Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA)

06/09/2026

An AWESOME event for youth in our state! We love our friends at CHASE!
To learn more and sign up, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chase-fest-2026-tickets-1988024697386?aff=oddtdtcreator.

CHASE FEST is back and better than ever! This year we are excited to host the annual conference-style festival at the Johnson County Arts & Heritage building in Overland Park, Kansas.

Please save the date for Saturday, September 26th for an all-day event of learning and community! Registration and session details will be sent out in the coming months.

We look forward to seeing you!

06/08/2026

Hello supporters and friends!
Today, KYEA staff had a lesson in the pitfalls of technology. Unfortunately, we believe that our Program Coordinator, Kirstianna's, email might have been hacked. If you received an email from Kirstianna today that had a subject line of "Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy" or "Re: Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy" and it had an attachment with a code to open, DO NOT open the attachment. This was not an email sent by Kirstianna. We are in the process of figuring out how this happened, but we wanted to make you all aware that this email was not from KYEA. So sorry for any inconvenience that it causes!

And now we'll go back to our regularly scheduled duties- coordinating programs that empower youth with disabilities! ☺️

05/26/2026

Ever heard of Challenge Air? Check it out if you like to fly or know a child who might like to get up in the air!

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05/22/2026

If you are around the Topeka area and want to learn to ride a bike, let the Capper Foundation help you! This event is coming up soon!

05/20/2026

The Disability Caucus is back!! We are so excited about this event and hope that you are too! This event is a great chance to have your voice heard, get helpful tools for advocacy, and meet so many other people in our Kansas disability community. There will even be a youth gathering on one of the nights of the Caucus! KYEA staff will definitely be there! Will you?

Our next Kansas Disability Caucus will be held in August of 2026!Get excited! You can now register!! Theme: “Empowerment in Action- Shaping Our Future”When: August 12-14, 2026Where: Hotel Topeka at…

05/15/2026

Have you ever wanted to attend a national conference for people with disabilities? This might be your opportunity!

2026 Youth Scholarship Applications Now Open!

NCIL is offering scholarships to attend our 2026 Annual Conference on Independent Living to youth with disabilities ages 18–26.

Additionally, NCIL offers the Emet Tauber Youth Scholarship for at least one youth with a disability who is also trans and / or Jewish.

The application deadline is June 12, 2026. Funds are limited, so interested parties should respond promptly.

Read more: https://bit.ly/42UBiqV

Image: Circular graphic with orchid background and text “Now Open: Youth Scholarship Applications.” Three raised hands hold red hearts.

05/11/2026

🔸KYEA JOB OPENINGS: SEEKING TWO NEW PROGRAM COORDINATORS🔹

Do you want to empower and make a difference in the lives of Kansas youth with disabilities?

Do you have strong coordination, organizing, and communication skills?

Apply to join the KYEA team!

The Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA) is searching for the right people to join our team of passionate, professional, and hard working staff who strive everyday to achieve our important mission! The KYEA mission is to educate, mentor, and support youth with disabilities to be contributing members of their community.

We are currently seeking a Program Coordinator to coordinate our annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum and Shawnee County Disability Mentoring Day. We are also seeking a Program Coordinator to implement the KYEA objectives and outcomes of the Kansas Youth Transition Network (KYTN) grant.

These are two separate positions, but both are full-time employees. Both positions involve coordination tasks and require at least one year of experience in a coordination position. We seek people who have a positive attitude, are self-starters, have very strong communication and organizational skills, excellent attention to detail, high computer literacy skills, and a commitment to the success of youth with disabilities.

Learn how to apply by visiting our website: https://www.kyea.org/show.php?contentid=235

05/05/2026

Need a little support on your employment journey? This webinar might be for you!

Ready to kickstart your employment journey but not sure where to begin? Start by attending our FREE WISE webinar. Whether you’re searching for a job or aiming to grow in your career, we’re here to provide the support you need to succeed!

Join us on May 27 at 3 p.m. ET for our FREE WISE webinar, “Ticket to Work: Support on Your Employment Journey.” Hear from experts and discover how Ticket to Work service providers can help you achieve financial independence and meaningful employment.

📅 Register now: https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise/

04/28/2026

Do you have a rare disability and want to advocate for other teens like you? Check out this opportunity!

Calling all young rare disease advocates! RDLA invites youth and teens (ages 10–18) to join our 2nd Virtual Youth & Teen Advocacy Day!

You'll meet with Members of Congress, share your story, and learn how to be a powerful voice for change.

Don't miss this chance to make a difference. Register now at the link below: https://hubs.li/Q03k8pnX0

04/17/2026

Chrisi was such a wonderful person and was a true believer in the potential of youth with disabilities! She dedicated so much of her life to empowering her students and helping them get on a path to a successful future. We admired and appreciated Chrisi so much that, in 2022, we awarded her with our Spirit of Hope Award that goes to champions for youth with disabilities in our state. We are honored to have known Chrisi. She will be missed.

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