University News
Western RPTA Class Helps Individuals with Disabilities
March 19, 2007
MACOMB, IL -- A Western Illinois University recreation, park and tourism administration (RPTA) class is putting its classroom experiences to work for the betterment of the Macomb community.
Students in associate professor Marcia Carter's RPTA 454 Management of Therapeutic Recreation class are working this semester with the Macomb Park District's McDonough County Special Recreation Association (MCSRA), which runs programs for children and adults with disabilities. According to Carter, the program focuses on helping individuals with living, social and communication skills, as well as community integration through the use of recreational resources.
The WIU students' support of the MCSRA will culminate with a live televised meeting at the Macomb Park District Board meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. Monday, March 20 on Macomb Channel 15.
"By doing the service project it allows undergraduates to make the textbook come alive. It's more understandable, more palatable and more real," Carter said.
According to RPTA graduate assistant Julie Cagle, who started working with MCSRA in Summer 2006, Illinois is the only state with a special recreation program.
"I like to say that our SRA program is in the embryo stage and the program is the students' project now," Cagle said. "Western has been a wealth of knowledge and the students are amazing."
The students in Carter's class were split into three groups, consisting of marketing, programming and budgeting. Marketing developed a new logo for the MCSRA, a tag line, PSA announcements and fliers, while the programming group focused on ideas for Summer 2007 events. The budgeting group worked to find other financial resources such as nonprofit foundations and school partnerships to sustain the program.
"The students' responsibilities have been varied. They developed ideas and materials that can be presented at the park board and implemented by the MCSRA, while gaining professional experience at the same time," Carter said.
The students biggest challenges have been becoming familiarizing themselves with community resources and coordinating work efforts between their groups, according to Carter.
"But in the long run, the potential to help those with disabilities will be something that a grade in class can't reflect and will be their reward," she added.
Like the students, Cagle said she also faced some challenges when she and fellow graduate assistant Matt Barber began working with the MCSRA.
"Gaining community trust, something every program experiences, was something we had to work hard for," Cagle explained. "Family members and those working with persons with disablities are quite protective. It's a huge let-down if the program is canceled or if the quality isn't there to begin with."
Cagle did gain the trust of those involved and was able to provide a wide array of quality programs such as educational plans for high school students with disabilities, service plans for adults with disabilities and leisure activities.
"While a special recreation association is a vital resource to any community, they are especially important to communities like Macomb simply because there are not a lot of resources for individuals with disabilities in rural areas," Barber added.
According to Cagle, MCSRA's benefits are endless.
"The program is providing numerous opportunities for people who need -- and deserve -- these opportunities," Cagle said.
Programs scheduled for Summer 2007 include horseback riding, movie nights, a dance and a day camp. Individuals interested in MCSRA events should call 309/833-4562 to schedule an appointment.
"My favorite program is the therapeutic horseback riding, which we began this month," Cagle said.
In addition to providing educational and fun programs for persons with disabilities, Cagle's and Barber's goal is also to provide an opportunity for Western students to gain experience.
"The RPTA 454 students are not only helping a program become successful, they are helping to improve the lives of those in the Macomb community," Carter added. "The students are seeing how their work benefits others, that their efforts really can be used."
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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