Plan Your Youth Transition Conference 

Taking the next step towards a technical college education can be exciting and overwhelming. This session will provide essential guidance to help students navigate the transition smoothly. We'll cover key steps such as choosing the right program, understanding admission requirements, and developing the skills needed for success. Additionally, we'll discuss the importance of Disability Services, including how to access accommodations, self-advocacy skills, and available campus resources to support students with disabilities. Whether you're exploring career options or ready to enroll, this session will equip you with the tools and confidence to take your next step toward a bright future.

Presenters: Jessica Lange and Carissa Fritz , Disability Services Fox Valley Technical College

This session will guide students through the essential academic and non-academic skills needed for a successful transition to postsecondary education. Staff from the UWO Center for Accessibility & Disability Resources will share practical strategies for self-advocacy, understanding disability services in college, navigating accommodations, and building independent learning habits. Attendees will gain insights into the differences between high school and college support systems and learn how to prepare effectively for the academic, social, and logistical aspects of college life.

Presenter: Jayme Reichenberger, Project Success Coordinator

This session includes a tour of one of the Marian University Residence Halls led by a current student. Students will hear what life is like living on-campus while seeing a room, lobby, and recreation spaces.

Accessibility Services and TRIO will deliver a presentation about services offered at Marian University for students with disabilities.

Hear from young adults with disabilities about their journeys after high school. This session gives you the chance to ask questions and learn how others have transitioned into the community, work, and postsecondary education.

Presenters: Amber Hammond, Kaylee Sponder, Ella Herrmann, Jacob Moder, Maddie Dumproff,  and Maddox Meulemans

Fitness Games: Let's make exercise fun.  In this session we will play activity games to get your body moving!

Presenter:  Patti Lynn Health and Fitness Director

Join us for a session of dancing, lively music, and fun! We’ll begin with warm-up exercises, then play a fun dance game, and learn a short dance routine. Our dance session will be set to upbeat music. No experience is necessary! Let’s dance!

The mission of Arts for All Wisconsin (AFA) is to expand the capabilities, confidence, and quality of life for children and adults with disabilities throughout Wisconsin by providing programs in the arts. Learn more about AFA at www.artsforallwi.org.

Presenter: Sarah Jacobson, Director of Dance Education

This interactive session introduces students to the basics of starting a home garden using containers and small spaces. Participants will learn how plants grow, what they need to thrive, and how gardening can be adapted to apartments, patios, balconies, or small yards. The session will include a hands-on activity where students practice transplanting plants into containers or assemble a simple container gardening kit they can take home. Students will leave with practical skills, confidence, and ideas for growing food or flowers in spaces they already have, reinforcing independence, responsibility, and healthy habits.

Presenter: Jacob Kluza, UW-Madison Extension Winnebago County

This session introduces mental health, mental illness, suicide awareness, self-care strategies, and available supports to help students understand their well-being and know how to get help when needed.

Presenter: Sue Mitchell Metz, NAMI Fond du Lac Executive Coordinator

Many conversations about mental health focus on what to do when things fall apart. This session flips the script—helping youth notice, name, and savor moments when things go right. Through guided reflection and creative expression, participants will explore their personal strengths, support systems, and values that help them stay grounded during hard moments. Youth will create a Resilience Tree to visualize how they grow through challenges—not by avoiding struggle, but by learning from it. This session emphasizes self-regulation, advocacy, and resilience skills they can use with teachers, bosses, professors, and others as they transition into adulthood. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Identify personal strengths and traits that help them recover from challenges

• Recognize support systems that contribute to their resilience

• Reframe setbacks as experiences that build strength rather than define failure

• Practice self-regulation strategies for real-world adult settings (school, work, college)

• Articulate what helps them “grow through what they go through”.

Presenter: Katie Jaegly, ​Health & Well-Being Educator

This session will be on Internet Safety with a focus on informed decision-making in today’s digital world. It will highlight the dangers of misusing or abusing technology—particularly social media and mobile devices—while offering real-world examples that illustrate how quickly online choices can lead to serious consequences. Drawing from the presenter’s experience as a law enforcement officer who has investigated numerous exploitation and cyber-related cases, he will provide practical tips, protective strategies, and clear guidance to help the audience stay safe, aware, and empowered online.

Presenter: Officer Keywon Brown

Having a pet can be fun and rewarding—but it also comes with important responsibilities. In this session, students will learn what it takes to care for their own pet and how to meet an animal’s daily needs.

We will talk about feeding, exercise, grooming, safety, and health care, as well as how to create routines that help both the pet and the owner succeed. Students will also learn how to notice when a pet is happy, stressed, or not feeling well, and what to do when help is needed.

This session focuses on building responsibility, problem-solving skills, and confidence—important skills for caring for a pet and for everyday life at home and in the community.

Presenters:  Emily Anderson and Jeanna Schultz, Oshkosh Humane Society 

This presentation will explore your current community resources and connections, like transportation, health, education, and work. Together, we will use a community mapping exercise to see how you can successfully move into the adult world with the support of long-term care programs like IRIS. This will be an interactive session where attendees will have the opportunity to share their community resources and connections. TMG will explain how being in IRIS, a fully self-directed long-term care program can give you the resources you need as you move into the adult world.

Presenter: Paul Mross, TMG

In this session, you will explore what consent, self-advocacy, and self-determination mean and why they are important in everyday life. You will learn how to recognize and identify your own personal boundaries and understand that it’s okay to say yes, no, or ask for more information. The goal is to help you feel more confident, safe, and in control of decisions that affect you at school, at work, and in the community.

Presenter: Stephenie Mlodzik, COVEY

This interactive, student-focused session helps youth explore what healthy relationships look like—and what they don’t—through hands-on activities, real-life examples, and group discussion. Using a fun and engaging banana activity, participants will learn how relationships, like people, have layers, and why what’s on the inside matters more than appearances. Students will explore respect, boundaries, communication, red flags vs. green flags, and self-worth, with practical tools they can use in friendships,  school, work, and everyday life.

Presenter: Stacie Scheibe, COTA - IL Coordinator Supervisor 

In the session "Your Voice Matters" we will share about self-advocacy and the Self Advocacy 101 program that the Arc has established. We talk about what the studies show the benefit of becoming your own advocate has on individuals with disabilities. Come learn how you can start to use your voice to make changes in our community. We will end the session with an activity to advocate to your needs.

Presenters: Connie Gen, Ashley Delay, ARC of Fond Du Lac

In this session, students will explore how the languages they know—whether spoken at home, learned in school, or picked up through culture and community—are powerful assets for the future. Through discussion and examples, students will learn how language skills support communication, problem-solving, collaboration, and cultural understanding—skills employers and communities value highly. The session highlights how being multilingual supports you in being career and community ready. Students will walk away feeling proud of their linguistic identities, more confident in their abilities, and better prepared to use their languages to be successful in careers, contribute to their communities, and navigate an increasingly connected world.

Presenter: Lori Menning, CESA 6

This session provides a practical introduction to executive functioning and how these skills impact everyday life after high school. Students will learn simple, realistic tools to support planning, organization, time management, and follow-through as they transition into college, careers, and adult life. Supportive adults attending will also gain strategies and shared language to reinforce independence without taking over. The focus is on building confidence, awareness, and systems that support success in real-world settings.

Presenter: Marla Kopecky, Owner, Focus on Freedom

In this session, you’ll learn how the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) can help you plan for life after high school—whether that includes a job, job training, college, or learning new skills. DVR is a service that supports people with disabilities as they prepare for work and careers that match their interests and strengths.

Presenters: Sherry Gundlach and Jenna Bansemer, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists

This session provides a deeper understanding of cash flow—how money comes in, how it goes out, and why that matters in everyday life. Participants will learn how to create and follow a simple savings plan based on their personal goals, such as buying something important or planning for the future. The session will also focus on ways to protect your money, including safe banking habits and avoiding common scams. In addition, participants will explore basic strategies for managing debt, understanding loans and credit, and making smart choices to stay financially healthy. The goal is to help you feel more confident and prepared to manage your money responsibly.

Presenter: Josh Koon CLU, Chsnu Financial Advisor

Moving into your own apartment is an exciting step, but it can also feel a little overwhelming. In this session, we'll talk about important things like how much rent costs and how to figure out if you can afford it. We'll also go over the process of applying for an apartment, what rental agreements are, and where you can find help with paying utility bills. Plus, we'll explore how smart technology can make your home more comfortable and easier to live in. Join me as we discuss what ads can teach us, what matters most to you when choosing a place to live, and how to create a budget for your new apartment!

Presenter: Julie Reindl, Supported Living Specialist

Volunteering isn’t just about doing a job—it’s a way to build skills that can help you at school, work, and in everyday life.

In this session, you’ll learn how volunteering can help you:

• Build people and communication skills like talking with others, working as a team, showing patience, and handling challenges
• Practice workplace skills such as showing up on time, following directions, problem-solving, and learning leadership skills
• Grow personally by building confidence, learning responsibility, and becoming more comfortable trying new things
• Explore career skills through hands-on experience, meeting new people, and learning how real organizations work

We’ll also talk about real volunteer opportunities available in the community, including The Arc Fond du Lac, United Way, and other local organizations—and how you can get involved.

Presenters: Dawn Schannell Executive Director and Amber Kilawee, United Way