The speaker was Deb Downey who teaches Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Iowa.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
 
From City High Interact:  Michelle Tran-Dvong, Rachael Volkman, Grace Parrott, Ella Hennager, Sylvia Gidal, and staff advisor, Jill Humston
From West High Interact:  Marijke Nielsen (with her mother, Melissa Nielsen), Fareena Ahmad, Teya Yerna, Hiruni Sumanasiri, Kevin Gotto,  and West HS Interact Advisor, Jamie Sandhu.
 
Announcements
 
Flyers are available for ordering portions of wild caught Alaskan Salmon as a fund-raiser for Iowa MOST.  The salmon fund-raiser is thanks to Dr. Dan Jorgensen's annual fishing trips to Alaska.
 
Please sign up via Eventbrite for the 2019 Rotary Bike Ride Fundraiser for the 4 area Rotary Clubs.  Registration is $25 for a single rider or walker and $50 per family.  Walkers are welcome to hike the 2 mile paved path around Terry Trueblood Recreation Area.  Snacks and lunch will be provided.  All bicyclists must wear helmets.  There will be a few free helmets available at the park.  The fundraiser will support the TAKO-Rotary Shelter at Rotary Camp Park in Coralville and the World Bicycle Relief.
 
Exchange Student, Cristina Cinotto, is having a graduation open house from 9-11 on May 25 at her host family's home, 1203 Santa Fe Dr. in Iowa City.  Come on down for donuts and to wish Cristina well.
 
There will be can sorting at Dodge St on Wednesday morning at 9 am. 
 
The City and West Interact Advisors and the current and next year officers were introduced.  Each student was asked to describe the words that most characterize their Interact experience.  Some of the words that were used to describe Interact were:  Outreach, Service, Opportunity, Strength, Community, Teamwork, Volunteer, Give Back, Friendships, and several other terms.
 
Speaker
 
Deb Downey described some of the work of the Augmentative and Alternative Communication services in the Communication Services and Disorders department at the University of Iowa.  She also explained some concepts and gave a little history of speech and communications teaching.  The field began in 1925 and in 1934 a group of scientists at the University of Iowa founded the American Speech Correction Association.
 
Among the fluency disorders that are studied in this field is stuttering.  Autism is also part of the research and study in this department.  Language disorders represent a lot of the focus because 24% of all school children receive some kind of speech services.  About 7% of children exhibit expressive language disorders; 3% have a mixture of speech related disorders; 1% of school children stutter.  Autism is, unfortunately, a growing speech and neurological problem.  At this time 1 in 59 children are on the autism spectrum.  There has been a rapid increase of children born with ASD and the causes are not yet known.