Daniela's blog is now followed in Iran, 44 other countries and all 50 states!!

From Tina - I frequently check the stats for Daniela's blog to see who is reading it. I do this because it is fascinating to see who has found it, but also to make sure it is not getting linked to anything unsavory on the internet (no evidence of that, so far....)

This week I found it is being followed in Iran. With it being such a closed society, I was very interested to find out more. Below (if you can read it and link to it) is the translated version of a blog  in Iran which seems to follow disability blogs. That her blog could be affecting lives there is very touching to me and to Daniela.

Iran blog

This weekend she reached a major goal - to have the blog be read in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is now read in 45 countries as well. Amazing!

To those of you with disabilities in Iran - and across the globe, we identify with you and wish you all the best for productive and independent futures!

Tina and Daniela

Daniela's Journey to Independence: Going to America's Got Talent … | America's Got Talent Fan Site

Daniela's post is featured on an America's Got Talent fan site!


Daniela's Journey to Independence: Going to America's Got Talent … | America's Got Talent Fan Site

Part 1 -read this post first -- Going to America's Got Talent on Tour and MEETING THEM!!!!!

Something very, very exciting happened to me yesterday!  For my 21st birthday present (an early present - my birthday is Dec. 18th), I asked my mom to take me to see America's Got Talent  -Live on Tour in Richmond. She said yes! Yesterday was the show. I was so excited. I couldn't wait. What I didn't know was that my mom had an extra surprise for me. She took me out to dinner first and told me the surprise. She had gotten us VIP tickets!!!! We got to sit up front and after the show, we got to meet the performers and I got their autographs and my picture taken with them!!!! It was incredible. I wasn't expecting any of this. I want to thank my mom for giving me this wonderful present. On the next 2 posts are just of a few of the pictures my mom took. I was too excited and busy watching the show to take pictures. She is going to put the rest of them on a web-site where you can see how wonderful the show was. The performers were all amazing. I loved every minute of the show.

After the show, we waited in line to meet many of the stars. The only ones we didn't get to meet were Jackie Evancho ( who had to go on the bus to get some sleep) and Michael Grasso. But I talked to all of the other stars. Studio One Young Beast Society sang Happy birthday to me! Michael Grimm called me sweetie and hugged me! Taylor Mathews gave me a signed poster with my name on it and hugged me too! They were so sweet! Prince Poppycock was very funny and I even got a picture with his mom. They are from Virginia. Jeremy Schoonhoven broke his hand at a show and had surgery, but still performed and was great. Jackie Evancho sang so wonderfully, I felt like crying. Fighting Gravity (from Virginia Tech) and Michael Grasso were also amazing and so were Christina and Ali.
It was such a wonderful show. Thank you, Mom!!!!!!!!!!

Click on the links above to find out more about the acts!

with my VIP pass, getting ready to go in to the show -so excited!!!!!!

The show started with Studio One -The Young Beast Society. They moved so fast it was hard to take their picture!

Then came Ali and Christina

Michael Grasso - Wow!

Michael Grasso and the host of the show, Jerry Springer

Taylor Matthews -very cute!!!

Prince Poppycock -so funny!

Jackie Evancho - what a beautiful voice - we sat so close the smoke made me cough!

Jackie

Jeremy Vanschoonhoven riding with a broken hand -see the guy on the floor-scary!

Christina, Taylor, and Ali!

Part 2- More Photos from America's Got Talent - Daniela meets the stars!!

From Tina -

Read Daniela's post first

What a wonderful day with Daniela! To see her face when I told her the surprise was priceless! I enjoyed watching her more than the show and the show was really great. It was very well put together. The meet and greet afterward was much more than I hoped. Perhaps because the performers are such new celebrities, they were all very gracious and welcoming. We were both especially impressed with Michael Grimm, Taylor Matthews and the Young Beast Society. They all made Daniela feel so special.

Daniela has worked so hard this year to advocate for herself and others. She has done many new things that have been very difficult for her. She has faced her fears with such grace and courage. We are so proud of her and wanted to do something special for her to show her that we know just how hard she is working to overcome her challenges.

All the best,

Tina

Fighting Gravity -we couldn't taken pictures during their performance, but it was so cool!

The Stars after the show

Meeting Studio One -Young Beast Society after they sang to me!

Prince Poppycock's mom

Prince Poppycock!

Hugging Michael Grimm the champion!

talking with Taylor Matthews!

Meeting Jeremy Schoonhaven

Meeting Christina

Fighting Gravity!

My new shirt and my signed poster!

  

Part 3 - Slideshow from America's Talent - for some reason it plays backwards?!

I received some surprise presents in the mail!

My signed poster of Hand Held

My signed Poster of the Lion King

Signed by the Producer of the Lion King - Don Hahn!

 

From Tina -

I'll explain a little about these gifts before Daniela writes. Several weeks ago  I wrote a review for Adoption Today Magazine about an incredible documentary called Hand Held (which I will also soon be reviewing here on the blog). Hand Held, directed by (Academy Award nominated) Don Hahn, is the story of a photojournalist named Michael Carroll who went to Romania 20 years ago to photograph the horrible conditions in the hospitals and orphanages. He started an amazing charity that we support and have visited in Romania called Romanian Children's Relief.

In appreciation for the magazine review, the production director, Maggie Gisel sent Daniela a signed poster for the documentary. When Daniela asked who Don Hahn was, we decided to google him. It turns out he is the producer of the both The Lion King AND The Beauty and the Beast!!! When I let Ms. Gisel know that the Lion King was Daniela's absolute favorite movie of all time, they were also kind enough to send her the signed poster above. I was so touched by their gesture (and also by hearing from Mr. Hahn personally!) because it was really an honor to write the review. You'll be hearing more about the movie soon. Until then check out the links above!

I'll let Daniela write from here -

I never expected to receive three signed posters by Fed Ex!!!!!! I was so excited that they were signed by the producer of the Lion King!!! I want to thank them so much for sending them to me. I would love to go to California to meet Mr. Hahn and Ms. Gisel. I'm going to put one poster in my room at home and take one poster to college with me. I really love them!!!!

love, Daniela

A seminar for Virginia students and families

 From Tina: There are a couple of great events coming up in the next 2 months for students with disabilities and their families here in Virginia. One I listed in the post below. Another is in Richmond on November 6th.

"College 4 U will be held Saturday, November 6, 2010 from 10 AM-2 PM at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Parham Road Campus, 1651 East Parham Road in
Richmond, VA. "

"This annual event provides information for college bound students with disabilities and their parents/families."

see more at:

College 4 U

2010 State of the Art Conference on Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

 From Tina - I just read about a wonderful conference later this month (October 28th, 29th) in northern Virginia. Think College and other leaders in the field of postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities will be presenting.  I really wish Daniela and I could go, but we have a prior event in Richmond on the evening of the 28th, so logistics would be very difficult to manage. The agenda sounds fascinating. I think we would have a really difficult time choosing between breakout sessions if we did attend. I would especially love to meet the people from Think College as they have really helped us so much this past year.

If you are a family or professional who is interested in learning more about students with ID attending college, this sounds like it would help you immensely!




http://www.sscsid.org/ Click on draft Agenda to see the different sessions

VIsiting my former classroom and and high school teachers!

Today My mom and I went to my old high school. I wanted to tell my teachers the good news about my getting into Shepherds College.  Some of them already knew because they had read my blog and some of them have already emailed me. But I still wanted to go tell them myself. They were very happy and proud of me that I got in. They told me they can't wait to hear how it goes for me when I'm away at school. My teachers helped me so much when I was in high school. I'm going to miss them all when I leave to go to school, but I will stay in touch with them. ( Maybe we can visit on Skype!)

I am going to see if I can do some volunteering in Ms. Shaw's class this year to help her new students. They really liked the cake I baked for them!

love,

Daniela

making a cake for my teachers

visiting with Ms. Guy and Ms. Elks

sharing my good news with Ms. Wilson

saying hi to Ms. Taylor (Ms. Joyce)

getting a hug from Ms. Shaw (It was crazy hat day!)

Australia likes Daniela's Journey!

 From Link Disability Magazine in Australia!

http://www.linkonline.com.au/free-articles/2010/August/widen-your-net.pdf

South Africa appreciates Daniela's Journey!

I just googled  Daniela's name and found a reference to her from this web-site in.........South Africa?! Her blog is reaching far and wide - over 1000 people have looked at it in the past two days. Here's the South African site:

Aspire South Africa
http://aspiresa.tumblr.com/




Welcome Aspire South Africa! It looks like you are doing great work for children with disabilities!