1	Kids on the Block A program to inform young kids about disabilities presented by Irondequoit High School and sponsored by The American Red Cross with The Finger Lakes Development Disability Service Office
2	What is Kids Project? Kids Project is a program to help teach young children what it’s like to have disabilities The program is run by the Red Cross and is in collaboration with the Finger Lakes Developmental Disability Service Office Young adults are trained to use special puppets which help to teach the kids about disabilities
3	Where did Kids on the Block come from The Kids on the Block, Inc. originated in 1977 in direct response to US Public Law 94-142, which required that children with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment Kids on the Block, now internationally acclaimed, has continued to grow over the years and offers programs on disabilities such as spinal bifida and visual impairment
4	Puppets? To help inform the kids, puppets are used to make it easier some of the puppets contain disabilities and have a non-disabled counterpart This form of puppetry is called Bunraku, a Japanese form of
5	Puppets with disabilities For each skit performed, there are two sets of puppets There is a non-disabled puppet and also a disabled puppet for the skits performed
6	What kinds of disabilities? The puppets we use range from having Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome Blindness, and Deafness The puppets help to teach young kids what its like to have a disability, and more importantly, how they can do just about everything other kids can do!
7	Performances We perform for third grade classes all over the Rochester area and throughout Monroe County During the performance, kids get the opportunity to ask questions to the puppets
8	Does Kids on the Block talk about anything besides disabilities? In other parts of the country Kids on the Block has many many more puppets with more problems than disabilities Some of the puppets deal with issues of gang violence, AIDS, physical abuse, racism and many more
9	IHS Kids on the Block Kids on the block is a nationwide program, and is a part of the Irondequoit High School Performing Arts Program Training is part of the Drama II Class curriculum Puppeteers consist of students and alumni of the class
10	Meet our kids: Mark Riley
11	Meet our kids: Melody James
12	Meet our kids: Ellen Jane Peterson
13	Meet our kids: Brenda Dubrowski
14	Meet our kids: Renaldo Rodriguez
15	Meet our kids: Mandy Puccini
16	Other Kids on the Block
17	For more information: Contact The American Red Cross Check out The Kids On The Block website