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BUGL Conference

"Að Yfirstíga Hið Ómögulega" is the name of my 8 minute presentation at Iceland's national university hospital's department of child and adolescent psychiatry 2023 conference "Raddir Lífsins eru Margar"

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Scholarship Dinner Speach

I spoke at the 2023 University of Florida College of Education scholarship dinner on September 29th. Below is a link to an article about all the speakers at the event. 

 UF Online Interview

After overcoming chronic pain that hospitalized her for over two years, 22-year-old Jóhanna Birna Bjartmarsdóttir was inspired to increase health education and accessibility in schools across her home country of Iceland.

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MBL Interview

"If I don't stand up for others, I'm just like someone else who didn't stand up for me." 

Mannlegi Þátturinn

Þegar Jóhanna Birna Bjartmarsdóttir talaði um skólavist, hindranir og úrræði á ráðstefnu BUGL nýlega vakti hún mikla athygli. Hún átti í miklum vandræðum með að lesa þar sem hún er lesblind, með ADHD, er á einhverfurófi og átti við alvarleg heilsufarsvandamál að stríða og var hún um tíma bundin við hjólastól og rúmföst vegna veikinda. Með mikilli þrautseigju og dugnaði rataði hún einhvern veginn og stundar nú nám í menntun og heilsueflingu við mjög góðan skóla í Bandaríkjunum. Hún vonast til að nýta sérþekkingu sína og reynslu til að aðstoða krakka sem eru í svipuðum aðstæðum og hún sjálf. Jóhanna Birna lýsti reynslu sinni í Mannlega  þættinum á RÚV.

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Rúv Conference Interview

"If we are going to offer a good education for all citizens, we need to have a system that can be adapted to the different needs of all students" —Jóhanna Birna. The term "School phobia" indicates that something is "wrong" with the child when in reality, it is a sign of failure in the education system to meet students' needs. School phobia is the byproduct of a broken-down education system, and the students affected become collateral damage of a system that breaks them down instead of building them up and providing them with opportunities. 

Impairment or Difference

"Hamlanir eða Fjölbreytileiki" is the name of my 10 minute presentation at The Icelandic Disability Alliance's seminar "Ryðjum Menntabrautina! – ÖBÍ málþing um mikilvægi stuðningsúrræða"

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Fréttablaðið Interview

"I've been told: Don't tell the teachers what diagnoses you have"

"Að Yfirstíga Hið Ómögulega," tells the story of overcoming the impossible. It is the story of how I persevered despite being bullied and sexually assaulted. How I persevered despite having ADHD, autism, and severe dyslexia. How I persevered despite being in a wheelchair and losing everything that gave meaning to my life, like soccer, friends, music, and abilities. How I persevered despite being in and out of the hospital for over two years. 

I was able to sidestep the Icelandic education system and get into one of the best Universities in America. I have a 3.98 GPA and am on the Dean's list of the College of Education at the University of Florida despite these compounding factors of adversity and trauma. 

Because of this, I have dedicated my life's work to developing a health literacy curriculum for K-12 education that enables students to make informed decisions, lead healthy lives, and overcome adversities.

Icelandic terms used in the Presentation

Þraut* Icelandic pain clinic and rehabilitation center

BUGL* Iceland's national university hospital's department of child and adolescent psychiatry

Stúdentspróf* an educational diploma in Iceland, which allows them to attend university. Grades 11th to 13th

Barnahús* deals with children who have been sexually assaulted and provides them with psychotherapy to deal with the trauma

Podcasts

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Impairment or Difference

"Hamlanir eða Fjölbreytileiki" is the name of my 10 minute presentation at The Icelandic Disability Alliance's seminar "Ryðjum Menntabrautina! – ÖBÍ málþing um mikilvægi stuðningsúrræða"

Hérna eru svörin mín við spurningunum sem komu fram á ÖBÍ málþinginu

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Að Yfirstíga Hið Ómögulega

"Að Yfirstíga Hið Ómögulega" is the name of my 8 minute presentation at Iceland's national university hospital's department of child and adolescent psychiatry 2023 conference "Raddir Lífsins eru Margar"

"Að Yfirstíga Hið Ómögulega," tells the story of overcoming the impossible. It is the story of how I persevered despite being bullied and sexually assaulted. How I persevered despite having ADHD, autism, and severe dyslexia. How I persevered despite being in a wheelchair and losing everything that gave meaning to my life, like soccer, friends, music, and abilities. How I persevered despite being in and out of the hospital for over two years. 

I was able to sidestep the Icelandic education system and get into one of the best Universities in America. I have a 3.98 GPA and am on the Dean's list of the College of Education at the University of Florida despite these compounding factors of adversity and trauma. 

Because of this, I have dedicated my life's work to developing a health literacy curriculum for K-12 education that enables students to make informed decisions, lead healthy lives, and overcome adversities.

Icelandic terms used in the Presentation

Þraut* Icelandic pain clinic and rehabilitation center

BUGL* Iceland's national university hospital's department of child and adolescent psychiatry

Stúdentspróf* an educational diploma in Iceland, which allows them to attend university. Grades 11th to 13th

Barnahús* deals with children who have been sexually assaulted and provides them with psychotherapy to deal with the trauma

Þegar Jóhanna Birna Bjartmarsdóttir talaði um skólavist, hindranir og úrræði á ráðstefnu BUGL nýlega vakti hún mikla athygli. Hún átti í miklum vandræðum með að lesa þar sem hún er lesblind, með ADHD, er á einhverfurófi og átti við alvarleg heilsufarsvandamál að stríða og var hún um tíma bundin við hjólastól og rúmföst vegna veikinda. Með mikilli þrautseigju og dugnaði rataði hún einhvern veginn og stundar nú nám í menntun og heilsueflingu við mjög góðan skóla í Bandaríkjunum. Hún vonast til að nýta sérþekkingu sína og reynslu til að aðstoða krakka sem eru í svipuðum aðstæðum og hún sjálf. Jóhanna Birna lýsti reynslu sinni í Mannlega  þættinum á RÚV.

Mannlegi Þátturinn

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MBL Interview

Jóhanna Birna Bjartmarsdóttir MBL interview

"If I don't stand up for others, I'm just like someone else who didn't stand up for me." 

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Rúv Conference Interview

"If we are going to offer a good education for all citizens, we need to have a system that can be adapted to the different needs of all students" —Jóhanna Birna. The term "School phobia" indicates that something is "wrong" with the child when in reality, it is a sign of failure in the education system to meet students' needs. School phobia is the byproduct of a broken-down education system, and the students affected become collateral damage of a system that breaks them down instead of building them up and providing them with opportunities. 

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