The Scholarship Class of 2002

The Scholarship Class of 2002

The Braille Monitor

August/September, 2002

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The 2002 Scholarship

Class

of the National Federation

of the Blind

The

Scholarship Class of 2002: (left to right) back row: Ben Pool, Moira Egan,

Mazen Abou‑Antoun, Jessica Bachicha, Tony Olivero, Jennifer Peterson,

James Konechne, Emily Wharton, Sheila Koenig, and Robin House; middle

row: Anil Lewis, Alex Gray, Nicolas Crisosto, Michael Jones, Josie Armantrout,

David Tseng, Andrea Travis, Ashley Skellenger, Lynn Heitz, and Jesse Hartle;

front row: Raquel Silva, Rick Brown, Therese McCabe, Philip So, Deana

Lambert, Deja Powell, Mary Jo Thorpe, Ryan Strunk, Cindee Wobbles, and

Jay Williams

From the Editor: With

every passing year we recognize the increasing value of the NFB Scholarship

Program to our national organization. Members of previous scholarship classes--ninety-five

past winners last year--stream back to take part in convention activities and

assume responsibility, doing anything that they can see needs to be done. Everyone

looks forward to meeting the new scholarship class and to hearing what its members

are doing and planning to do with their lives.

On banquet evening,

while we are still sky-high after listening to President Maurer's address, Peggy

Elliott comes to the podium, presents the year's winners, giving an academic

and personal sketch of each, and announces which scholarship the person has

been awarded. This year each winner crossed the platform and shook hands with

Dr. Maurer and Dr. Raymond Kurzweil, whose foundation presented each with an

additional $1,000 scholarship and the latest version of the Kurzweil 1000 reader

software. Erik Weihenmayer, representing Freedom Scientific, also congratulated

each winner and presented ten of them with technology certificates from Freedom

Scientific.

The final scholarship

awarded in this year's scholarship extravaganza, which took place at the banquet

on July 8, was the Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship of $10,000, which was presented

to Anil Lewis, who then spoke briefly to the group. His remarks appear later

in this article.

But earlier in the week,

at the meeting of the NFB board of directors, each 2002 scholarship winner came

to the microphone and spoke directly to the Federation. Following is what they

said about themselves. Each speaker was introduced by Peggy Elliott, saying

first the student's name and then both the home and school states. This is what

was said:

Mazen Abou-Antoun, Ohio,

Washington, D.C.: How are you doing, everyone? I just want everyone to know

that this is my first convention and that obviously it seems that it won't be

my last. I am going to be a law student at George Washington University in the

fall. I plan to join the U.S. Foreign Service. The thing I want to mention now

is that I got married last summer, and my wife is sitting in the crowd. I didn't

mention it at the first meeting. I didn't mention it at the student meeting,

and this time will be strike three and out if I don't mention it. It is a pleasure

meeting all of you.

Josie Armantrout, Washington,

Washington: Hello, everyone, good morning. My name is Josie Armantrout,

and I will be finishing at Green River Community College this year and going

on to the University of Washington. I plan to earn a BA in sociology and a minor

in computer applications and Spanish. I want to be able to work where the changes

need to be done, and that's at the state agencies--teach them the philosophy

and get people out of their homes and out into the world. Thank you.

Jessica Bachicha, New

Mexico, New Mexico: [Jessica began by singing several bars of a song.] I

am Jessica Bachicha, and I am double majoring in music and foreign languages

at the University of New Mexico. I hope to pursue graduate studies in Europe

and then understand how I can best serve from there. I want to sing. I want

to really sing beyond the notes, beyond the rhythm, beyond the dynamics. There

is a relation between languages and music, and I want to find it.

Rick Brown, Florida,

Florida: Hi. I am going to be attending the University of South Florida,

and one of my biggest achievements that I have come across this month is four

years of a transplant (pancreas and kidneys), so I am no longer a diabetic.

I am very proud of that. I plan on going for my master's in social work. I want

to work with diabetics and people who are losing their sight. Thank you.

Nicolas Crisosto, California,

California:

It's walking on the beach

feeling the sun rise and a sea breeze;

It's running without doubts

or electronic routes,

Freely through the trees.

More than that it's standing

tall in class,

On stage, or on the street.

It's cuddling up with Braille

books

And slating names of new

people when we meet.

It's the joy of playing

football with sighted friends

And knowing life and believing

life doesn't end with blindness.

It's all of this and so

much more.

That's what the NFB, the

CCB, and the scholarship mean to me.

And I'm a math major.

Moira Egan, New York,

New York: Good morning. I am a Ph.D. candidate in history at the City University

of New York. I am an adjunct instructor now and plan to be a full professor

when I finish. I am writing on a woman who was a nun, and it's wonderful because

my being blind will be an asset. Nuns don't generally leave records about themselves,

so my field in using alternative techniques will help me seek out all the little

tidbits of information that are stored in various archives. My being blind will

also equip me well to write her biography because she was a nurse and an administrator

and a financial expert when such things were not possible for women. I think

my being involved with this group will help me to search out her ways of using

different strategies and breaking new ground. I thank you all for the opportunity.

Alex Gray, Massachusetts,

Massachusetts: Hello. My name is Alex Gray. Next fall I will be attending

Boston College, where I intend to pursue a degree in education. I hope one day

to be a high school English teacher. I would like to briefly say, when I first

was leaving Boston, I was unsure about how my being blind would affect my travel

and how it would affect a lot of my life. As I went on, it started to make more

sense; it seemed possible. Over the past three days people in the National Federation

of the Blind have made it seem that everything is possible for blind people

and for me. I would like to thank you for all the inspiration that you have

given.

Jesse Hartle, Louisiana,

Louisiana: Good morning. At last year's national convention I listened to

a speech by Erik Weihenmayer and how he felt when he stood on top of the world,

on top of Mt. Everest. In my life I have never climbed a mountain yet, but I

know how it feels to stand high above the ground because I have stood on the

shoulders of many giants in the Federation like Dr. Joanne Wilson and Pam Allen,

who at a young age lifted me up. It is a pleasure for me now to serve in the

Louisiana Center for the Blind Buddy program, where I have the opportunity to

lift up the future of tomorrow onto my shoulders so that they may see the horizon

of what is possible. I am currently working on my master's degree in history

with plans to go into law in the field of sports and entertainment law. Thank

you very much.

Lynn Heitz, Pennsylvania,

Pennsylvania: Good afternoon, fellow Federationists. I am a junior at Temple

University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I will be continuing my education

to get my master's degree in rehabilitation counseling. In addition to that

I am president of the Keystone Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind

of Pennsylvania. I am also the editor of the state affiliate newsletter and

have the privilege of helping to organize other state events that are run during

the course of a year. I look forward to being able to continue working with

the Federation and continuing its goal of improving what it means to be blind

in Pennsylvania. Thank you.

Robin House, tenBroek

fellow, Missouri, Missouri: Good afternoon, fellow Federationists. I am

currently a graduate student working on a master's degree in elementary counseling.

I recently finished up with a second bachelor's degree in education, and I earned

teacher certification in the state of Missouri. Another award I recently earned,

which is an honor equal to this--outstanding teacher for the fall semester 2001

by the University of Missouri Department of Education, and it was quite an honor.

Just like this, they named one person for that. I believe my vision for the

twenty-first-century classroom is that students feel capable, connected, and

contributing members of the classroom, community, and society. I want to thank

the Federation for your continued guidance, support, and confidence in me. Thank

you.

Michael Jones, Alabama,

Alabama: Hello, everyone. I first want to thank all the local chapter presidents

and local chapter members who raised so much money for our organization that

gives great opportunities like this scholarship. I really sincerely thank you,

and your hard work pays off. I am a Ph.D. student at Auburn University in vocational

rehabilitation. I would like to teach university-level people and spread the

philosophy of the Federation and also work in executive administration in a

state agency. Thank you.

Sheila Koenig, tenBroek

fellow, Minnesota, Minnesota: Thank you. I currently teach ninth grade language

arts at Southview Middle School in Medina, Minnesota; and I am pursuing a master's

degree in curriculum and instruction, specializing in English education. On

the first day of class last fall I showed my students a videotape. On this videotape

they saw me, their English teacher, securely fastened in a harness being raised

up about 160 feet. With the pull of a cord, I dove to the ground and glided

from side to side, pendulum style. I showed this to my students because I wanted

them to see that their teacher wants to stretch her possibilities, wants to

challenge herself to become more. This is what I expect of them in my classroom,

and it is in fact what the Federation has given to me. Thank you for this honor.

James Konechne, South

Dakota, South Dakota: Hello. I am going to be a junior at the Dakota Wesleyan

University. I am studying business administration and economics, and my goal

in life is to live out the Federation philosophy and prove every day that blind

people can be just normal members of society. Thanks.

Deana Lambert, Arkansas,

Arkansas: Good afternoon, Federationists. To get to this national convention

I had to leave my mother at the airport, who was crying with tears not of happiness

and excitement at my accomplishments. She was afraid. She was kind of dismayed

that her daughter was going off somewhere strange to meet strangers and mentors

and great people she did not know. I hope to become a coordinator of youth services.

I would like to show people and teach students that I believe in them and the

Federation believes in them, and most importantly, that they need to and must

have every right to believe in themselves so that they can have bright and fascinating

futures.

Anil Lewis, Georgia,

Georgia: This is very humbling. I want to take this opportunity to express

to all of you that I consider this scholarship an investment as well as an award.

This award will allow me to graduate next year from Georgia State University

with a master's in public administration with an emphasis in policy evaluation.

I intend to use that newly acquired academic tool to establish a nonprofit center

that takes advantage of my experience in job placement and training to advocate

for individuals, to create opportunities for blind individuals, to help fight

for equality for blind individuals, and to insure the security of the others.

As far as my promise to you for an investment you are making today, I have already

demonstrated my ability to give you a good return on your investment as the

newly elected president of the Georgia affiliate. I work on several boards to

secure equality, opportunity, and security, but with this investment that you

are making today, I want to assure you that you are going to make bigger and

better returns; thousands upon thousands of blind people will benefit from what

you are doing for me today. Unlike Enron and WorldCom, I won't cook the books;

I will give you a fair return on your investment.

Therese McCabe, California,

California: Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure and a privilege to

be here with all of you. I am honored to have been selected for receiving this

scholarship. I would like to take a few moments to express my gratitude to the

National Federation of the Blind for providing me with the opportunity to become

acquainted with the organization's philosophy. I have had very little exposure

to blindness organizations, so this week has been a real eye-opener for me.

I have been impressed by the sense of unity within the organization, the immense

energy of its members, but particularly by the confidence and dignity and poise

with which many of the speakers I have heard present themselves. I think that

there is not enough of this self-confidence in blind people I have seen in the

past. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be experiencing

this organization. I plan to continue with the organization if I can. I just

recently graduated from high school, and I will be a freshman at UCLA in the

fall majoring in English. I am considering a double major or perhaps a minor

in music or language and philosophy. After college I hope to continue on to

law school and some day become a trial lawyer. Thank you.

Tony Olivero, Wisconsin,

Minnesota: Thank you. I am currently working on a bachelor's degree in computer

science, hoping for a career in computer security and networking administration

or computer consulting. I am on the LaCrosse chapter board of the NFB and the

Wisconsin affiliate board, and I am the treasurer of the Wisconsin Association

of Blind Students. I would just like to take a moment and thank Dr. Maurer and

members of the board, the scholarship committee, and all my fellow Federationists

for all the incredible opportunities that this scholarship class is getting,

and I hope some day to be able to pay back everything you guys have given us.

Jennifer Peterson, Iowa,

Iowa: Good morning, fellow Federationists. I am very honored to stand before

a whole room full of people who have accomplished so much. This is my first

convention, and I am just blown away, not because these blind people have accomplished

so much, but simply because you have all accomplished so much. I have undergraduate

degrees in religion, English, and human services, and I decided to continue

in social work. I have just completed my first year of an MSW at the University

of Iowa. I don't know exactly what I want to do with it, and the reason is that

I would be happy working in a number of settings. I am interested in simply

helping people empower themselves in whatever way is necessary. I am interested

in any group who feels disempowered, any person who feels a sense of dependence

on something or other, and I would like to help them to achieve independence

in whatever ways I can do that.

Ben Pool, Alaska, Washington:

Good morning, or afternoon, I suppose. Like Peggy said, I am from the great

state of Alaska, the home of Eskimos and snowshoes and midnight sun and the

Iditarod and, of course, myself. Next fall I will be enrolling at the University

of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where I will be majoring in psychology.

Ultimately my vocational goal is to be a radio therapist, i.e., not Dr. Ruth

or Dr. Laura, but Dr. Ben and no one else. So thank you. This is my first experience

with the NFB, and it's been thrilling to say the least.

Deja Powell, Hawaii,

Hawaii: Aloha. Hi. My name is Deja Powell. I am originally from Salt Lake

City, Utah. I graduated from high school a year ago, and I have been attending

the Salt Lake Community College and have also been an active member in the Utah

student division as their vice president. As of only ten days ago, I started

my education at Brigham Young University, Hawaii campus. I flew in from there

a few days ago on a twelve-hour flight. So if you see me nodding, that's the

reason why--I skipped a night. My career goal is to become a journalist or possibly

advertising, and my minor is English. This is my second convention. My first

one was a great experience, and that's why I am here. Thank you.

Raquel Silva, Nevada,

Nevada: Hi. My name is Raquel Silva, and I am very honored to be here today

and very excited to be here. This is my first convention, and I just want to

thank you all for being such a great support in my life. My goal is to be a

vocational rehabilitation counselor. I am currently a junior at the University

of Nevada, Las Vegas. I would one day like to give back what was given to me

by being an example to other blind individuals and helping them get a job and

find their place in the world and their dreams and hopefully how to achieve

them. Thank you.

Ashley Skellenger, Florida,

Louisiana: Hello. I will be attending Louisiana Tech University in the fall

and will get a degree in computer information systems. Three years ago I attended

my first state convention in Jacksonville, and I heard Diane McGeorge speak

about the Colorado Center and what the students learn there and especially the

confidence that they gained. I knew that that was something I needed and wanted

to have, so as a result I attended the Louisiana Center for the Blind STEP and

adult programs, and both of those were wonderful experiences. I learned so much

and am still learning. I am just grateful to be a part of this convention again,

and I really appreciate this opportunity.

Philip So, New Jersey,

New York: Good morning, Federationists. It is an honor to be here, and this

week has been overwhelming. I am from New Jersey, and I am studying economics

right now at Columbia University in New York. This week I learned so much from

all the people and also from the Federation's philosophy. Through that I have

also learned more about myself. It is my first convention here, and I look forward

to the next one and the one after that, and even more after that. Thank you.

Ryan Strunk, Nebraska,

Nebraska: Good morning. You know, it's interesting: I have done a lot of

work for the Federation thus far, and people have asked me, "Ryan, if you're

so on fire for the Federation, why are you going into a musical education career?"

I thought about this for a while, and I realized that when I stand up on a stage

in front of thousands of students over the course of my career and tens of thousands

of their close relatives and friends, I'm going to be showing everyone that

blind people can and will participate on an equal level with the sighted population.

Not only that, but I also thought it was interesting that I have to take a lot

of education courses and things like that--lesson plans, working on disciplining

the students, and things like this. I realized that there are only two things

you really need for public education: the first is patience, which they say

comes with age; and the second is philosophy. The first I'm working on, and

the second I have because of the National Federation of the Blind. Thank you.

Mary Jo Thorpe, Utah,

Utah: Good afternoon. I am so privileged to be here today and thank you

for the opportunity. My name is Mary Jo Thorpe. I am from Woods Cross, Utah.

I graduated cum laude from Utah State University. I am now attending the University

of Utah interning to become a child life specialist. This is an individual who

works in the hospital setting as an advocate for children and their families,

who supports children in a variety of hospital procedures in preparation for

surgery and things of that nature. Upon my certification and completion of this

program, to my knowledge I will be the first certified blind child life specialist

in the country, so I am excited for that. I am also working towards my master's

in social work. I have been involved in the NFB for three years and have had

a lot of opportunities to serve on the local level with our state. I am also

on the Utah board of directors and serve as the Utah student division president.

I am really excited to be a part of this organization. I think it is a worthy

cause and has greatly helped to make me who I am and helped me come to accept

my blindness and really made it easier for me to change what it means to be

blind for myself. I am grateful for that.

Andrea Travis, Idaho,

Idaho: Hello there, everyone. Isn't this tough competition? Wow. I am going

to be a freshman at the University of Idaho in the fall, and I am really excited

to go, and I think I am going to major in business administration and hopefully

own my own business some day. This is my very first convention, which is really

cool. It's kind of overwhelming, but it's fun. I am the Idaho Association of

Blind Students vice president. Thank you.

David Tseng, California,

California: Good afternoon, everybody. I will be entering my first semester

at UC Berkeley this fall. I will be majoring in computer science and music,

just to balance out those two fields. I would like to share one realization

that I've come to. The few days that I've been at this convention, I have come

to realize and truly believe that blind people can obtain any goal they want

to aspire to. Now we can all say that, but to truly believe in it is another

question, and seeing all the people here doing, going about their business is

truly inspirational. It just makes me want to do more with my own life. Thank

you very much.

Emily Wharton, Minnesota,

Minnesota: Hello. Four years ago Joyce Scanlan took a chance on a young

Iowan with an English degree and hired me to work at BLIND, Inc. Since then

I have had the opportunity to teach and learn cane travel and life skills and

computers and actually learn how to be a LAN administrator. Through BLIND, Inc.,

and the wonderful people I have met through National Federation of the Blind,

the courage and skills and friendship that I have found here have allowed me

to come with the courage to follow my greatest passion and return to graduate

school so that I could earn a master's of fine arts degree in creative writing

at Hamline University. I will start in the fall, and I would like to thank you

all for this opportunity.

Jay Williams, North

Carolina, North Carolina: I am Jay Williams, and I am from North Carolina.

I got my undergraduate degree, graduating summa cum laude from NC State University.

I am currently at East Carolina University to get my master's degree in counselor

education. Hopefully my eastern dialect won't affect y'all. I would eventually

like to open up my own private agency working with substance abuse in the adolescent

population, and I guess I want to leave you with a statement that has really

meant a lot to me. It is an excerpt from the children's fable of the fox in

The Little Prince. That excerpt is "One sees clearly only with the

heart; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

Cindee Wobbles, Connecticut,

Connecticut: Hello. I really wish I had kept my maiden name about now, going

last after this crowd. I will be attending Central Connecticut State University.

I am in the psychology/sociology double-major program. My goal is to be a vocational

rehabilitation counselor specializing in elderly services, in which I will find

success because I am trustworthy, reliable, and independent. In other words,

I say what I mean; I go out there and do it; and I do it on my own ability.

Thank you.

Peggy Elliott: Dr. Maurer

and fellow Federationists, this is the class of 2002. [applause]

Anil

Lewis addresses the banquet audience

Monday evening, July

8, Anil Lewis of Georgia received the $10,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship.

He spoke briefly to the banquet audience. This is what he said:

I'm going to try, but when

I get nervous, I talk real fast. I'm going to try not to make you guys use your

extra-sensory ability to listen fast. [laughter] Before I say anything, I have

to give much love and a whole lot of respect to the other scholarship recipients

tonight. I'd like to ask you to help me in showing my appreciation to them as

well. [applause]

Dr. Maurer says that nothing

can go wrong except for everything else that can go wrong. Those of you who

were at the board meeting remember that I said that this is a humbling honor

and that it wasn't so much an award as an investment. In the tradition of awards

I have to thank a couple of people. One who was not able to make it today because

he is celebrating his thirtieth wedding anniversary is Mr. Al Falligan. He was

the Atlanta Chapter president before I became the Atlanta Chapter president.

Long before I knew him as the NFB Atlanta Chapter president, he was the guy

who told me the truth about the Federation. You guys who have heard all the

propaganda and the rumors know exactly what I mean by hearing the truth about

the Federation. So he brought me into this loop.

The other gentleman whom

I haven't gotten an opportunity to thank for what he did for me--he probably

doesn't even realize what he did for me--is our president, Dr. Marc Maurer.

For those of you who know me, you know that I am the father of a wonderful four-year-old

boy. That came about due to a trying divorce situation. At the same time I was

nursing my mom, who died in 2000 of myeloma, a type of cancer. During that time

in my life, I was falling apart. My father died when I was very young, so I

had very few male role models in my life. But Dr. Maurer took the time out of

his busy schedule to talk to me about some of the problems and issues that I

was dealing with as a future single parent who had lost his mom. I want to thank

him now publicly for all he did for me.

Now for the investment

part. Just as a demonstration of how all this works, Dr. Maurer made me a very

strong, independent, self-sufficient single parent. I returned that investment

in me by being present when the NFB had to go get a blind mother back her child

in Savannah, Georgia. I also didn't hesitate when the same thing needed to happen

for the grandmother in Dothan, Alabama; I was on that plane in a heartbeat.

As I said at the board meeting, I am going to give you a fair return on your

investment. Let me break it down in this fashion--but before I do, let me give

much love and respect to my chapter, the Atlanta Chapter, and the whole Georgia

affiliate of which I have just recently become the president. They have shown

me so much love that I just have to give more back. That's their investment

in me, and I hope they are starting to experience the return on that.

I was afraid that I was

so nervous I wouldn't be able to remember what Dr. Maurer's banquet speech was

about, but I do remember: "knowledge, money, and power." So I will

use that to summarize the investment you have made in me. The knowledge is the

knowledge that I am going to obtain through pursuing my academic education and

that I have learned through Jim Gashel and his explaining the work incentives

of Social Security that help me be a better job-placement professional at the

Center for the Visually Impaired. And I have learned through Dr. Fredric Schroeder

that learning the rules of how to play the game of the Rehab Act has made me

a better professional with respect to the Client Assistance Program that I've

been working with for the past six years. With that degree I obtain I want not

only to teach people how to obey the rules, be accountable, but I also want

to make it possible for us to make the rules.

The money part is real

easy--$10,000 is a lot of money.

Lastly, the power part.

You heard me use the word "I" quite a bit tonight. But I learned when

I was a young Southern Baptist boy that the I is only a reflection of the power

within. I would like to thank God for this moment, for the power within and

for the power without--the motivation, the encouragement, the love. I've always

said that I have ten thousand angels, and I realize that more than two thousand

of them are in this room now. So the power I want to leave with you is the power

that you have given me--the power to change what it means to be blind. Thank

you very much for this honor.

Here is the complete

list of 2002 scholarship winners and the awards they received:

Freedom Scientific $1,500

Technology Certificates: James Konechne, Tony Olivero, Deana Lambert, Ben Pool,

and Ashley Skellenger

Freedom Scientific $2,500

Technology Certificates: Richard Brown, Jesse Hartle, Moira Egan, Deja Powell,

and Therese McCabe

$3,000 NFB Scholarships:

Josie Armantrout, Lynn Heitz, James Konechne, Deana Lambert, Jennifer Peterson,

Ben Pool, Deja Powell, Raquel Silva, Ashley Skellenger, Philip So, Andrea Travis,

David Tseng, and Jay Williams

$3,000 NFB Computer Science

Scholarship: Tony Olivero

$3,000 NFB Educator of

Tomorrow Award: Alexander Gray

$3,000 NFB Humanities Scholarship:

Therese McCabe

$3,000 Hermione Grant Calhoun

Scholarship: Moira Egan

$3,000 Michael and Marie

Marucci Scholarship: Jessica Bachicha

$3,000 Lora E. Dunetz Scholarship:

Richard Brown

$3,000 Kuchler-Killian

Memorial Scholarship: Cindee Wobbles

$3,000 E.U. Parker Scholarship:

Michael Jones

$3,000 Howard Brown Rickard

Scholarship: Mazen Abou-Antoun

$5,000 Jennica Ferguson

Memorial Scholarship: Jesse Hartle

$5,000 Sally S. Jacobsen

Memorial Scholarship: Robin House

$5,000 NFB Scholarships:

Mary Jo Thorpe and Emily Wharton

$7,000 Melva T. Owen Scholarship:

Ryan Strunk

$7,000 NFB Scholarships:

Nicholas Crisosto and Sheila Koenig

$10,000 Kenneth Jernigan

Scholarship: Anil Lewis

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