Kids on the Block

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Kids on the Block
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• Kids on the Block inc. was created to teach
  children about different disabilities. When US
  Public Law 94-142 declared that all children with
  disabilities be included in the least restrictive
  environment Kids on the Block created characters
  such as Mark Riley to help non disabled children
  understand and accept these disabilities.

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Some Disabilities that are shown include

• Cerebral Palsy
• Spina Bifida
• Visual impairments
• Leukemia
• AIDS
• ADHD
• Sexual abuse
• Alternatives to violence

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Meet a Few of the Puppets

• Mark Riley
• Mark is 11 years old and has cerebral palsy that
  effects him ability to control movement
• Mark gets around in his cruiser or wheelchair
• Mark occasionally has seizures and thats why he
  wears a helmet

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Renaldo Rodriguez

• Renaldo is 11 years old and attends Woodburn
  Elementary.
• Renaldo has blindness due to premature birth,
  but wears glasses which help him see large
  shapes.
• He uses a white cane to maneuver independently.
• He loves sports and games like checkers.

Renaldo says, Im really proud to be me, Renaldo
Rodriguez. Being blind is no big deal.
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Ellen Jane Peterson

• Ellen Jane is 17 years old and has Down syndrome.
  
• Down syndrome is a developmental disability which
  usually causes delays in physical and
  intellectual development.
• She is now in a transitional program in high
  school that is designed to help her develop
  practical life, communication and social skills.
• Part of her day is spent in a special education
  classroom focusing on practical academic skills.
• Ellen Jane works at the Valley Animal Hospital as
  the veterinarian's assistant.

• She loves animals and participating in sports!

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Jimmy Randolph

• Jimmy was diagnosed with an emotional/behavior
  disorder in the 1st grade.
• He is prone to sudden outbursts making a
  resource classroom the best environment for him.
• Jimmy receives counseling from a therapist every
  week.
• With his inconsistent behaviors, his peers do not
  often know how to react to his sometimes abusive
  verbal outbursts.
• His teacher is working with him on his behaviors
  using reward systems.

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Kids on the Block Training

• Through our cohort program at Georgia College and
  State University we were trained in how to
  operate these puppets.

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A typical performance

• The puppeteers are to dress in all black so the
  puppets can stand out and they can disappear into
  the backdrop.

Last years performers Kimberly Stand, Melanie
Duncan, Bonnie Kelly, and Shakeitrice Stokes.
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The Curriculum Includes

• Hand-crafted puppets
• Scripts
• Answers to FAQ
• Props
• Audio cassettes
• Follow up material
• Resource suggestions
• Training video and workbook
• Continued support and councel from the national
  company

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For more information on Kids on the Block

• Go to www.KOTB.com to find information on how to
  start a Kid on the Block performance in your
  school community.
• You may also Contact Paul Sedor at the Georgia
  College and State University GIVE center
• Paul.sedor_at_gcsu.edu 478-445-7867

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• For the students whom you teach that different
  isnt good or bad, its simply different. For
  each child who can now accept someone who is not
  like them. For all the little kids who are no
  longer being teased because their puppet friends
  said its okay to be different- it makes the
  world bigger and more interesting. Thats what
  The Kids on the Block are all about.
• - Carol Mareellus,
• The Art of Calhoun County
• Battle Creek, Michigan

2009 Presenters Alison Bailey, Katie Knothe,
Melanie Thompson, Tabitha Creel and Amy Benfield