Parkville, Maryland (November 4, 2014): Heather Johnson, a Parkville resident and teacher at the Maryland School for the Blind, will receive the 2014 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award from the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland during its annual convention later this month. The award will be presented on Saturday, November 15, as part of the convention banquet at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson. Ms. Johnson was nominated for this prestigious award by the parents of her students. She will be a guest at the convention and address the annual luncheon of the Maryland Parents of Blind Children on Saturday afternoon, and will receive a plaque at the banquet Saturday evening.

Melissa Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, said: “Heather Johnson sets high expectations for her blind students and helps them meet those expectations through innovative and effective teaching techniques . . . By emphasizing the importance of Braille literacy and other blindness skills, such as cane travel, she is helping these young people prepare to go out and live the lives they want as blind adults. For all of these reasons, we are proud to present her with our Distinguished Educator of Blind Children award.”