THE RICH CENTER - YSU - Youngstown State University

Gia Russa served
up breakfast!
The Rich Center
for Autism
First National Bank foursomes
at the Lake Club in Poland
REORGANIZED AND RE-ENERGIZED:
PAR TOURNAMENT IS DOUBLE SUCCESS
After taking a year off, the planning committee for the
Paula and Anthony Rich Memorial Golf Outing was back this
summer under the direction of Dominic and Jackie
Marchionda, and their loyal committee. All say it was better
than ever.
In 2010, the PAR event moved to the beautiful Lake Club
in Poland, Ohio, and expanded to include a corporate outing
on Friday, August 27, sponsored by First National Bank. That
evening corporate guests attended a dinner at the Lake Club
which included an auction, live music
and dancing.
On Monday, the traditional PAR
tournament was held on the same golf
course. As they did for the previous 14
years, golfers returned to PAR and
renewed their support for the Rich Center
for Autism. When all the totals were in, the
2010 Paula an Anthony Rich Memorial
Golf Tournament proved to be the most
successful in the history of the event!
Nicholas Marchionda on
the putting green.
The Rich Center
for Autism
TEMPLE GRANDIN
THE RICH CENTER INVITES
TEMPLE GRANDIN
TO SPEAK ON AUTISM MAY 17
She’s been in the spotlight lately thanks to an Emmy Awardwinning
HBO movie about her life; now Temple Grandin is planning a
visit to Youngstown, Ohio. On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, Grandin will appear
at Stambaugh Auditorium for an evening lecture and book signing.
Grandin is the most accomplished and well-known adult with
autism in the world. Diagnosed in 1950, at the age of three, she
struggled to overcome the challenges associated with the neurological
disorder and succeeded many times over. She graduated from college
and graduate school, and became a published author, excelling in the
field of animal science. She is now a college professor and public
speaker, lecturing on both autism and animal behavior.
The Rich Center invited Grandin to Youngstown, and she
graciously accepted. The event is free to the public and is co-sponsored
by The Rich Center and the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County.
Look for screenings of the HBO movie “Temple Grandin” in the Mahoning
Valley during the month of April.
Wine, Jazz, Art, Auctions
Raise Funds for Rich Center
“Napa Valley to the Mahoning Valley” only happens every other year, and in
2010 it was better than ever. The October event at Mt. Carmel Hall in Youngstown
featured an art sale, fine wines, and light dinner by Lou Fusillo Catering, all to benefit
the Rich Center for Autism.
New this year, we introduced the Spirit of the Mahoning Valley Art Award,
and the first to be honored was local artist Jeanne Saadey. You can see her work
gracing the walls of the Upstairs Restaurant in Austintown.
A crowd of more than 230 enjoyed the Napa Valley evening, raising significant
funds for the Rich Center. The art sales and auctions alone brought in a third of
the proceeds. The night was a huge success, thanks to Co-Chairs Geri Kosar and Julie
Costas, and to Rich Center supporters and PALS – our loyal volunteers.
Cheers to all, and see you in 2012!
Left: YSU President Cynthia Anderson and friends have fun at Napa.
Center: Artist Jeanne Saadey accepts the Spirit of the Mahoning Valley Art Award
from Phyllis Ricchiuti, Rich Center Board President.
Right: Chair Geri Kosar and Rich Center Events Coordinator Tricia Perry.
Touch Screen Teaching,
cont’d from pg. 1
use at home with their child.
The new iPads and software were
paid for with federal grant funds.
Backus adds that touch screen teaching
is the very latest trend in the field of
autism instruction, and the Rich Center
is the first autism center to adopt it.
“No one else has this technology,”
Backus says.
Colorful iPads in use at
the Rich Center.
On the Horizon...
APRIL IS AUTISM
AWARENESS MONTH!
VARIETY SHOW 2010:
Save the date! The Variety
Show fundraiser is Friday,
April 8, 2010, at Mr.
Anthony’s. We are already
working on a night of fun,
food, music, and political
satire!
TEMPLE, THE MOVIE:
Watch for local screenings
of the Emmy-winning HBO
movie Temple Grandin in
April. See it, then see
Temple, herself!
TEMPLE GRANDIN:
Temple Grandin will make
a rare appearance in the
Mahoning Valley on
Tuesday, May 17! This
event is free to the public.
For more information call
Tricia Perry at #330-941-2047.
Rich Center Classroom Whips Up
Fabulous Thanksgiving Feast
Miss Patty & Mr.
Doug organized
students and
parents to
prepare a Thanksgiving
Dinner
with all the
fixings. The
Austintown
Walmart kindly
donated a $150
gift card to pay for
food and supplies,
and parents
pitched in in the
kitchen. WKBN TV
27 showed up to
catch the action
on camera! Great
job everyone!
Gobble, gobble!

SHOP ONLINE AND
SUPPORT THE RICH CENTER
Just in time for the holidays, the Rich Center for Autism has
partnered with Market America to offer amazing products – all from your
favorite stores – and every sale benefits the Rich Center. This is a new
fundraising program that you can take advantage of just by shopping
online at:
www.Marketamerica.com/therichcenterforautism
The website features thousands of partner stores like Target,
Walmart and Best Buy. When you make a purchase the Rich Center receives
“royalties,” and the benefits to you continue. You earn 0.5% cash back on the
purchases made by everyone you refer to the website.
Try it out. This website offers the convenience of Internet shopping
while feeling good about helping one of your favorite organizations – the
Rich Center for Autism!
Winter Celebration 2010 at
Mill Creek MetroParks
Fellows Riverside Gardens is featuring
a display of 40 Christmas Trees at the Davis
Center! The Rich Center is sponsoring a tree,
which the parents have decorated in their own
unique way.
Don’t miss the Winter Celebration
running December 4 through January 2.
The Rich Center for
Autism
A Center of Excellence
Committed to improving
the lives of individuals with
autism and
the lives of their families
! !
WINTER 2010
The Rich Center
for
Autism
A Center of Excellence
at
Youngstown
STATE UNIVERSITY
One University Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44555
330-941-1927
www.ysu.edu/richcenter
SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO
MAKE OUR JOBS EASIER!
RICH CENTER SPECIAL EVENTS FRIENDS:
• Alpha Xi Delta Sorority
• Auto Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio
• Barnes & Noble
• Boardman Frame House Gallery
• Full Circle Florist
• Peace Race
• Poland Rotary
• Weather Tite Windows
• The PAR Committee
Thank you!
• The Napa Committee
As always, we appreciate
• Rich Center Parents
your continued support.
• Rich Center PALS (volunteers)
For more information
MEDIA PARTNERS
about giving to The Rich
• The Town Crier
Center for Autism, please
• The Vindicator
contact Tricia Perry,
• Warren Tribune-Chronicle
• WFMJ
Events Coordinator at
• WHOT FM 101
330-941-2047. And
• WKBN TV
please send us your
• WYTV
• Youngstown Letter Shop
e-mail address when you
• YSU Graphics
donate!
• YSU Media Services
Inside
Successful Events
Temple Grandin to
Visit in May
RC Thanksgiving Feast
On the Horizon
Shop Online for the RC
2
3
NEW TOUCH SCREEN TEACHING OPENS
WINDOWS, MINDS AT THE RICH CENTER
New this year at the Rich Center, touch screen technology has come to every
classroom! What does this mean All teachers at the center – and many of the
students – now have iPads to work on. With the touch of a finger on a computer
students can work out problems, complete homework lessons, and do educational
activities. Students can also use a smart-board overlay that fits a 46-inch television,
now in every classroom. (Left)
Classroom Supervisor Brendan Considine says the students have adjusted
quickly to the touch screens. “[The technology] is so engaging, you don’t have to worry
they won’t do it,” he says. Many children with autism have speech and language delays,
and Considine says touch screens help teachers understand the receptive language
skills of each student. This saves time in the classroom that might have been spent
teaching what the students already know. “It
is a better window into their minds,” Considine
adds.
Rich Center director J. Georgia
Backus says touch screen technology is the
latest teaching tool in the field of autism. “We
3 are the driving force when it comes to
addressing the changing educational needs
3 and interests of children living with autism.”
Backus says in addition to the 32 iPads at the
center, five families have purchased an iPad
4
for (continued on pg. 2)
Daniel Rosinski shows off his skills
with the I-pad with Mr. Scot’s help