The National Council on Disability's Youth Advisory Committee is looking for new members.

All applications need to be received by January 15, 2004 . The committee provides advice to the National Council on Disability (NCD) on various issues such as NCD's planning and priorities. NCD is seeking this type of input in order to make sure NCD's activities and policy recommendations respond to the needs of youth with disabilities.  

Any interested parties, high school or beyond, ages 16 - 25 years

Please send cover letter, resume, and letter of recommendation directly to

 NCD: Dr. Gerrie Hawkins,
1331 F Street, NW Suite 850 ,
Washington , DC 20004 ; electronically
E-mail: ghawkins@ncd.gov ; or via Fax: (202) 272-2022

Any questions feel free to contact Rebecca Hare or Isaac Huff about the application process.

AAPD Announces Internships for Students with Disabilities

2004 SUMMER CONGRESSIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES-deadline DEC. 15, 2003. Administered by AAPD and sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, second-semester sophomores through first-semester seniors interested in working on Capitol Hill are encouraged to apply. Accepted candidates will work in Congressional offices in Washington, DC. Roundtrip air travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each student will receive a stipend of $1,500. APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 15, 2003. For additional information and an application, visit www.aapd-dc.org or call 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY).

2004 SUMMER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERNSHIP FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES-deadline DEC. 15, 2003. Administered by AAPD and sponsored by Microsoft Corporation, undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in information technology are encouraged to apply. Accepted candidates will work in various agencies in the executive branch of the federal government. Roundtrip air travel and housing will be provided to interns, and each student will receive a stipend of $4,500. APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 15, 2003. For additional information and an application, visit www.aapd-dc.org or call 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY).

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC), with sponsorship from the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor, has established a new internship program which seeks to recruit qualified college students with disabilities to intern in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the federal government. A total of fifty (50) students will be selected to participate in this program in 2004. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will offer technical guidance and support to implement this one-of-a-kind initiative. Tuition scholarships are available, and students will receive academic credit while gaining valuable work experience in Washington, DC. The application deadline for the Spring 2004 semester HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2003. For additional information and applications, contact Jennifer Clinton (phone: 202-336-7569 or email) or Matt Medeiros (phone: 202-336-7571 or email). The application is also available from both The Washington Center's web site and the American Association of People with Disabilities' (AAPD) web site .

HalfthePlanet Foundation Internships Available for Students with Disabilities HalfthePlanet Foundation seeks two undergraduate or graduate level students with disabilities to serve as part-time (8-10 hours/week) interns. These internships will involve work on HalfthePlanet Foundation's new program, "Beyond Participation." These are paid internships beginning in January 2004. Deadline for applications is December 15, 2003. More information, including application instructions can be viewed at http://www.halftheplanet.org/jobs.html.

NSCIA Honored As Best Organization!

In 2002, the Jim Mullen Foundation launched the New Freedom Awards project to acknowledge the thousands of men and women who step forward to create new freedoms for people who have a disability. The New Freedom Awards recognizes and honors individuals, organizations, and corporations that have stepped forward to create new freedoms for people who have a disability through the development of products, services, research and inventions. (Courtesy the Jim Mullen Foundation and the New Freedom Awards).

On July 22nd, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) received the 2003 New Freedom Award for Best Organization. To learn more, click here. To see pictures from the event or learn more about the Jim Mullen Foundation and the New Freedom Awards, click here.

ADAPT 144 Mile "Free Our People" March Demands Congressional Action, Not Rhetoric

We're beginning to see results of the March, including:

Reprinted with permission of New Mobility Magazine .

Doug Heir:
Beyond the Wheaties Box

Doug Heir is a publicity agent’s dream. The story almost writes itself. Injured while rescuing a drowning child in 1978 (who turned out to be crying wolf) Heir seemingly took C6-7 quadriplegia in stride and went on to become hugely successful as (among too many other things) an attorney, an author, a corporate executive, a renowned motivational speaker, and an athlete with more metals and titles than any Paralympic athlete in history. He’s been in all the right Who’s Who volumes, featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and To Tell the Truth, and celebrated on the Wheaties box as “America’s Greatest Wheelchair Athlete.” As a highly sought-after speaker, Heir tours the world, sharing the stage with the likes of Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, Hershel Walker, John Elway and Lex Lugar.[read more]

Doug Heir