Positive&
Remarkable
Programs We Offer
Every year Dr. Lepore and the APE minor students create and lead a variety of programs. These programs are aimed to further the knowledge of athletes with varying disabilites regarding sports, physical fitenss and healthy lifestyle choices. These programs are completely student run allowing both the athletes and APE minors to learn from each other. Specifically allowing the students within the minor to gain practical experiences while creating a fun atmosphere for the athletes to learn.
Wednesday Night Program
Monday Night Program
The Wednesday night children’s Adapted Physical Education Program is designed as an opportunity for future physical educators to get hands-on experience working with children with disabilities. Throughout the program students will work with children with a variety of disabilities. Students help these children gain crucial knowledge regarding how to properly include each student during their future General Physical Education classes as well as build a proper Adapted Physical Education program. The Wednesday Night Program was established 26 years ago and is a free service to parents with children with disabilities and allows the children, and future educators, to learn from each other over a nine-week period. The first five weeks of the program take place in the gymnasium and transitions to the pool located on campus for the final four weeks.
The Wednesday night program serves as a practicum experience for all students enrolled in KIN 205/206. Each student enrolled in the class is assigned an athlete in which they will work with one-on-one. Students will be asked to do a Home Visitation before each semester program begins in order to meet their athlete and the athlete’s parents. After a semester working one-on-one, students will be given an opportunity to become the teacher, creating lesson plans, goals and objectives, differentiation of instruction and adaptations. This serves as a practicum for all students enrolled in KIN 362. Students in KIN 362 are able to teach a full Adapted PE class once a week and gain a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience and confidence while teaching in this program.
The Monday Night Adapted Physical Activities (APA) Fitness Program serves young adults living with disabilities. The program is overseen by Dr. Kat Ellis and is run by Adapted Physical Education minors at WCU. Each athlete who signed up for the program is placed with a one-on-one personal trainer who is training to be an Adapted Physical Education teacher. Athletes will learn basic forms of stretching, how to use fitness center equipment for upper and lower body exercises, cardio equipment, and specialized dumbbells. Each athlete will get approximately 20 minutes of weight lifting, 20 minutes of cardio and aerobic activities. Each night ends with a fun group activity or dancing! For more information, please contact Dr. Kat Ellis at mellis@wcupa.edu
Wellness Day
Wellness Day aims to provide health education to athletes with visual impairments through sport, nutrition, and mental health activities. Wellness Day is a program that runs in coordination with Camp Abilities and takes place each Fall. The event is set up so that athletes of Camp Abilities PA can have a day filled with sports, stress relieving activities, work on their mental health, meet up with friends and have fun! The program is divided into two age groups, elementary (under 13 years old) and the secondary (13 years and older). Both programs focus on friendship, empowerment through physical activity and healthy food and life choices. The secondary program also focuses on self-advocacy and self-efficacy as well.
Wellness Day is run by WCU Adapted Physical Education minors who plan, run and lead each aspect of the program. Adapted minors also serve as one-on-one coaches for each athlete to ensure safety and guarantee optimal instruction and assistance throughout the day.
Members of the WCU nutrition major help by preparing meals for athletes and staff and also teach health and nutrition education to all of the athletes!