How to make skiing accessible | The NAU Review
Imagine if your final class project played a pivotal role in raising money for a local organization that helps people with disabilities to be able to ski.
It’s the kind of project where getting an A is secondary to knowing you just accomplished something great while learning valuable skills.
Every semester, students in their final year of NAU’s public health program partner with a local nonprofit for their capstone. The goal is for students to get real-world experience while supporting local nonprofits. And for four seniors last fall, that meant writing a grant for High Country Adaptive Sports (HCAS).
Alyssa Rousseau, Felicity Sepulveda, Toni DeMarco and Kadence Lloyd-Bisley worked closely with HCAS throughout the semester, with each member taking on a distinct role to practice project management. Sepulveda served as the facilitator, DeMarco as the community liaison, Lloyd-Bisley as the bookkeeper and Rousseau as the program coordinator.
HCAS is a Flagstaff-based organization dedicated to providing outdoor recreation opportunities for individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities. The organization offers ways for everyone to enjoy the unique outdoor experiences that Northern Arizona has to offer.
“When I learned about HCAS and its mission, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to explore this topic,” Sepulveda said. “I wanted to build meaningful connections and learn more about the importance of inclusive recreational opportunities.”
The students said this experience was unlike any of their previous public health courses. Lloyd-Bisley described it as a “perfect opportunity” to interact with an underserved community she had yet to study at length.
“A project of this size mimics real-world projects, and we got a glimpse of what it takes to work toward one project for three months straight,” Rousseau said.
The team’s intervention focused on disability etiquette training designed for HCAS volunteers. To begin, they gathered valuable insights by surveying the community, including individuals with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, providing the group with a crucial perspective.
Through their research, the team discovered that even well-intentioned efforts to help can be harmful. A recurring theme in the survey responses was that people without disabilities will often assume that those with disabilities need their help. One response noted, “Let me succeed or fail on my own. I don’t care if things take longer for me.” Survey responses also highlighted the importance of asking the individual how they would like to be assisted, as the individual with the disability is the most qualified to share their needs.
Using these findings, the team developed a comprehensive training module. The group shared insight on respectful communication, stressing the importance of using person-first language.
In addition to the training, the team developed an impact report infographic to showcase at the HCAS fundraising event. The team contributed to the event’s overwhelming success, which raised $134,000 to support HCAS’ mission.
Though it was the first grant writing experience for most of the students, they had some help. The Colorado Plateau Center for Health Professionals (CPCHP) partners with NAU to teach grant writing skills and guide students through the grant process. Final grant proposals are scored, providing feedback and up to $200 in funding, which helped cover the team’s materials cost for their fundraising efforts.
These projects not only make a significant impact on the community but also provide an opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge in a meaningful way.
“These experiences give students a leg up in the public health job market,” said CPCHP coordinator Courtney Madsen. “They offer hands-on experience in project management and grant writing that students can carry into future careers.”
“This project has prepared me for my future career by giving me hands-on experience in planning, implementing and evaluating health promotion programs,” DeMarco said. “It has strengthened my ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and apply my public health knowledge to real-world situations—skills that will be invaluable as I pursue a career in public health.”
Photos provided by High Country Adaptive Sports
Katie Fahy | College of Health and Human Services
As seen on The NAU Review.
