PEN Project

🗣️ Advocacy starts with communication. Confidence starts with knowledge.

As a parent, you are the expert on your child—and your voice matters.

Join Region 12 Coordinator Jessica Dominguez for our FREE "Say It With Confidence!" Communication and Advocacy Webinar Series, designed to help families become stronger advocates and active participants in their child's educational journey.

📅 The First Four Thursdays in July
🕛 12:00 PM (MT) / 1:00 PM (CT)
💻 Virtual & FREE!

Throughout this four-part series, you'll learn how to:

💬 Communicate effectively with your child's educational team
📣 Speak confidently during ARD meetings
✋ Build assertiveness skills while maintaining positive relationships
📂 Organize and document your child's educational records

Whether you're attending your first ARD meeting or you've been advocating for years, this series will provide practical tools you can use right away.

📅 Webinar Schedule:
✔️ July 2: Communication Skills
✔️ July 9: Strategies to Strengthen Parent Voices at ARD Meetings
✔️ July 16: Assertiveness
✔️ July 23: Documentation of Your Child's Records

🔗 Register today: https://bit.ly/Confidence-R12-Series

Questions?
Jessica Dominguez
Region 12 Coordinator | PEN Project
📞 (254) 275-1362
📧 [email protected]

Invite a friend, share this post, and join us as we build stronger voices, stronger partnerships, and brighter futures for students with disabilities.

Our Office Will Be Closed in Observance of Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth Freedom Day, Partners Resource Network offices will be closed on Friday, June 19.

Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality for all.

We encourage everyone to take a moment to reflect on the significance of this important day and its impact on our nation’s history.

Wishing you a meaningful and reflective Juneteenth.

Tonight was our Team Captain Orientation for Camp Ability 2026!

Before camp officially begins, our Team Captains come together to learn, prepare, and get ready to support our campers throughout the week.

Many people see the fun parts of camp, but what they don’t always see is the preparation that happens behind the scenes. Tonight, our Team Captains learned about their teams, reviewed expectations, discussed leadership strategies, and prepared to help create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive experience for the campers.

Team Captains play a huge role at Camp Ability. They help campers build friendships, practice independence, develop self-advocacy skills, and gain confidence in a supportive environment.

A successful camp doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because dedicated young leaders are willing to step up, learn, and serve others.

We can’t wait to see what this incredible group accomplishes next week!

📚 This Month's Region 12 Workshop Spotlight!

Do you have questions about your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP)? You're not alone!

Join Region 12 Coordinator Jessica Dominguez for this month's FREE parent workshop:

🗓 June 22
📝 Contents of the IEP
🕙 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
📍 Waco Family Medicine Central Clinic
1600 Providence Dr.
Waco, TX 76707

This workshop will help families better understand the essential components of an IEP, including:
✔️ Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP)
✔️ Annual Goals
✔️ Accommodations & Modifications
✔️ Related Services
✔️ Special Education Services
✔️ Progress Monitoring
✔️ Transition Planning (when applicable)

Whether you're preparing for your child's next ARD meeting or simply want to better understand your child's IEP, this workshop is a great opportunity to ask questions, build your confidence, and connect with other families.

✨ This workshop is FREE, but registration is required!

📲 RSVP today by scanning the QR code on the flyer.

Questions?
Jessica Dominguez
Region 12 Coordinator | PEN Project
📞 (254) 275-1362
📧 [email protected]

We hope to see you there!

Thank you to Superior HealthPlan for inviting us to present today on the PEN Project and how we serve Texas families. We appreciate the opportunity to share our work and explore ways to strengthen support for the communities we serve.

🧰 Toolkit Thursday 💙

Caregivers need care, too.

When you're raising a child with Down syndrome, it's easy to put everyone else's needs before your own. But taking care of yourself isn't selfish—it's essential. When you prioritize your own well-being, you're better equipped to support your child and your family.

This week's Toolkit Thursday resource from the Down Syndrome Resource Foundation shares practical tips for:
💙 Recognizing caregiver fatigue
🌱 Setting realistic self-care goals
🥗 Making healthy choices
🤝 Building a strong support network
😴 Giving yourself permission to rest
✨ Creating a self-care plan that works for you

Take a few minutes this week to invest in yourself—you deserve it!

🔗 Read the guide here:
https://dsrf.org/resources/blog/a-self-care-guide-for-parents-of-children-with-down-syndrome/

💬 Let's encourage one another! What's one thing you do to recharge and take care of yourself? Share your favorite self-care tip in the comments! 💙

¡Acompáñenos en la Conferencia El Camino Hacia las Posibilidades 2026, la Conferencia de la Región 12 del Proyecto PEN, diseñada para familias, cuidadores, autogestores y profesionales que apoyan a jóvenes con discapacidades mientras se preparan para la vida después de la preparatoria.

📅 Sábado, 22 de agosto de 2026
🕤 9:30 a. m. – 3:00 p. m.
📍 Baylor University Cashion Academic Center
1401 S. 4th St.
Waco, TX 76706

¡Esta conferencia es completamente GRATUITA!

Durante este evento, las familias podrán obtener información y recursos para apoyar la transición de los jóvenes hacia la vida adulta, incluyendo temas como:

🎓 Educación y capacitación postsecundaria
💼 Empleo y preparación profesional
🏠 Vida independiente
🏥 Transición a los servicios médicos para adultos
⚖️ Tutela, toma de decisiones con apoyo y testamentos
🤝 Recursos comunitarios y servicios para adultos

✨ ¡Hay estipendios de viaje disponibles!
Para ser considerados, los padres deben completar tanto el registro de la conferencia como la solicitud de estipendio.

¿No puede asistir en persona? ¡También puede acompañarnos de manera virtual! Queremos que todas las familias tengan la oportunidad de participar.

¡Regístrese hoy mismo!

📝 Registro para la conferencia:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Registration

💻 Registro virtual:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Virtual

🚗 Solicitud de estipendio de viaje:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Stipend

🏢 ¿Le interesa participar como expositor?
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Exhibitor

¿Tiene preguntas? Comuníquese con:

Jessica Dominguez
Coordinadora de la Región 12 | Proyecto PEN
📞 (254) 275-1362
📧 [email protected]

¡El conocimiento crea confianza y las oportunidades crean posibilidades! Los esperamos en la Conferencia El Camino Hacia las Posibilidades 2026.

Join us for the 2026 Pathways to Possibilities Conference, the PEN Project Region 12 Conference designed for families, caregivers, self-advocates, and professionals supporting youth with disabilities as they prepare for life after high school.

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
🕤 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Baylor University Cashion Academic Center
1401 S. 4th St.
Waco, TX 76706

This FREE conference will help families navigate the transition to adulthood by exploring topics such as:

🎓 Postsecondary Education & Training
💼 Employment & Career Readiness
🏠 Independent Living
🏥 Transition to Adult Healthcare
⚖️ Guardianship, Supported Decision-Making & Wills
🤝 Community Resources & Adult Services

✨ Travel stipends are available!
To be considered, parents must complete both the conference registration and the stipend application.

Can't attend in person? Join us virtually! We want every family to have the opportunity to participate.

Register today!

📝 Conference Registration:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Registration

💻 Virtual Registration:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Virtual

🚗 Travel Stipend Application:
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Stipend

🏢 Interested in being an Exhibitor?
https://bit.ly/2026Pathways-Exhibitor

Have questions? Contact:
Jessica Dominguez
Region 12 Coordinator | PEN Project
📞 (254) 275-1362
📧 [email protected]

Knowledge creates confidence. Opportunity creates possibilities. Come discover both at Pathways to Possibilities 2026!