The Future Teachers Organization Club, FTO for short, is a group that believes that Education majors could benefit from having an open discussion about anything they have encountered in their studies that relate to Education as a whole.

They also fully support, and often become involved in Education application, on and off campus. One such FTO involvement is their partnership with the Autism Cares Foundation.

In discussing her working with ACF, FTO president Olivia Cremonese said, “Volunteering for the Autism Cares Dance is something I find to be the most fun.”

Olivia went on to explain that these dances are for teens and young adults with special needs and are usually themed to the season or a holiday like Halloween.

For anyone who wasn’t sold about a themed dance party already, Olivia offered that, “You can help decorate the venue where the dance is, then you can dance the afternoon away with some awesome people. Pizza is always included too! I absolutely love going to the dances, and I think most students would!”

Although ACF is the main organization that FTO is aligned with outside of campus, they work with a variety of others.

What is Olivia’s role with FTO you ask?

In her own words, “In my club personally, I help plan and organize events. I also attend every event we are invited to or have ourselves. I also love to share any information that I know is helpful for education major with students in my classes and try to get people involved.

The club as a whole, mainly get together via zoom to talk about what’s going in each other’s majors.

They often discuss important information like transferring to 4 year schools, requirements, and preparation ideas for upcoming events.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about teaching, working with kids, or kids and teens with special needs is encouraged to reach out to Olivia at [email protected], or any education professor even.

While the main focus of the club is discussing and being involved with education, Olivia expressed that the club is, “…also, for any students looking to get involved and make some friends.”

FTO is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys fundraising and volunteering with local organizations.

And, “…the club can help the students make connections in the real world with organizations that work closely with teachers. This gives many opportunities for students to learn from teachers and other professionals in the field.”

Olivia Cremonese works as a full time, student and works at a lab where she accessions covid 19. She also works in the summers full time as a job coach and 1:1 with kids and teen who have special needs.

She is 21 years old and lives in Southampton, Pennsylvania.