A total of fifteen students are leaving OPTIONS this spring or at the end of summer. One is graduating from SIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale); three are graduating from JALC (John A. LoganCollege); eight are transitioning to college; one is seeking employment;and two are transitioning to other programs close to home.

OPTIONS students who posed for this goodbye photograph for program year 2014-15: (left to right) Samantha Calamos, Sydney Schneider, Noah Ellis, Joe New, Josh Jones,

Asher Puth, Peter Shure, Scott Heebink.

The 2015 Brehm School Commencement Ceremony tookplace on Friday, May 29th. Congratulations to the 24 seniors who participated in the ceremony with an excited crowd full offamilies, teachers, and friends. During the ceremony, the brehmParents Association presented two prestigious awards:

the Inspiration Award and the Citizenship Award. Commence-ment speaker Sara Feld, proud 2007 Brehm alum, shared her inspirational perspectives. In 2014 she graduated cum laude from BeloitCollege, receiving a Bachelor of Arts with honors in psychology and education. Sara is currently a behavioral aide with Fraser Autism Services in Minnesota.

won the InspirationAward, whichis given to agraduate who displayspersistence andcourage in

facing and pursuing personal, academic, and social challenges.

andboth won

the PresidentialAward for Academic

Excellence.

This Award is presented to the student with the

highest grade point average, who receives a certificate, a pin, and a signed letter from the President of the U.S.

won the CitizenshipAward, which is given to agraduate whodisplays thequalities of agood citizen –

cooperative, courteous, depend-able, helpful, and thoughtful.

Congrats OPTIONSstudents!

Graduat

ion Iss

ue - Su

mmer

2015

IM

PA

TM

akin

g an

on yo

ung

lives

C l a s s o f 2 0 1 5

2 s u m m e r 2 0 1 5

“I was shocked and happy when my parents told me I won the Walsh Scholarship. My parents arevery excited and sounded choked upwhen they told me about this greatnews. Brehm pushes me very hard togrow and learn. I am ready for amuch needed summer break so I can be fresh for next year at Brehm.”

– Jack B., recipient of the Carey Marie Walsh Memorial Scholarship.

“I am very proud of myself and so appreciative for the Walsh Scholarship. My parents and mywhole family are very proud as well. I always work hard but this really inspires me to work even harder. At Brehm I am learning not only academics but new independent living skills and organizational skills.”

– Daniel K., recipient of the Carey Marie Walsh Memorial Scholarship.

Dr. Richard Collins, Director of Brehm Institute of Cognitive & Curricular Research (Brehm’s global outreach) reports a late summer launchdate of a subscription video instruction series based on feedback from aparent questionnaire. Initial videos will be on assistive technology and

advocacy. Communication games whichfocus on pragmatic social skills and executive function are also being prepared for publication.

The Institute is also now completing itssecond year of a three year MRI (magneticresonance imaging) study in collaborationwith the SIU Medical School and theClinical Psychology Department evaluating the effects of our holistic

program interventions and the Brehm Arrowsmith program on studentoutcomes across academic, social and emotional parameters, and theneuropathways of the brain effecting executive function. A two-yearanalysis will be completed this summer.

2015 - 2016Carey Marie Walsh

Memorial Scholarship

2015 - 2016Carey Marie Walsh

Memorial Scholarship

Brehm Inst itute UpdateHONOR A STUDENT, TEACHER, STAFF MEMBER

OR MEMORIALIZE A LOVED ONE

Show your gratitude by giving a gift in honor of a teacher orstaff member who made a difference in the life of a student. You may also designate gifts to honor a student or memorialize a loved one. Memorial giving to student scholarships and student financial assistance is a great way to help families of students with learning disabilities.

Contact the Foundation staff at 618-457-0371 to learn more about how tax-deductible contributions support students and staff.

Russell Williams, Director of Brehm School Foundation, extension 1801, russell.williams@brehm.org

Erin Camfield, Foundation Associate, extension 1802, erin.camfield@brehm.org

Kimberly Boyd, Foundation Associate, extension 1804, kimberly.boyd@brehm.org

The 2014 Senior Gift was an

Outdoor Kitchen and Dining Pavilion

funded by parents of graduates and memorial

gifts received through the Foundation.

The kitchen includes durable

stone countertops and stainless

steel appliances including an oven,

grill, small refrigerator and sink.

Students are shown here

enjoying a party with staff.

The 2015 Senior Gift is a total of 10 trees

paid for by parents of graduates.

Students had a great team experience

planting three maple trees with staff

instruction and supervision.

Larger trees were planted by professionals.

These included one Sawtooth Oak, one

Willow Oak, two Fall Fiesta Sugar Maples,

one Ginkgo Autumn Gold, one Bald

Cypress and one River Birch.

!y I M P A C T I N G Y O U N G L I V E S z

A L E G A C Y G I F T A L E G A C Y G I F T

Everyone in attendance

experiencedthe energy,

fun and bliss of

Brehm School’s Spring

Parent, Family & Alumn

i Weekend

Dinner held on April 11,

2015. Parents, student

s, staff,

board members, alumni

and guests enjoyed an

evening

of festivities including

a silent auction, live a

uction,

student awards, a stude

nt talent show and live mu

sic by

The Venturis. Two hundred-

fifty attended the even

t

held at the Student Ac

tivities Center. The auc

tions

and donations raised ov

er $8,000. All proceeds

go

to the Annual Giving ca

mpaign to support stud

ent

and staff development

.

B r e h m S p r i n g Weekend Bliss

D i d y o u k n o w ?

More than half of the students at

OPTIONS have never attended Brehm.

Students transitioning from Brehm

to OPTIONS get special preference of

beginning college classes immediately when

recommended by the Brehm team.

Although Brehm and OPTIONS are

under the same administrative umbrella, they

are two distinctly different programs.

OPTIONS students are matched with

apartment mates that fit them best. Often

these matches result in best friends for life.

OPTIONS is NOT a two or four year program

as many assume – but instead it moves the student

forward via three phases (Standard, Modified and

Extension) that allow stepping stones of greater

independence for each student’s pace.

Some Brehm students are transitioning from

Brehm Arrowsmith to OPTIONS Arrowsmith to

continue benefiting greatly from our premier

neuroplasticity programs — to help

maximize cognitive functioning.

All OPTIONS students work with

vocational staff to identify community internship

experiences (60+ to choose from.)

When OPTIONS students take college classes,

there is often time built in for them to stay at the

college for tutoring/study time, as well as eating a

meal. Special accommodations such as extended

test time, quiet testing room, arrangements for

note taker services and meeting with

tutors are also available.

Students in the Standard and Modified

phases live in furnished apartments with flat

screen TVs. Every student has their own

bedroom and private bathroom.

Students in the Extension phase are

allowed to live in any apartment complex

they choose. They may also select to live

alone or with other students.

Students in the Extension phase experience

the real world by signing leases, acquiring their

own utility accounts and being responsible for

budgeting for these services.

Students in the Extension phase have

fewer structured classes and more 1:1 support

to develop their own personal systems for

independent living. They structure their own

free time and plan activities/trips

independent of staff.

Brehm is high school

diploma-focused, with an

emphasis on each student’s

academic, social, and

emotional needs.

OPTIONS is college and

certificate-track focused,

with independent apartment

living – including internships,

employability and full

independence.

Day one of attending Brehm or OPTIONS is

the first step in discovery — unearthing of the

fantastic beauty and untapped potential of young

adults with learning differences. Challenge after

challenge, week after week, each student finds

surprising, and exciting experiences which

challenge each student as he/she makes progress

toward individual life goals. Since 1982, two

distinctly different programs have evolved with

one thing in common - individualized and

customized learning for every unique student.

For Brehm students, as graduation nears, the

seniors and our expert staff focus on the

culmination of the lifelong goal of receiving a

high school diploma. Our advisors, teachers,

clinical therapists, speech language pathologists,

dorm parents and faculty carefully consider

which students are ready to be fully independent

with the tools they have acquired and who

needs more support.

For OPTIONS students, maximum

independence of living, employability and

college academics are the main goals. Three

phases (Standard, Modified, and Extension) allow

students to transition to individual levels of

maximum independence. The final OPTIONS

phase has decreasing levels of support to

ensure a smooth transition for every

student’s unique needs.

TransformativeLaunch Pads for Success

www.Brehm.org www.ExperienceOptions.org

6

For us, never has a school been as impactful as Brehm.

Gabrielle, one of our four children, just graduated and will attend

OPTIONS in the fall. We consider ourselves blessed to have found

a school four years ago that embraced our beautiful daughter —

understanding and supporting her emotional,

physical and academic abilities.

Brehm focuses on what our daughter can do. They

focus on strengths, while supporting weaknesses.

Their cutting edge programs, the teachers, the

staff, the administration have all worked to meet

her challenges with optimism, with compassion

and with skill. Quite simply, they are "pros" at

being a school that meets the needs of kids with complex

learning differences.

The normal high school setting that this school provides (sports teams,

study hall, prom, student council, student play, FBLA) gives her an experience

that she would not have received as fully had she not attended Brehm.

She is part of an enriching community where she is challenged

to be her best self, not pushed. It means the world to us that she

can have similar opportunities to those her siblings had in

a school that she loves.

We've seen tremendous growth in the short time

she's been there. Her ability to advocate for herself

combined with her increased intellectual capabilities

has been nothing short of remarkable. We are

confident about her future and more importantly so is she!

Brehm is dear to our hearts. We want to see it flourish.

It is our wish that this school continues to educate and

enrich the lives of kids that need it the most. It is our hope that others

will have the same outstanding experience that our daughter has re-

ceived. And so, that is why we give to Brehm.

— Ramah and Chris Hackett

Pennsylvania

Brehm School Foundation Model

OPTIONS landscaping and lawn care students learn how to operate a tractor front-end loader on back acreage of Brehm campus.

W h y We G i v e

s u m m e r 2 0 1 5

7 Like us on Facebook Follow us on LinkedIn

Brehm Alumni —Join your Brehm/OPTIONS friends/fellow alumnionline!: Visit Facebook.com and send a friend request to Kimberly A Boyd. Privatemessage her requesting an invite to the very popular “Brehm Alumni Chat Group.” <>

Make a safe and secure online donation 24/7 (one time or recurring) atBrehm.org/foundation or ExperienceOPTIONS.org/foundation.

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted.Please visit us today!

The Gift of Education and IndependenceBrehm School Foundation | 950 S. Brehm Lane

Carbondale, IL 62901 | 618.457.0371

Brehm School thanks Donna E.

Collins, B.A., Director of Admissions,

for her many years of service that

began in 1993! Donna will shift from

full time to part time on July 1, 2015.

Brian Taylor, M.Ed., will become Brehm

School’s new Director of Admissions on

July 1, 2015. Brian began working at Brehm

as Dorm Parent in 1995 and moved into

the Supervisor of Boarding Services role in

2008 before becoming Brehm’s Associate

Director of Admissions in 2012.

Susan “Susi” Vacek, B.A. & B.S.,

became Admissions Associate

in February. Susi was previously with

Brehm from 2005 - 2009.

We also welcome Kimberly Boyd, B.S.,

who was hired in February of 2015 as

Brehm Foundation Associate for Alumni

Relations and Event Planning.

Tammy Greenberg Brehm 1984 to 1986

Tammy went on to college at SIUC (Southern Illinois University at Carbondale), whereshe studied Child & FamilyServices. However, she decided to follow her dreams eight years ago and began

working for a law firm. She isnow building her dream home in

downtown Dallas! Tammy says,“Brehm is the best thing that

has ever happened to me!”

Bradley Jacobs Brehm 2006 to 2012

Bradley attends OPTIONS, wherehe is excited to now be in theExtension phase. He is thrilledto be working on his GraphicDesign Degree, interning atBrehm and the Marion Chamber of Commerce.

Bradley says, “Without BrehmI wouldn’t have my current

successes as an adult and be independent.”

David Dragan Brehm 2004-2007

David decided to study Advertising and Marketing atWebster University, where he recently graduated, and isnow putting his skills to workat Group60 Worldwide as aMultimedia Producer. He

really enjoys skateboarding,taking photos and creating

videos in his spare time. David says, “When I came out of Brehm,

I was amazed at how much I hadprogressed. I love Brehm!”

Where are Brehm Alumni

Save the dateOPTIONS Fall Family Dinner Event

Friday, October 23 - Inviting OPTIONS families, students, staff, alumni, and alumni families.Carbondale Civic Center, Carbondale, IL

Hosted by e Brehm Schl Foundation For more information contact Kim Boyd, Foundation Associate,

at kimberly.boyd@brehm.org.

Now?

Thank you for giving to the 2014-2015 Annual Campaign. Together, we advance the young lives of students with learning disabilities.

The Annual Campaign ends Tuesday, June 30th. At the time of theprinting of this newsletter we have raised $336,350. Please help us reachour goal of $550,000 to support Brehm School and OPTIONS Transitions to Independence.

There are several easy ways to make a 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE (designatedor undesignated) contribution before the 2014-2015 campaign ends on June 30, 2015:

1. Online using a Credit Card, safe and secure at Brehm.org/Foundation or ExperienceOPTIONS.org/Foundation

2. Credit Card by phone by calling us at 618.457.0371

3. check by US MAIL to Brehm School Foundation, 950 S. Brehm Lane, Carbondale, IL 62901. Please use the Donation/Pledge envelope found within this newsletter.

4. Securities by phone or email.

PLEASE CONTACT the Foundation Office at 618.457.0371 or foundationinfo@brehm.org for guidance on any donation. Call today to find out how your gift can make an impact!

Thank you for supporting Brehm School and OPTIONS via the Brehm School Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity <>.

B R E H M / O P T I O N S A N N U A L C A M P A I G N 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5

T o g e t h e r

W e A d v a n c e

Y o u n g L i v e s

Please help us reach our Annual Giving goal of $550,000 by June 30th.