Infusing Self-Advocacy into Physical Education and Health Education

Ruth Childs MFA has been at the College of Brockport Department of Theatre and Music Studies since 2001.'Her teaching specialties include public speaking, acting, voice and speech, improv, and the politics of theatre. In addition, she is certified to teach Fitzmaurice Voicework.'Ruth has directed and acted in multiple productions at Brockport and beyond.'Recent projects include 25th'Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,'Urinetown, Prelude to a Kiss,'and'Wonder of the World.'She often works in voiceover, as well as a voice and dialect coach. She is a public speaking consultant as well as a specialist in teaching self-advocacy.'She directs the self-advocacy program at Camp Abilities each summer.'Ruth served as regional chair of the National Playwriting Program for Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and has been a respondent and reader for national and regional playwriting awards.'She was awarded the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Gold Medallion. Lauren J. Lieberman Ph.D. is a Distinguished Service Professor in the Kinesiology Department at The State University of New York at Brockport (SUNY) in adapted physical education. She started her career teaching at The Perkins School for the Blind in the Deafblind program. She is co-director of 'The Institute on Movement Studies for Individuals with Visual Impairments or Deafblindness (IMSVI) (see www.brockport.edu/IMSVI) . She is the founder and director of Camp Abilities: An educational sports camp for children with visual impairments. At the time of this writing, Camp Abilities has been replicated in 20 states and eight countries (www.campabilities.org and www.campabilitiesworld.com). She has published over 193 peer-reviewed articles and 21 books. She has delivered Keynote presentations and was an invited guest speaker all over the US and in over 15 countries. She won an Access Award from AFB for starting Camp Abilities and helping to start camps all over the world, a Professional of the Year Award from The Society of Health and Physical Educators (Adapted Physical Education Committee), and a Research Award from the National Consortium for Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities. She is a Research Fellow with the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity. In 2017 she won a Points of Light Award for her work with Camp Abilities from the US Government. Camp Abilities has been featured on CNN, HBO Real Sports, and NBC. In the Fall of 2019, she was awarded a Global Fulbright Scholarship to promote Camp Abilities worldwide. She won the Joy of Effort Award from SHAPE America in 2021.' Mary Connolly is an accomplished health education professional whose career spans nearly four decades and includes teaching and administration in public schools and higher education.She served on the committee to revise the National Health Education Standards and is a member of the Massachusetts Interdisciplinary Health Education and Human Services Advisory Council and the American School Health Association (ASHA), Coordinator’s Committee, and a reviewer for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.Mary presents at numerous state and national conferences and is a member of AAHPERD, AAHE, SOPIE, ASHA, ASCD, and MAAHPERD.She is Adjunct Professor of Health Education at Curry College where she teaches an undergraduate personal health course infused with skills. At Cambridge College, Professor Connolly teaches graduate students Implementing Curriculum in the Health Classroom and Building and Evaluating the Coordinated School Health Program.She lives in Weymouth, MA, with her husband and enjoys a life rich in travelling, ballroom dancing, cycling, cooking, and gardening. She delights in spending quality time with her two children and their spouses, four grandsons, other family, and numerous friends.'