want to call. An interpreter comes on the screen who signs what the hearing person is saying and, in turn, voices what the deaf person is communicating.
New Faculty Development Expo
Jan Lockhart, CSD Director, and Joyce Whiteside, CSD Instructor provided information about the Center of Students with Disabilities for new instructors at the New Faculty Development Expo held August 19, 2008. During the evening sessions, Joyce Whiteside and Jan Lockhart, acquainted new instructors with the services provided by the Center for Students with Disabilities.
EPCC Starts Driver's Ed for Students with Disabilities
In July 2007, EPCC started driver's education for students with disabilities. Ms. Annette Sar is the first student to learn how to drive using a car equipped with hand controls for students who are wheelchair users.
CRLA Tutor Certification
On May 13, 2008, Nine tutors earned the CRLA Advanced Level II Tutor Certification. Congratulations to Jessica Flores, Laura, Gomez, Kelcey Harris, Jesus Llamas, Georgina Ruiz, Ruben Terrazas, Mike Trejo, Rodolfo Viado, and John Webber. Also, on May 13, 2008, six tutors earned the CRLA Regular Level I Certification. Congratulations to George Moech, Sylvia Morales, Janie Seeber, Valerie Simone, Diane Vargas, and Jualian Velasquez.
Rio Grande Celebrated Hispanic Cultural Heritage
Hispanic Cultural Heritage was celebrated at the Rio Grande Campus September 22, 2008. Amalia Castro, CSD Student Assistant and EPCC Student, delighted the audiance with her beautiful voice. Ms. Castro say songs called TROVA's in Spanish, Luna Tucoman and Hermano Dame Tu Mano accompanied by Ramon Villa and Cesar Rivera playing the guitar.