IMPACT stands for Individualized Movement and Physical Activity for Children Today the
idea of IMPACT is that we’re able to provided individualized physical activity programs
to children with unique needs and that we’re having an impact on them through our services.
So the IMPACT program began in 1982 with a faculty member called John Dunn and the goal
of the program was to improve the health and increase the physical activity of children
with disabilities.
That was continued with Dr. Jeff McCubbin and is now co-directed by three faculty including
Drs.
JK Yun, Megan MacDonald and myself.
But the stars of the show really are the graduate students and the undergraduate students who
run the program.
So we have 21 graduate students who are involved with IMPACT every week and they oversee the
program and then we have over 100 undergraduate students who work one-on-one with the students
to deliver the activities.
We have over 100 children in IMPACT ranging in age from 18 months to 21 years old, and
then we have 15 older young adults who are involved with IMPACT for Life who are working
out in the community.
At IMPACT each child is matched one-on-one with an undergraduate student who they work
through the lesson plan with.
The lesson plan is written by a graduate student and it includes individualized modifications
for the activities for each child so that they can be successful.
This term I am partnered with Sophia and she is amazing.
I see her face light up and it just gives me goosebumps because I know that this is
her time to have fun and learn new things and be around kids and that’s what I love
about it.
The goal of IMPACT is to get kids physically active and we have a wide range of activities
that kids can participate in.
So typically IMPACT is broken into two sessions.
The first half they’ll spend 45 minutes in the pool working on swimming skills and
then the other 45 minutes they’ll spend in the gym working on object control, motor
skills such as running, kicking, throwing.
One of the unique things about IMPACT is that we’re able to make unique modifications
for each child based on their needs.
For example, we might have children with motor control or strength issues so we’re able
to use different sized balls or bats that make them successful so that they feel more
confident in their abilities.
One of the great things about IMPACT is the swimming program and what it allows for is
the kids to get in the pool and work on their swimming skills.
And this is really unique for children in wheelchairs who are often confined to their
chair who are able to get out, move through specific range of motions, work on swimming
skills, and then a lot of that translates into what they can do with their parents on
the weekends.
Brian used to be very quiet and very shy, would do no sports, would do nothing.
Would just basically stand against the wall at recess and wouldn’t interact with any
kids, and then when we joined IMPACT he started learning sports, he got confidence, he learned
how to make friends, he got involved, he went back to school and started playing at recess,
playing basketball, he’s involved in everything, and now you can’t slow him down, now he
goes non-stop.
So we’re so thankful to IMPACT and the self-confidence and the skills and the sports and everything
they’ve given our son.
IMPACT touches everyone who’s involved in the program.
The children with disabilities benefit by developing their physical activity skills
and motor control, the students benefit from getting experience working with individuals
with unique needs that they can then take on to their future professions.
The graduate students benefit by getting practical experience running community-based programs
which then they often replicate and take to their future jobs and families benefit by
their children learning physical activity skills that they can then work on the weekends
and complete activities together as a family.
Faculty benefit because we’re able to conduct research with the program to understand how
we’re able to improve the physical activity skills of individuals with disabilities.
Personally one of the greatest things that I enjoy about IMPACT is the number of children
that we’re able to serve and the great smiles you see on their faces and the fact that they
keep coming back and the fact that the volunteers keep coming back, everyone seems to be benefitting
from it and really enjoying the services that we’re providing.
This being my second year as the coordinator and watching the growth from the participants
and seeing them come back each year, as well as the volunteers because we do have volunteers
that have been here quarter after quarter and they always request the same participant
and so they have such a great relationship and to see the excitement when the participants
come, and just that relationship grow as well as their skills for why they’re coming here
improve is a great, neat thing to see throughout the years.
Once you see the warmth of the kids smiling and you understand that that’s a genuine
feeling, it’s not something that they’re fronting or that you don’t want to be there.
It’s one of those things that they, they make it the wholesome experience is the kids,
and definitely the way they act when they see you.
It’s so worth it, I feel so much gratification from it and it makes me feel good that I’m
doing this because I love it and I get to see how much they get to grow and how much
I got to help them.
In IMPACT, the OSU students and everyone they just love Brian for who he is in that moment,
and when he’s here, he’s ok.
You know, he is loved for who he is, he’s not asked to be anything other than who he
is, and they love him for just that and that is just the best.
He’s at peace here, and he’s happy here, and that means the world to us.
One of our goals is to make sure that children with disabilities are included in community
physical activity settings where they’re not typically at the moment.
So our goal is to increase links with local soccer programs, local kids clubs, local community
organizations so that kids with disabilities are involved with programming.
And one of the things we’ve done is set up relationship with the Boys and Girls Club
so children with disabilities are integrated through that organization.
We also have a program called IMPACT for Life, which is for adults who have transitioned
through the IMPACT program for 21 and older and it’s a community-based physical activity
program to help them become independently active once they’re living out in the community.
People with disabilities have less access to being physically active so one of the goals
for the IMPACT for Life program is to be able to involve them in a structured program so
they can learn the skills to become independently active across the lifetime.
So we have a long history of having a great impact on the lives of children with disabilities
and preparing future professionals to work with individuals as they move out, once they’ve
graduated from OSU.
And our goal is to continue to having a great impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities
and improving their lifelong health and well-being.