Savele Liu (front, center), who provides special education services at Leone High School, visits with staff from the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at ASCC. Liu will be one of the guest speakers at the Pacific Basin Interagency Leadership Consortium Conference, which will take place this Monday and Tuesday at the College. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)
(PRESS RELEASE) The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will host the Pacific Basin Interagency Leadership Consortium Conference on Monday and Tuesday, January 11th and 12th.
Representatives of human service agencies from across the US Pacific have been invited to attend this event. The theme of this year’s conference is “In Pursuit of Self-Determination”, and it will feature guest speakers who have overcome adversity in their personal circumstances to lead productive lives.
Speaker John Foppe, visiting from the U.S. , was born without arms, yet he has adapted and learned to function as a regular member of society. As a child, he had difficulty doing the simple things most of us take for granted, and led an early life marked by dependency, but today he travels the world as an author and owner of a successful international training company.
Foppe on Tuesday, January 12 will share his story of self-determination and offer insights on how to silence your internal self-critic, do more with less, and stay motivated.
On Monday, January 11, Savele Liu, born with limited vision in one eye, will speak at the conference to share his experiences from years of overcoming obstacles. Living with low vision did not prevent Liu from having an independent life. After completing elementary and high school, he was encouraged to attend ASCC through the support of Voc-Rehabilitation Services, and he graduated in 2001 with an Associate of Arts Degree.
Motivated to empower young children with disabilities, Liu has worked at Leone Midkiff Elementary School for six years, providing special education services. Aside from his educational career, Liu is also a part time announcer (via telephone) for a show on Hawaii’s K-108 AM Radio on Sundays from 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
The conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day in the ASCC Lecture Hall. Sponsors include the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation/Office of the Governor, the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at ASCC, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, and the Division of Special Education/ASG Department of Education.
For more information on the conference, contact Ernie Seiuli at 699-9155, extension 438 or 411. Seiuli can also be reached by email at eseiuli@yahoo.com or e.seiuli@amsamoa.edu.
