Film Review: “Adam”

By Janet Hrezo, The Brevard Center

You may not have seen “Adam”, an independent film released in 2009, but you should and, thanks to DVD, now you can. A romantic comedy/drama, the film focuses on a young man, Adam, with Asperger’s.

What makes this an extraordinary film is its portrayal of Adam as a real person rather than a stereotype. Adam, in his twenties and living in New York City, finds his life turned upside down after the death of his father and the loss of his job.

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Ben and Me

By Zach Lichterman, First-Year Student, The Brevard Center

I love animals. I’ve never had a dog but I have had two parakeets, two frogs and two hermit crabs as pets. My Aunt Betty and my Uncle Sid had a dog named Rachel and my Aunt Shelley also had a dog. I really loved them both but I never had a dog of my mine.

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Brevard Staff Attend FIT Conference

By Ryan Therriault, Academic Coordinator, and Janet Hrezo

The CIP Brevard Center staff had the opportunity to attend Florida Institute of Technology’s Fourth Annual Applied Behavior Analysis Conference on February 22. Themed “Behavioral Interventions Across the Lifetime”, the conference featured speakers Dr. Timothy M. Weil, Dr. Patrick C. Friman and CIP National Professional Advisory Board Member Dr. Peter Gerhardt.

Whether or not one has a background in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), the conference was thought provoking particularly the presentation by Dr. Gerhardt who is on the National Professional Advisory Board of CIP. His presentation on interventions with autistic adults and older adolescents emphasized the need to help them acquire adaptive and functional skills in order to ultimately enhance their quality of life.

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Brevard Center Student Named “Volunteer of the Year”

By Lee Kananack, Psychologist, The Brevard Center

When we last spoke about Moultrie Woodall, a volunteer intern at the Rossetter House Museum, he told us about how much he enjoyed his position there.
Apparently, the museum staff enjoys him as well.

At an awards ceremony this January, Moultrie was voted “Student Volunteer of the Year” by his peers and museum personnel. He described himself as being “nearly speechless” when his name was announced at the ceremony. However, when interviewed at the Brevard Center for this article, he was more than willing to discuss his award.

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Brevard Center: What’s New with the Drama Club

By Janet Hrezo, The Brevard Center

If you’ve been at the Brevard Center on any recent Wednesday afternoon, you may have heard some silly songs echoing through the hallway. Don’t worry. It’s just the Drama Club rehearsing for their next performance.

Each semester they “go live” before an audience of students and staff and are currently trying out some new improvisations as well as beginning work on a new play by actor and resident playwright, Daniel Eakin.

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CIP at Woofstock

By Daniel Vance Eakin, 3rd-year student at the Brevard Center
Photos by Zach Lichterman, 1st-year student at the Brevard Center

Woofstock is an event in which various people bring their dogs to the park. It benefited the Greyhound Pets of America. There were crafts to buy, music, food, games, and a dancing dog show. The various crafts sold included dog beds, collars, blankets, and so much more. They also sold a variety of books.

When I arrived at the event as part of my community service, my first duty was to ensure that the arriving guests received one of the many beautifully colored scarves for their dogs. At the end of the event, I and the other students assisted in bringing the remainder of the books for sale to the book seller’s car.

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Winter Convocation at the Brevard Center

By Janet Hrezo, CIP Brevard Center

The Brevard Center gathered on January 8th for our Winter Convocation. Staff and students caught up on all the news after the break and we welcomed our first international student, Dane Sampath, who is from Trinidad and Tobago.

The convocation was a great opportunity for all of us to think about and begin to set goals for the upcoming semester. The staff and our guest speaker, Dr. Michael McManmon, presented many ideas for accomplishing this.

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Get Ready For Spring Break 2010!

Students enrolled at CIP have the option of attending a fun and educational travel program one week a year during the college spring break in March. This year CIP students will diverge across the world to Ireland, Hawaii, Washington D.C. and a Caribbean Cruise!

Students prepare for this trip through a series of class meetings in which they study the language, arts, culture and trip itinerary. Each year an exciting new world destination is chosen and students get a cultural experience they will never forget with staff and their peers.

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Internship Spotlight: Brevard County Criminal Justice Services

By Janet Hrezo, CIP Brevard Center

Most of us use computers every day and think little about it until something goes wrong. When that happens, David Kates and Andy Gulley are the people to go to. As Computer Support Specialists interning at Brevard County’s Criminal Justice Services, David and Andy are problem solvers. Their work space is filled with computers in need of some kind of repair.

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Wellness Student of the Month: Ashley Titone

By Jamie Kennedy, Brevard Center Health & Wellness Coordinator

Ashley’s Wellness successes are a culmination of her independent and group session efforts. Routine, independent exercise is a part of Wellness is where Ashley has really shown growth. “I enjoy using my treadmill at my apartment because afterwards I’m not as stressed and I feel good about myself.” Additionally, her flawless attendance record is an example to other students.

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Community Service at the Brevard Center

By Janet Hrezo, CIP Brevard Center

Community Service is an important part of the program at the Brevard Center. In the past, students have worked with a wide range of organizations and in many different capacities which gives each student an opportunity to meet new people, to feel more a part of the community and to make a difference in the lives of others. Recent activities have included Brevard Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo”, “Woofstock” to benefit Greyhound Pets of America and Autism Speaks’ “Walk Now for Autism” for which Ashley Titone raised over $2000 in contributions.

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Brevard Weekend Activities

Friday, July 16th
An Adventure Lunch at Cedars Mediterranean Grill
Eating where no student has dined before (apologies to Star Trek).

Saturday, July 17th
Art and Crafts exhibit at Melbourne Beach.
Check out the art and craft exhibits and the beach afterward.

Sunday, July 18th
Drum Circle and Clam Bake at Pelican Park Beach
Order a variety of shell fish items delivered right to the beach. A variety of different percussion instruments with a nice group of people that regularly meet for this event. Demonstration of dancing with scarves and fire.