Disabled children expanding their skills through CSU's physical activities program

A free summer program at Columbus State University is helping children with disabilities get the one-on-one help they need to build skills, become more confident, and become better at social interactions.

The program provides children with disabilities a chance to improve their fine and motor skills, get more physically fit and socialize with others. Each child gets individualized help from a CSU graduate student — and it's all free.

The program is overseen by Jeanine Fittipaldi-Wert, an associate professor at CSU, who teaches health, physical education and exercise science classes. She is also a certified adapted physical educator with more than 16 years experience teaching students with special abilities.

"We can teach every single child," Wert said, "and there is no child we cannot teach, no matter what their abilities."

Several CSU graduate students are helping Wert teach the classes through her Physical Activity for Students with Disabilities course. Each graduate student is paired with a child for 45 minutes of personalized help. The students help children improve their motor skills, increase their fitness level and have fun. It's also a chance for the students to develop their teaching abilities.

"This whole semester of us working with students with disabilities has taught me a lot with learning the different abilities that each kid has, " CSU student Tammy Chapman said. " That's the thing with us is trying to look at what they can do and work from there."

Each class begins with work on fine motor skills. Graduate student Robby Burns recently spent time helping Tyler Walker learn to spell and write the name of Tyler's favorite musician, Boxcar Willie.

"He's still writing at an elementary level and so we're trying to improve those just by having him write things he likes and enjoys," Burns said. "It's small, but it's a start. It's to get him going."

Graduate student Alana Spiece says it's important to remember there are many different ways kids can do the skills they focus on in class.

"We don't ever want them to think that they can't," she said, "because they definitely can."