Volume 37 Number 4 Convention 2018
A magazine for parents and teachers of blind children published by
the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership
with the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.
Deborah Kent Stein, Editor
ISSN-0883-3419
Copyright © 2018 American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
For more information
about blindness and children contact:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, MD 21230 • 410-659-9314
https://nfb.org/nopbc • [email protected] • [email protected]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Making Connections
by Deborah Kent Stein
NOPBC CONFERENCE
Kid Talk
by Mark Riccobono
Tools in My Toolbox
by Kim Cunningham
Parent Empowerment
by Denise Mackenstadt
Tools for Success: Student Perspectives
by Sal Villa, Ahbee Orton, and Abby Duffy
2018 As the Twig Is Bent Awards
Presented by Jean Bening
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Creating Classrooms Where Blind Children Can Learn and Thrive
by Carol Castellano
I'm Blind, and It's Okay
by Jeannie Massay
NOPBC BOARD MEETING
Forming Partnerships
by Carolyn Mason, 2018 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students
To Build a Better World
by Anil Lewis
Kids Speak Out
by Jordan Young and Raveena Ali
GENERAL SESSIONS
From My Blind Child to Our Blind Children: Why the National Federation of the Blind Is the Answer
by Carlton Walker
What Does "Blind" Have to Do with It? The Right to Parent from a Sighted Daughter's Perspective
by Joanne Gabias
AWARDS
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
Presented by James Gashel
Meet the 2018 National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Class
Presented by Cayte Mendez
CONVENTION PERSPECTIVES
Going to the Fair
by Krystal Guillory
Impressions of My First National Federation of the Blind Convention
by Trisha Kulkarni
My Shot in the Arm
by Sheena Manuel
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MORE
Make a Positive Difference
by Anna Adler and Patti Chang
Announcements
Odds and Ends
Are you the parent of a blind or visually impaired child? Don’t know where to turn?
Founded in 1983, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) is a membership organization of parents, educators, and friends of blind children reaching out to give each other vital support, encouragement, and information. We have thousands of members in all fifty states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
The NOPBC offers hope, encouragement, information, and resources for parents of blind or visually impaired children. NOPBC provides emotional support and a network of other families dealing with the same challenges you are facing. We also provide information, training, and resources to empower you to take an active role in guiding your child’s development and education. We can provide information on your child’s rights and on the laws and legislative issues that will enable you and your child to become strong and effective advocates.
Have you ever wondered what your blind or visually impaired child will be capable of when he or she grows up? The answer to that question is that blindness/visual impairment does not have to stop your child from doing anything he or she wants to do. We can connect you with other families and blind adults who can serve as positive mentors and role models. They can teach you the attitudes and techniques that will enable your child to become independent and to succeed in life.
What is different about the NOPBC?
Our status as a division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the largest and most influential organization of blind people in the world, provides many benefits. Our members are well informed about the societal, legislative, and technological issues that affect blind people. We also enjoy the resources, support, and expertise of fifty thousand blind people who can serve as mentors and role models for us and our children. Finally, as our children grow up, they have the Federation to belong to.
No other organization for parents of blind/visually impaired children offers more programs, activities, and training to families, children, and youth. One of our most exciting activities is our annual conference. Every year since it was established, the NOPBC has conducted an annual conference for parents and teachers of blind children as part of the national convention of the NFB. The program has grown to include five exciting days of workshops, training sessions, activities for all family members, including sighted siblings, and countless opportunities to meet blind adults and other families and children from around the country.
What is the mission of the NOPBC?
The purpose of the NOPBC is to:
Most states have an NOPBC affiliate chapter. You can find your state chapter at http://www.nopbc.org. If your state does not have a chapter and you would like to start one, please contact us. We may be able to offer training and other assistance to start a state NOPBC chapter.
What are the programs, activities, publications, and resources of the NOPBC?
Contact Us:
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
[email protected]
www.nopbc.org
by Deborah Kent Stein
One afternoon at last summer's NFB convention, a young man caught up with me outside the Exhibit Hall. "They told me you could give me some ideas about my career choices," he explained. "And you lived in Mexico, didn't you? I really want to do some international travel." We found a couple of chairs and had an animated talk for the next forty-five minutes.
Out in the rest of the world, it is fairly uncommon for a teenager to seek out a long conversation with a woman old enough to be his grandmother. At the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), however, there is nothing remarkable about such a scenario. Students and seniors take part in many activities geared toward their specific needs and interests, but age is no barrier when it comes to making connections.
NFB Past President Dr. Kenneth Jernigan compared the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind with the gathering of the Scottish clans. NFB conventions bring together people of all ages and backgrounds for a week of sharing and discovery, fellowship and fun. We celebrate our achievements, mourn the departed, and plan for a future of new opportunities. The differences that sometimes loom large in the everyday world melt to insignificance. We find common ground in our core belief in the abilities of blind people.
The 2018 National Federation of the Blind Convention was held July 5-10 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Convention began with "Tools for My Toolbox," a day-long conference for parents and teachers of blind children sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). The days that followed were packed with meetings of the Federation's numerous divisions and committees: blind lawyers, blind parents, blind people in the performing arts, blind people in the health and human services fields, blind people in research and development, and many, many more. During the three days of General Sessions, the entire convention gathered in the vast meeting hall. We heard about the achievements of outstanding blind individuals, the NFB's partnerships with innovators in technology, and the ongoing work of the Federation to ensure equality, opportunity, and security for the blind.
As always, our annual banquet was the capstone of convention week. The 2018 NFB Scholarship Awards were presented, and we heard from our longtime friend and supporter, the futurist Dr. Raymond Kurzweil. NFB President Mark Riccobono delivered a stirring banquet address called "Authenticity, Diversity, and the Synergy of the Organized Blind." "Tonight we celebrate the diversity of our organized blind movement," he declared, "a movement that brings together blind people for a common purpose. We are blind people who come with varying characteristics—different races, sexual orientations, religions, political points of view, gender identities, disabilities, economic circumstances, languages, talents, interests, and priorities. Yet, in everything that matters we are one as blind people. We cannot be divided. We share a quest for equality and hope for the future. It is our diversity that gives us depth. It is our long-standing commitment to work together that gives us strength. It is our synergy that makes us unstoppable."
This issue of Future Reflections offers a selection of the presentations given at the NOPBC conference and during the General Sessions of the convention. If you were able to attend the convention in Orlando, you may be reminded of some of the key moments of your experience. If you could not attend convention last summer, we hope you will be able to join us in 2019. We look forward to meeting you in Las Vegas!
by Mark Riccobono
From the Editor: Every year the president of the National Federation of the Blind kicks off the NOPBC Conference at the NFB National Convention by meeting with the children. In keeping with tradition, NFB President Mark Riccobono sat on the floor at the front of the conference room as a circle of children gathered around him. Mark Riccobono is the father of three children, two of whom are blind.
Mark Riccobono: How's everybody doing?
Chorus: Good! Great!
Mark Riccobono: What do you want to talk about? If you have a question, say your name and I'll call on you.
Sydney: Sydney!
Mark Riccobono: Hi, Sydney!
Sydney: When you drove the car for the Blind Driver Challenge, how did you know what the vibrations meant?
Mark Riccobono: Okay, just so everybody has the same information, the National Federation of the Blind built a car that a blind person can drive. That was seven years ago. Probably some of you weren't even born seven years ago! We used technology that would communicate information through vibration, and Sydney asked how did I know what the vibrations meant. That's a very good question. I knew because I had training with the technology. Training is really important when you apply skills in real life. I had opportunities to try the technology, to use it in an environment that was controlled and safe. I learned what the patterns of vibrations meant, and then I could anticipate what to do with those patterns when I encountered them in a real driving situation on the Daytona International Speedway.
That's the same thing we do with our canes, right? When you tap your cane you're learning about the vibrations you feel and the sound of the cane and what it means. The more you use your cane, the more experience you'll have knowing what those sounds and vibrations are. Have you ever tapped the side of a building? A door sounds different from a wall, doesn't it? Keep using those canes, and maybe you'll be driving cars, too. Who else has a question?
Harley: Harley!
Mark Riccobono: Harley—speaking of cars! What's going on, Harley?
Harley: Are there smart canes here at the NFB?
Mark Riccobono: I'm sure there are. There have been a number of projects where people try to put technology into canes. We should continue to see if any of these ideas actually work. One of the beautiful things about the cane I use right now is that there are no batteries in it. If I'm in the middle of the street, the battery's not going to run out. So far we haven't found any technology that can be built into a cane that helps to improve travel for blind people. But we continue to try new things.
Now, you guys are all short, but you won't be short forever. There will be a time when certain things will get in your way, like tree branches. Those are things the cane doesn't find. So we continue to look at new technologies, but for now there's no better technology than the good old long white cane.
Haynes: Are you totally blind?
Mark Riccobono: I am totally blind. I have a little bit of light perception in one eye, but it's not anything to write home about. I do everything without vision.
Clara: I have a doll named Kate who has a guide dog named Jane.
Mark Riccobono: That's pretty cool! A guide dog is another good way to travel. But even folks who use guide dogs use canes sometimes, too. There are some situations where Kate won't want to take her guide dog. If she goes to a rock concert, she might decide that Jane doesn't like loud music, so she'll use her cane. Does anybody else have a doll that uses a cane or a guide dog?
Layla: I do!
Mark Riccobono: That's pretty cool. Anybody else have a question?
Isaiah: If you accidentally put your cane in a fire, would it start to burn?
Mark Riccobono: If you were using a wooden cane, then the answer would be yes. Dr. Jacobus tenBroek was the first president of the NFB, and when he traveled he used a wooden cane because that's what was used back then. Wooden canes are much heavier than carbon fiber or fiberglass canes. You'd probably have to leave the cane in the fire for a little while for it to burn. I don't recommend it. But if you were trying to get out of a fire, I would recommend using your cane. When I went to Boy Scout camp with my son recently, I used my cane to find out where the edge of the fire pit was.
Jennifer: How many different types of canes are there?
Mark Riccobono: There are three or four. Roller tip is one. I like the metal tips that we mostly use in the NFB, and here's why. When I tap it, my cane makes a sound. That sound bounces off things, and I can tell a lot about the environment from that sound. There are some cane tips that don't make much sound, even when you tap them on a hard surface.
Jason: What if somebody knocks your cane down?
Mark Riccobono: That does happen sometimes. You know all these people who get around by looking at things? They aren't always looking where they need to look! [Laughter] They're looking at their phones sometimes. It's quite a distraction, being able to see. Sometimes people will knock into you. If someone does bump into your cane, hold it in such a way that they're not going to break it.
Mindy: What if you drop your cane?
Mark Riccobono: When your cane leaves your hand, that's when you want your ears to start listening. Where did that cane go? You'll hear it when it hits the ground. Usually you'll be able to find it quite easily, and if you can't, someone will help you find it. But what you should do when the cane leaves your hand is listen to where it hit the ground, and go to that spot—unless it sounds like it's seven or eight feet below you, in which case you may want to wait.
Sydney: What does a cane with a battery do?
Mark Riccobono: Well, one idea is that by putting technology into the cane, you might be able to get more information. The problem is that a lot of the time the people who create these canes actually want to prevent blind people from touching things with their canes. But the cane is for touching things, right? If you don't touch it, you don't know what something is. When my cane touches a garbage can, I think, Great! There's a garbage can! I might need to throw something away later. Or if my cane touches a little kid, I think, Hey, there's a little kid sitting there. I better walk around him. I love that the cane tells me where chairs are and stages and people. I can decide what to do. I can map things in my head. Is there one more question?
Siri: How do you get around in a pool?
Mark Riccobono: That's a good question! There are a couple of things you can do. First of all, when you get in, get a sense of the shape of the pool. Maybe you can ask someone about it ahead of time. If you go along the side of the pool, you can find out there's a ladder here, there are steps over there. Here at the Rosen Shingle Creek pool, the sun is going to be a good indicator. Where's the sun? You can use that to orient yourself. You also can use the noise around the pool. Sometimes you can bring your own radio and put it at your chair where your stuff is. Then you'll know where you put your stuff.
When I go to the pool, I look for a chair that's close to the edge so I can find it easily. Sometimes I leave my cane on the side of the pool so I have a good idea where it is—but at a pool here at the Rosen Creek, there might be a lot of canes! Try some things till you find out what works for you. At a pool you can't usually get lost. You can just go around it in a circle.
Henry: What if you're using a guide dog, and the guide dog wants you to stop but you keep walking?
Mark Riccobono: When you use a guide dog, you have to tell the dog where to go. The dog's job is to signal to you if there's an obstacle or a reason for you to stop. You have to be prepared to pay attention to the signals that the dog sends you. Otherwise you'll put yourself in danger. It's just like if your mom or dad tell you to stop. You can choose to not listen to them, but it probably won't end well. When you use a guide dog, you're making the decision to be part of a team. You have to take the signals from the dog. You have to tell the dog where to go, because the dog can't make those decisions for you. The dog can't read street signs. The dog won't know whether you want to go right or left, so you have to make those decisions, and you also have to pay attention to what the dog is communicating to you.
Here's the cool thing. We're sitting here, talking about all the things we want to do and how we want to travel. You know what? All the information I've got comes from talking to other blind people. I've never used a guide dog, but my wife uses a guide dog and I know other people who use guide dogs. I've talked to them about what they do and what works for them. By working together we can learn much more than we learn by staying alone and doing our own thing.
When we work together we create something called synergy. Synergy! What in the world is that? I encourage you to go out and find out what it is. Synergy is what happens when you work with other people so you can go farther than you could go by yourself. Synergy comes from the Latin word synergia, meaning working together. When we work together we can do more than we can do individually. If you have a question about how a blind person does something, there are hundreds of blind people here at this convention who you can ask. You can call them up when you're not here at convention. You can call each other and share ideas. Then we should figure out what you want to do. Whether another blind person has done it before or not, let's figure out how a blind person can do it. We've gotten blind people to drive cars, to summit Mount Everest, to run marathons and ultramarathons. You're not limited by your blindness. By working together we can figure out solutions to any problem that gets in your way. Any last questions?
Layla: When you're going to cross the street, how do you know if they have a pedestrian signal there that you can activate?
Mark Riccobono: When you get to a new intersection, you don't have to cross right away. You can take time to look around with your cane. If there is a pedestrian control, it's going to be on a pole fairly close to the corner. You can slide your cane around and see what poles you find. You can also stand and listen to the traffic patterns and see whether the cars are stopping or going in one direction for a period of time. Any time you come to a new intersection, don't be in a hurry to cross. Take the time to find out what's there. If you're with someone, you can ask them, and if you're unsure, you can wait till someone comes by. At some intersections you might have to wait a long time till someone comes by, but if you're in New York City you won't have to wait too long—people will be coming by all the time. You've got to decide what works for you. You've got to collect as much information as you can to keep yourself safe.
I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you. I hope if you have more questions, you'll find me and ask me. You can come up to the Presidential Suite, Room 13217. I'm looking forward to all the places that you're going to travel and to all of the things that you're going to pursue. I look forward to helping you get there.
by Kim Cunningham
From the Editor: At the 2018 NFB National Convention, Kim Cunningham stepped down from the presidency of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). She had served since 2015. In this address she introduces the theme of the 2018 NOPBC Conference.
I'd like to thank you all for attending the 2018 NOPBC national conference, "Tools in My Toolbox." This conference is all about equipping our kids with the tools they need to live the lives they want.
There are literally thousands of blind people here to teach us and lead us. I will warn you right now, your family tree just expanded by a couple thousand people! [Laughter] You are not alone. We are all here to help you on this beautiful journey of parenting a blind or low-vision child.
A little over twenty-six years ago I gave birth to my blind daughter. It was the best of times and the worst of times. I learned very early on that most professionals didn't see her as a blind student; she had a very small amount of residual vision. The professionals didn't see a need to teach her nonvisual skills. Instead, they insisted that she use her residual vision to accomplish any given task. She was given large print books, and she received no training in nonvisual skills. She struggled as a print reader, suffering from headaches, backaches, and lots and lots of stress and anxiety. This was the worst of times. I was lost and confused about what it meant to be blind, or, in our case, what it meant to be not blind.
When my daughter was fourteen we attended our first NFB National Convention. It was here I learned about what it meant to be blind. It was here I learned that my daughter didn't have to rely on unreliable vision. I learned that the skills of blindness were as important and meaningful to her as to someone who had no vision at all. I learned that these blindness skills would be the keys to her leading an independent life.
Our first NFB national convention was a life-changing experience for our family. For fourteen years I had attended various conferences and trainings, trying to learn about blindness. Usually one or two blind people would attend, but I was never able to sit down with them and learn how they navigated their lives. I seemed to learn about everything except blindness. Most of the families I met were even more clueless than I was, and we seemed to travel a maze of uncertainty together.
When I walked into the hotel at my first NFB convention, I stopped and smiled in awe. I said to myself, "So this is where all the blind people are!" [Laughter] I saw people of all abilities doing what we all do at conventions—walking around, shopping, eating with friends, having a few cocktails at the bar, playing with their kids, running business meetings, and mentoring. I learned that the NFB had high expectations for my daughter. It conveyed those expectations by teaching her. It taught her how to navigate the hotel independently and how to handle chemistry labs as a blind student. It taught her how to carry a tray while using her cane, how to build a chatbot, and how to advocate for the rights of blind people. She learned about NFB training centers where blind people teach others how to live the lives they want. These centers expected my daughter to cook a meal for forty people, to clean her apartment, to learn Braille, to use technology, to learn woodworking skills, and to travel near and far using her long white cane. All of these skills were taught while she used learning shades, or sleepshades. Her confidence grew with every step she took.
Parents, if your child qualifies for services as a legally blind or blind student, your child's weakest sense is vision. No matter how big or bold you make things, it will always be a struggle for your child to depend on poor sight. What happens when the lighting isn't perfect? What happens when your child can't see the details? What happens when vision fails?
We must insist that our schools are held accountable for providing our children with a free and appropriate public education. We must insist that all our blind and low-vision students learn the skills of blindness. It has been twenty-six years since my daughter was born, and we aren't getting any better about educating blind children in the classroom. I receive phone calls weekly from families of blind or low-vision children who are being denied services.
Almost every low-vision adult I know who didn't have the opportunity to learn Braille wishes that they had received Braille instruction as a child. The Braille presumption clause in IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) states that Braille should be considered the primary reading medium for a child who qualifies for these services unless it can be proved that the child will never benefit from Braille. This law is for those who qualify for services as a blind or legally blind student. It does not say "only for those who are totally blind."
We all know that schools interpret this law differently. Braille instruction doesn't happen for most of our kids. With that said, I want to applaud all the great TVIs and teachers of blind students who truly get it and teach their students Braille. Thank you for giving our kids this critical tool! [Applause] Thank you to our NFB Distinguished Teacher of Blind Students, Carolyn Mason from Austin, Texas. Carolyn, you are a hero for giving our children the opportunity to live full and independent lives! And thank you to all of the teachers in this room who have come to learn and to support our families. We are blessed to have you! These teachers know that literacy is the key to employment and an independent life.
But too many teachers in the field of blindness have low expectations and poor training. These teachers are destroying opportunities for our kids' futures. How can a person work without the skills to read, or take a bus, or use a computer? The NOPBC needs all families to come together and educate the professionals about what it means to be blind. Braille and long white cane are not dirty words!
Just as carpenters use their tools to build a house, blind people use their tools to build their lives. A carpenter's basic toolbox contains tools such as a hammer, saw, and screwdriver. Without these basic tools, the carpenter will spend an enormous amount of time and effort to complete a simple task. Imagine cutting a piece of wood without a saw, or building a house without a hammer!
Tools in a blind or low-vision person's life are called blindness skills. The basic blindness skills are learning to read and write Braille and use a long white cane. These tools are our hammer and saw. They are not just for those who are blind with no remaining vision. These tools are for those whose eyesight has been deemed their weakest sense. They supplement poor vision and increase children's ability to reach their fullest potential.
Some of you may think that if you enlarge printed material and a student can read the words, then the student is a visual learner. In such cases the opportunity to learn Braille is dismissed, and nonvisual skills are never taught. This is the situation for many families today. Most assessments don't consider how long it takes for the child to read using large print. Many Braille readers can read as fast or faster than many print readers. Those assessments don't consider the backaches and headaches that low-vision students suffer. Most assessments don't measure whether students actually comprehend what they are reading, or if they are just decoding the words with virtually no reading comprehension.
Learn about the National Reading Media Assessment while you're here at convention. Through this research-based assessment, you can determine what your child's appropriate reading medium should be—large print, Braille, or both.
My daughter had a blind friend who read Braille and experienced great success. She competed in the Braille Challenge and benefited from learning the alternative skills of blindness. Meanwhile, my daughter suffered with reading large print. She had no skills to access the world nonvisually. My daughter was treated as a broken sighted person instead of a confident blind person.
It was a long fight, but my daughter did learn Braille. Because she has learned all of the skills of blindness, she is now employed and living independently.
We must push past the caretaker mode of parenting our children and move into the mode of independence training. I urge you to encourage your children to move about independently and explore their world. Teach them to believe in themselves. Equip them with many tools to choose from. Demand literacy for your children. Give them the long white cane. Introduce them to successful blind and low-vision role models. Encourage them to reach for the stars! And, if a blind person hasn't done something yet, as the Federation family we will figure out how to make it happen.
Fill your children's toolboxes with all the skills they may need in life. Give them the confidence to reach their potential. The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want. Blindness is not what holds you back.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as president of the NOPBC. It is an honor to be a small part of an organization that truly cares about our blind and low-vision kids. Thank you. [Applause]
by Denise Mackenstadt
Introduction by Kim Cunningham: To deliver our keynote address we are pleased and honored to have Denise Mackenstadt. She's from the state of Washington, and she's actually a founding member of the NOPBC, so she's been around for twenty-five plus years. We thank Denise very much for coming here to educate us and give us her words of wisdom. Here's Denise.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, empowerment is "the act or action of empowering someone or something: the grant of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties, or the state of being empowered to do something: the power, right, or authority to do something." By empowering ourselves as parents we will empower our children to live the lives they want. Our goal as parents is to give our children the tools for a productive and self-fulfilling adulthood.
In 1954 a young family had a single son. He began to have severe headaches. He was very ill. After many surgeries to insert shunts to alleviate pressure from excess brain fluid, he was left blind.
His parents were devastated. As it happens with many families of newly disabled children, his mother decided to learn as much as she could about how best to help her child become well and get the services he needed. This happened in the era before special education laws that guarantee a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for special-needs children. It happened before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This mother decided to use her power as a parent. She learned Braille. The family moved to a school district where their son could attend a public school close by, without having to spend hours traveling to a day school for the blind. This mother continued to fight for good medical treatment. She fought for good services for her child.
Her efforts came to fruition when her son graduated high school and continued on to earn three college degrees. She lived to see him become a successful professional in rehabilitation, education, and civil rights with a loving marriage and two children. Today this man is my own husband of forty-five years. We have two grown children and two grandchildren. This is the result of a mother using her power to fight for the life of her only child.
All mothers and fathers have this powerful gift, the ability to fight for the lives of their children. There is no blueprint for raising a child, including a blind child. There are experts who will give you advice and suggestions. Many times these suggestions can become confusing and overwhelming. Blind adults in the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will be available to help by sharing their own stories. In the end you, as parents, must make the decision to raise your child to be productive and happy.
How can you do all of this and still be supportive of your other family members? How can you manage not to become overwhelmed by the demands that professionals make of you? How do you give your blind child a full experience within and outside of the school environment?
All children, blind or sighted, deserve to have life experiences that will give them opportunities to thrive and grow into independent adults. Blind children need most of the skills that are necessary for all children. In addition, they need some specialized skills that will allow them to compete at the same level as their sighted peers. These skills include the abilities to read and write Braille, to use a long white cane to travel independently, and to use assistive technology. Aspects of these skills will be different for each individual child, depending on his or her specific needs. With the proper effort and thought, your children will achieve independence. Success is measured by the child's ability to live the life he or she wants.
Parents need skills as well. They need the skills that are common to all parents, and they need some that are unique to parenting a blind child. Today I will address skills specific to parenting a child who is blind or visually impaired.
When I refer to blindness, I will use the definition that was articulated by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan. In "A Definition of Blindness," Dr. Jernigan said, "In my way of thinking, one is blind to the extent that the individual must devise alternative techniques to do efficiently those things which he would do if he had normal vision. An individual may properly be said to be blind or a blind person when he has to devise so many alternative techniques to function efficiently that his pattern of daily living is substantially altered." This definition includes low-vision techniques and tools. These tools are substantially different from those used by individuals who have normal vision.
It may be very hard for you to use the word blind when you refer to your child who has residual vision. Visually impaired may appear to be a softer term, but it does not prevent your child from needing to learn nonvisual skills. It is important for your child to learn that it is respectable to be blind. At this conference you will see that people take pride in being part of the blind community. We want to instill that pride in your child.
A strong mindset or philosophy is the cornerstone of knowing the most important components of raising a successful blind child. Based on high expectations, this mindset is a belief in the innate capacity of all blind people, your child in particular, to live productive and happy lives. Each child has the right to reach the peak of his or her potential. When parents believe that the blind child's development should be as close as possible to that of the child's sighted peers, they build the child's potential for success.
Conventional wisdom claims that blind children necessarily develop more slowly than their sighted counterparts simply because they cannot see. Because they cannot see, conventional wisdom tells us that blind children are denied 90 percent of all learning. We in this room have all heard these theories. But loss of vision alone is not responsible for slow development. Loss of vision alone does not prevent learning. Many blind children have additional physical and intellectual disabilities that can have an impact upon learning and development. If the child has delays, parents must learn to identify the causes. With this understanding, they can begin to develop a learning environment to meet their child's specific needs.
Parents need to provide a rich learning environment at home. This environment should be multisensory and creative, providing opportunities for problem solving and critical thinking. Such a learning environment is important for all children.
As parents you must integrate your blind child into the full life of your home. Your child needs household responsibilities and the chance to participate fully in family activities. Sometimes the family is overly invested in the development of the blind child, to the detriment of the other family members. Yes, the blind child uses different techniques in order to participate in all of the family activities, but that does not limit the participation of the family as a whole.
Knowledge is power. When parents learn that their child is blind or has a severe visual impairment, their first step usually is to find out as much as possible about the child's eye condition. Then they determine the steps they need to take to help the child move ahead. Family and friends will give their love and support. The medical community shares its knowledge. Social workers make suggestions, and educators give their advice. Blind adults and other parents of blind children offer their experiences. So much information is given! What are parents to do with it all?
The first step is to know your child. The suggestions you follow have to be built around who your child is. As a parent you are the only person who can speak from your child's perspective. Take it one step at a time. When you become overwhelmed, take a moment to enjoy your family and the blind child who has entered your life. You do not have to take all of the suggestions made to you or act on them all at once. Breathe and think. For all of the advice you may be given, remember that you, your child's parents, are the real experts.
The anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "If we are to achieve a richer culture, we must weave one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place." Community is essential, and it is there for you when you need it. You do not have to deal with parenting a blind child on your own. Your community includes your immediate family. It includes other families of blind children that are facing the same challenges. It includes professionals whose job is to give you the best access to services for your family and your child. Importantly, the community of blind adults of the National Federation of the Blind is there to help you on this journey. Be a critical thinker and remember that you are the best judge of what is necessary for the benefit of your child. Do not become so overwhelmed by advice that you forget to follow your own instincts. Take from others what is important for you and your family.
Having a community of like-minded individuals is also important for other family members. Your family is unique from other families. Your sighted children will need to meet other siblings of blind children. They need to see that their blind brother or sister is capable and not so different from other children.
It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. Other parents can share valuable information and support. They have had their own triumphs that they can share with you, and they may have made mistakes from which they have learned. The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children has a wealth of knowledge and support. You need like-minded individuals to help you sift through all the information you receive.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary a critic is "one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter, especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique." Critical thinking is essential to making decisions about the tools your blind and sighted children need to grow into successful adults. These tools are acquired through a good environment for learning. This learning happens not only in the classroom. It takes place in every activity in which a child participates. This is not to dismiss what happens at school. It just means that as parents we need to give our children a well-rounded life experience. Critical thinking enables parents to make good decisions about what is best for their children.
Much of your time as a parent is involved in making sure that your children have a successful school experience. During the school year most students spend six and a half hours a day in school. School comes in many shapes and varieties. Placement options may include a residential school for the blind, a specialized day school for blind students, a center-based or resource room, a life skills program for disabled students, or a fully included placement with the support of an itinerant teacher of the visually impaired. Sociologist William G. Spady said, "All students can learn and succeed, but not all on the same day in the same way." A school placement program should be implemented according to the individual needs of the student. Unfortunately, these placements often are based only on the availability of the type of education to which each child is entitled. It is an undue burden for parents of blind children to have to know as much about the education of their child as the professionals who serve blind students. As I have said many times during this presentation remember who the experts are on the needs of your child. That is you, his or her parents.
Today and throughout this week of convention, you will be exposed to many of the tools your child needs to be a successful student. Also, look to your own children's articulation of what they need to be successful and happy. Children have insight into what is important for them to be satisfied with their school day. What happens on the playground or in the lunchroom is as important to them as what happens in the classroom. Each school staff member has an influence on a student's day.
Most blind students are in classrooms with sighted students. Blind students can feel isolated because they use techniques that are very different from those used by the other students. By being part of the National Federation of the Blind your children can associate with peers who are blind and meet blind adult role models.
Independence is the outcome we all want our children to achieve. Today you will have the opportunity to see and hear experts in many areas of skill your child will need in order to be successful. But skills alone do not make a blind person independent. Independence is defined differently for each individual. Defining what is important for an individual has to be an informed choice. Having the best environment to achieve these skills is the basis for these decisions.
In his landmark speech "The Nature of Independence," Dr. Kenneth Jernigan said, "Our independence comes from within. A slave can have keen eyesight, excellent mobility, and superb reading skills—and still be a slave. We are achieving freedom and independence in the only way that really counts—in rising self-respect, growing self-confidence, and the will and the ability to make choices. Above all, independence means having choices, and then making those choices stick."
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to bring to you my thoughts on parent empowerment. Please take advantage of all that this convention will offer. And remember also to have fun.
by Sal Villa, Ahbee Orton, and Abby Duffy
Introduction by Kim Cunningham: Now it's time to hear from some of our young people. After all, they're the reason we're all here! First I'd like to introduce you to Sal Villa. Sal is nineteen, and he's from Texas. He's currently attending the rehab program at the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
Sal Villa: The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport resembles a figure 8 with an extra half-circle attached. Navigating the airport requires the use of the Skyline, a train that travels from terminal to terminal. The Skyline consists of two trains, each of which stops at different sets of terminals. I traveled through DFW on my way back home from San Antonio after working in this year's NFB of Texas BELL Academy, making it to the gate with just enough time to find dinner.
How can a blind person travel through the fourth largest airport in the country without missing the flight? It all boils down to holding blind people to the same standard as others. The soft bigotry of low expectations prevents society from allowing blind people to use the tools and methods that are required for our success.
Though our tool kit may be different from that which people generally conceive as "normal," it can produce the same results nonetheless. These instruments allow one like me not only to catch my flight, but to take classes, go grocery shopping, prepare meals, and cross interstate highways.
As parents of blind children, it is crucial that you hold the conviction that sight is not a requirement for success in life. When you deeply take in that realization, you will allow your children to flourish and reach their full potential.
A basic tool in my toolbox is a positive philosophy toward blindness. To me lack of vision is an arbitrary characteristic akin to the color of my hair and the shade of my skin. It doesn't affect the degree to which I pursue my goals any more than race and gender. Individuals must develop a sense of self-worth and should believe in themselves as blind people. The earlier this process begins, the better. In his speech "Blindness: Handicap or Characteristic?" Dr. Kenneth Jernigan states, "It has been wisely observed that philosophy bakes no bread. It has, with equal wisdom, been observed that without a philosophy, no bread is baked."
Positive philosophy plays a critical role in my tool kit, but skills are equally important. These skills include nonvisual independent cane travel and home management. Cane travel is the ticket to my freedom and independence. After all, what is the use of having skills if you lack the ability to navigate true environments where said skills might be applied? Cane travel does not merely involve the use of the long white cane. Rather it is a comprehensive system of orienting to the environment by means other than sight. Cardinal directions, sound cues, traffic patterns, and texture changes all contribute to my thorough understanding of my surroundings.
Frederick Douglass taught that literacy is the path from slavery to freedom. There are many kinds of slavery and many kinds of freedom, but reading is still the path. For centuries knowledge has been brought to people through visual means. This circumstance naturally excluded the blind from participating in significant parts of culture, literature, communication, and business. However, in the nineteenth century a system was created that allowed the blind to access the formerly trapped information through touch rather than sight. This system is equivalent in all respects to print except for the method of transmission. Just as a sighted child is taught to read print from an early age, so the blind child should be taught to read Braille.
Braille serves many purposes in my day-to-day life, from allowing me to access schoolbooks to labeling items in the kitchen. We know that 90 percent of employed blind people are active Braille users. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of the nation's blind are learning the code. In order for your child to compete on an equal footing with his or her peers as an adult, it is self-evident to me, through my own experiences and the data, that Braille is the way to go. Without it I would not have been able to complete my high school education, read my favorite book of all time, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, or navigate efficiently through buildings.
While skills and philosophy are important, they are by no means the full picture. The people I associate with, my support system, serve a role that is just as important. No one can go it alone.
I attended my first NFB national convention when I was fifteen. I met and bonded with people who have shaped my destiny and helped make me the person I am. My mom, the people in the Texas NFB affiliate, and the staff at the Louisiana Center for the Blind all encouraged me to accept my blindness as a characteristic and never to let it get in the way of my dreams.
Your children will look to you when it comes to shaping their outlook on blindness. Keep in mind that the attitude you hold, the standards you apply, and the expectations you enforce could determine whether your child's blindness is a handicap or a nuisance.
Ahbee Orton: My name is Ahbee Orton. I am a senior at Florence High School, and I am a member of the band. I play the flute during concert season and the piano keyboard during marching season. I also enjoy reading and singing. I play the piano sometimes when I'm asked and sometimes just at home. I also like to hang out with people. I have two younger sisters. One of them is only twelve, but she can be mistaken for being older than I am because of her tallness.
That's a lot about me, but I'll go on to the tools in my toolbox that I use daily or frequently. At school I carry around a rolling backpack. I usually have a lot of technology in it, and sometimes books that are in paper Braille and folders with all my handouts. I use a laptop with JAWS on it and a Bluetooth keyboard, an iPad, some talking calculators, and two Braille displays. I also use a Sensational BlackBoard®, which is a rubber sheet stuck onto a plastic backing. You can stick a piece of paper on it and draw on it with a pen, and I can feel the drawing with my fingers. I use it for math and science mostly. It's better when the teacher can make drawings for me before class so I can use them all during class time. I email my assignments to my teachers; that way I don't have to deal with a middleman who transcribes my work for my teachers to understand.
I use a Braillewriter in my AP classes. In AP classes there is a rule that you can't go on the Internet, and I have to follow the AP standards.
At home I use some low-tech things as well. My mom has come up with some great ideas, and I'm very grateful for that. One low-tech method I use is the rubber-band-Scotch-tape method. When I go to the store, I might come back with a bunch of cans. I take a card and write on it what it is in print and Braille, since I live with my family right now. I punch a hole in the index card and put a rubber band around it and stick it on the can. It helps me be faster in picking out which can is which for cooking. That way I don't have to take out my phone and use Seeing AI every single time, although I use it in the very beginning when I bring the cans home. Seeing AI is a free app that I have on my phone. It will look at a product and scan the label. I do that, and then I put the label on.
In some situations you can just use regular tape. If I have soy milk and almond milk, I can put a piece of tape on one of them, and then I'll know which one it is.
When I was going to camp many years ago, my mom came up with a very cool idea. We had to label my things, and I had to know the colors so I could dress nicely. Mom used a kind of paint called dimensional paint. It's by Tulip Brand. She takes a shirt or some other piece of clothing and puts dots on it like the Braille cell. She might put the letter p for pink. You can put it out to dry for forty-eight hours. Then you can wash it, and the paint stays on for a really long time. I don't know if it ever comes off.
Then there's Dymo tape. That's a very easy tool, and it's quick. You just write on the tape with a Braille labeler. You stick the Dymo tape on the item that you want to label.
These are just a few of the items I use. I wanted to tell you about them because they might be helpful to you and your child. Thank you for letting me speak to you.
Abby Duffy: My name is Abby Duffy. I'm from Concord, New Hampshire. I am fourteen right now. I just left eighth grade, and I'm moving into high school. I do two sports. I am an Alpine skier, and I am a varsity rower on my high school crew team. Rowing is a really adaptable sport for blind people because everyone's facing backwards and nobody can see where they're going. [Laughter]
I have a great TVI, teacher of the visually impaired. I've had her since first grade, and she's just become my O&M instructor as well. She's doing great. I love her! She helps me get all my materials.
I have two Braille displays. I have a Focus 14 at home, and at school I have a forty-cell Braille display, which makes it easier to read long stuff. I used to try to use a Chromebook, but it wasn't accessible with a Braille display. They have a program called ChromeVox, which is their attempt at JAWS, but it's not that great. This year I'm going to learn to use the PC with a Braille display. I think it'll be great.
Those are just some of my tools. They're all very important. Thanks!
Presented by Jean Bening
Introduction by Kim Cunningham: Before Jean presents the Twig Is Bent Awards, I would like to introduce you to my good friend Ron Gardner. Ron has worked tirelessly for decades on behalf of blind children and adults in Utah and throughout our nation. He was awarded the Twig Is Bent Award last year, but he was unable to be here to receive that award in person. He would like to say a few words to all of you today. Ladies and gentlemen, here is Ron Gardner.
Ron Gardner: Thank you, my brothers and sisters in our Federation family. I was stunned last year when Joanne Wilson insistently and very persistently said, "Ron, you need to be in my room at six o'clock." I got to convention a day late last year due to some missionary work we were doing. Joanne didn't suggest, she commanded. I thought we were going to visit for a little while and then go to dinner. When I got to Joanne's room, I was really surprised to see Carol Castellano and her husband, Bill. I thought that was nice; I don't get many chances to spend time with Carol. But then Carol began reading about As the Twig Is Bent. Then it became clear that it was a citation, and I have to tell you, the tears started flowing.
Of all of the groups in the NFB, this group right here owns my heart, and it has owned my heart for decades. I remember the first time I met Dr. Ruby Ryles. She was talking to us about whether your child is age-appropriate. Dr. Ryles and that article really changed my life. I hope it will change the lives of your children.
I remember changing a tire, and helping your children learn to change a tire and to run a chainsaw. I remember camping and fishing on the Kenai River in Alaska with blind children. I remember doing so many things with children who are blind because they belong to the same family and the same organization and the same world that each of us belongs to.
Jan and I have been given an amazing gift that we cherish, and that is our love for your precious children. So I wanted to take a few moments to tell you how I was caught by surprise, and how really honored I was to listen to Carol last year as she presented me with what I believe is the highest award I can ever receive, a recognition from this organization. I truly thank you for including me these many years in your lives and in the lives of your children. As I call you my brothers and sisters in the Federation family, what I truly mean to say is that you are even higher and take a role much more significant than my brothers and my sisters. You take a role that I esteem as the highest role that we have in life, that of teachers and parents of our precious blind children.
Thank you very much for the recognition last year. Thank you very much for what you do to make dreams a reality. [Applause]
Jean Bening: “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined.” These words of Alexander Pope are the inspiration behind the title of our awards. The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children initiated the Twig Awards on our twenty-fifth anniversary in 2008 to honor those whose work has influenced the direction in which our children grow. The award is a medallion engraved with a tree and the words, "As the Twig Is Bent Award" and "NOPBC 1983," with the word "NOPBC" in Braille and print. On the back of the medallion is the recipient's name and the year.
This year we will be presenting three Twig Awards. The first recipients of the Twig Awards are members of the NFB whose commitment to parents of blind children, to their state POBC, and to the NOPBC is deeply rooted and unwavering. Parents who have served as officers or board members of the NOPBC or of their state POBC know how crucial it is to receive this kind of support from the leaders of their state NFB affiliate. Our recipients have advocated for families at IEP meetings to help blind children obtain the skills they need. Most of their work has been in the background, ensuring that their state affiliate provided financial assistance to families to attend the national convention and to make certain that the BELL Academy takes place each summer, and constantly building up and strengthening their chapter of the POBC. But perhaps the most important aspect of their support is the crucial encouragement, guidance, and friendship they have provided not just to one, but two NOPBC national presidents. I think I can say on behalf of our beloved president, Kim Cunningham, that without their love and daily support she never would have been able to accept and fulfill her role as NOPBC president.
Over the decades each of our recipients has served as president of the NFB of Texas and as a member of the NFB national board, receiving the NFB's Jacobus tenBroek Award in 2017. It doesn't matter who is in what office at any given time. These two work as a team with passion, commitment, joy, and humility. It is with great pleasure and gratitude that we present these Twig Awards to Norma and Glenn Crosby. [Applause]
Norma Crosby: When I got up here, Kim said, "Goats and hearts." People who know me know that when I send you a text, if it has hearts and goats on it, that means I love you. So goats and hearts to the whole NOPBC!
Glenn and I are honored to work on behalf of blind children. It's in our hearts, it's in our DNA, and it's in our blood to want the very best for our blind children throughout the country. Mostly we do our work in Texas, but we're always glad to do our work wherever we can. I can tell you that we wouldn't be nearly so successful in Texas if it weren't for the wonderful work of Kim Cunningham, our NOPBC president. We share this with her, and we love her as we love all of you. I'm astounded and honored, and I cannot thank you guys enough! [Applause]
Jean Bening: If you were in attendance at this meeting last year, you will know that the next award comes under the category of payback time. Personality, grace, poise, savvy, energy, integrity, insight, humor, humility, compassion—these are all great qualities in a leader, and our next recipient has all of these in abundance. These alone, however, are not enough to make a person an outstanding leader. There is an old adage about people who are so focused on detail that they can't see the forest for the trees. An outstanding leader is one who can attend to both the big picture and the details. It is not easy to keep these two things in balance. In an all-volunteer organization such as the NOPBC, it can sometimes seem an impossible task. Almost on a daily basis the NOPBC president must make decisions about what things get done and what has to wait and to make sure the organization is moving forward and accomplishing its goals. Her success comes from her capacity to keep this balance and to motivate and energize the leaders and volunteers around her. She is genuinely admired, respected, and loved because she values and respects the contributions of others. She is generous in helping others grow into leadership.
Our recipient was, in the beginning, a reluctant leader. She never sought the position or the recognition that came with it, nor would she expect this recognition today. However, when she was convinced by others that her talents and abilities were urgently needed, she stepped up to the plate and gave it her all. And this was all while remaining a leader in the POBC of her state, volunteering in the NFB BELL Academy, running statewide workshops, advocating for parents, advising about IEPs, and being a mother and grandmother. She interacts with the leaders of her state NFB almost on a daily basis, including inviting them to live at her house when a terrible storm inundated theirs. The NOPBC has thrived under her leadership, and the future is brighter for hundreds of blind children across the nation because of her efforts.
It is with heartfelt love and gratitude that we present this Twig Award to Kim Cunningham. [Applause]
Kim Cunningham: I am so incredibly honored! For you guys to give me this award, it just means everything to me! I'm so blessed to be here and be with this wonderful group. Thank you! [Applause]
by Carol Castellano
From the Editor: Carol Castellano has been a mover and shaker in the NOPBC for more than thirty years. She is the founder and past president of the POBC-New Jersey, and she has served as president of the national organization as well. She is the author of four books on blind children, including Making It Work and Getting Ready for College Begins in Third Grade. This article is based on a presentation Carol gave at the 2018 NOPBC Conference.
If you were to check the readiness standards for a child entering kindergarten in your school district, chances are you would find a list that looks something like this:
In order for young blind children to get to this point, they need to develop in all the usual categories—gross motor, fine motor, speech, language, communication, social and emotional maturity, and self-help. Parents can use developmental charts—any chart made for any child—to figure out where their child is in the various areas and what the next logical step to work on ought to be.
In some areas parents need to pay extra attention. One of these is movement. If you watch a sighted child in a stroller passing something interesting, you might see the child twist around to continue watching the event as it goes past. A child who does not see that interesting thing might not make that twisting movement. We must make sure that our blind children have the opportunity for all kinds of movement experiences.
We also have to make sure our children become active in the world and don't remain passive. We must motivate them to explore and be careful not to inhibit their movement based on fear or convenience. Blind children are vulnerable to being acted upon by others. It is also very easy to keep doing things for blind children instead of making sure they learn to do for themselves. Make sure your child becomes a doer and not a done-to-er!
Think in terms of teaching age-appropriate tasks, or, in the case of some children with delays, stage-appropriate tasks. We want our children to internalize the expectation that they can learn and do things for themselves and be as independent as their peers. Think about independence every day! This includes the area of movement. Our children need to move independently. Don't steer them around by the shoulders! Don't constantly warn them, "Watch out, there's a step there," or "Oops, there's a table in our way; we have to go around it." Instead, empower your children to discover what is out in the world on their own and develop their skills for negotiating the environment.
Life experiences are another important area. Our children need to know about everything sighted children know about—the playground, the firehouse, the farm, the city, animals, workers, etc. The more life experiences they have, the more they will understand when they come upon these things in stories. Our children need to learn to color, cut, paste, scribble, draw, and look at tactile drawings. These are important fine motor skills, and they are precursors to full tactile literacy.
Play in general is an area to pay attention to. Sometimes we need to teach our children how to play in conventional ways that will enable them to play successfully with others. For example, if a child likes to hold a car upside down and spin the wheels, we can also teach him or her to run the car along the floor. If a child is stuck in the area of imaginative play, start with something the child can relate to. For example, put a big cardboard box on the floor and pretend to take a bath.
In terms of concept development, the key is not to let our children begin school behind their peers. There is no reason blind children cannot learn concepts—we just need to present them in accessible ways, for example, by using tactile objects or showing things like "behind" and "in front of" in terms of the child's body. Again, check a kindergarten readiness chart and make sure your child has had experience in the various areas—recognizing his or her name in print or Braille, counting, counting objects, recognizing shapes, learning the alphabet and letter sounds, understanding same/different, bigger/smaller, more/less, and first/last.
Create an environment for literacy in your home. Expose your child to books and to Braille. For the littlest kids, we can make books about things the child knows about, such as mealtime or bath time. Paste in some Braille and use real objects as illustrations.
Last but not least, we come to the area of blindness skills. Our children need to develop the use of all of the senses—touch, hearing, taste, smell, vision—along with listening skills and memory. If the child is partially sighted, teach her to pair eyesight with touch to get a more complete view of an item. If the child is totally blind, teach him to develop good patterns for exploration and examination. Our children need to have good body awareness, spatial awareness, and independent movement experiences. These will lead to the ability to orient themselves and to travel independently.
Well, all of that was just the lead up to school!
The goals for the education of a blind child are:
These, of course, are the goals we have for any child. Since the education we want our blind children to receive is equal to that of sighted children, we need at first to leave blindness out of the equation when we make educational plans. This means that we ask the question, "What would you expect this child to achieve if she were not blind?"
For children who are on track for milestones and academics, we plan the same academic goals and setting that we plan for sighted classmates. We add in accessible materials and presentation. We make sure the child receives instruction in the special blindness skills that will enable him to participate fully in learning.
For children who have additional disabilities that affect their education, we first must ask what we would expect if the child were not blind. Then we must modify the academic goals as necessary, add in accessible materials and presentation, and plan for instruction in the needed blindness tools and techniques.
For children who have severe additional disabilities, again we must ask what we would expect if the child were not blind and develop a more individualized or developmental education plan. We might add in accessible materials and presentation and the instruction in blindness skills and tools.
Whatever the child's category is, the process is the same. Think about what you would expect if the child were not blind. Set academic or developmental goals just as you would for a sighted child with a similar learning profile. Then add in accessibility and instruction in blindness skills. This planning will set the stage for learning at the appropriate level and in the right setting.
Many times parents sigh with relief when they hear from an eye doctor or teacher of blind students that their child does not need Braille or a cane. Maybe in first grade the child does fine—the print is large and the environment small and familiar, and it's okay to hold hands with an adult. But what about the next year and the year after that, when the print gets smaller and the paragraphs denser? What happens on a class field trip? Will the child be as independent as the others? Does she need to hold someone's hand for safety? Will she be in danger of falling off a curb or tripping over a tree root? What about the preteen who is venturing out to the mall with friends? Or even the seven-year-old who should be able to cross the street alone?
The question is not, "Does my child need Braille or a cane?" The question is, "What is the task before my child, and does he have a safe, efficient way to accomplish it independently and at an age- or stage-appropriate level?" Don't let anyone tell you that your child does not need a cane or Braille because he "is not really blind." Instead, insist on giving your child the freedom to choose among all the skills and tools available—both visual and nonvisual—so that he can be age-appropriate, successful, and independent.
In order to create a classroom where the blind student can participate independently and fully throughout the school day, several essentials must be in place.
Positive attitudes and high expectations: Read—and then share with teachers—the stories of accomplished blind people such as Dr. Abraham Nemeth, the blind mathematician who learned the New York subway system when he was a child and later invented the Nemeth Code; Erik Weihenmayer, the blind guy who reached the top of Mount Everest; Rachael Scdoris, the blind Iditarod racer—that's a 1,000-mile dog sled race in Alaska through blizzards, gale-force winds, and sub-zero temperatures that takes over a week to complete! These stories will help the adults around the blind child aim higher!
Academics on track or remediation plan: With needed life experiences and readiness activities, the child's academics should be on track. If not, the team needs to develop a remediation plan. For details on how this might look, please see Getting Ready for College Begins in Third Grade.
A fair evaluation: A fair evaluation sets the stage for appropriate classroom placement. In any evaluation, make sure your child is not penalized for not being able to see! Sometimes items on a test are marked wrong even though they were items that required eyesight. At other times, items may be left out of the test because they are not accessible, but the scoring is not adjusted for the possible number of questions the child could answer correctly. It's especially important for our children to get an appropriate evaluation in the area of reading medium. There are major problems with the typical learning media assessments, including a major bias toward the use of print instead of Braille. But research shows that visually-impaired people who learn Braille thoroughly in the early grades achieve literacy levels on a par with sighted peers. Those who learn only print or who receive only sporadic Braille instruction do not. The employment rate is low for blind people and people with disabilities in general. However, research shows that of those blind and visually-impaired people who are employed, over 80 percent are Braille readers. In addition, research tells us that partially-sighted people who embrace nonvisual skills have higher self-esteem and all-around more active lives. When confronted with a task for which their vision alone is not enough, those who rely solely on sight tend to say, "Oh, who wants to do that anyway?" and their lives become smaller and smaller. Nonvisual skills are really important to visually-impaired children.
Appropriate placement: Make sure your blind child is in a classroom based on her academic ability, not on how much she is able to see. Many times blind children are placed in classrooms for children with learning disabilities, even though they have no such disability. Such placements are based on incorrect assumptions about the child's ability and the pace at which a blind child can learn. Blindness itself or the amount of eyesight a child has should never be the determining factor for a child's placement in school, and should never be the reason for excluding or excusing the child from learning.
Accessible materials and presentation: Accessible materials must be ready when needed so that the child can participate independently and fully in all learning experiences throughout the school day. Accessible materials might consist of Braille, large print, tactile diagrams, bold-line diagrams, actual objects, or models. An accessible presentation might consist of a hands-on or close-up view and verbal description.
Student's desk set up for maximum independence and organization: Orient the child to the space so that he knows where books are kept, where paper will be, where special items will be, etc. The things he needs should be within the child's easy reach. Arrange the space so that the child can find, use, and return items without help from an adult. When needed, rethink and change the desk setup as the child progresses. Identify tasks that are being done for the child so that he can begin to do them independently.
Here are some organization ideas.
Instruction in the special skills of blindness: Teach the child the workings of the classroom. Make sure the child receives enough instruction in skills such as Braille, cane travel, and access technology. Instead of making accommodation after accommodation, teach the child empowering skills so that she can handle the task herself.
In-servicing for classroom teachers: Most classroom teachers have never had a blind student in class. They will probably need to learn to have high expectations for the blind student and not to act on assumptions of helplessness. It will be critical for teachers to understand that they need to take responsibility for the blind child's education just as they do for the education of the rest of the children in the class. Teachers need to learn techniques for including a blind student in all class activities, such as verbalizing what they're writing on the board, using adapted materials, and facilitating social interaction. They need to be familiar with—and respect—the tools and techniques the child will be learning so that they can encourage the child on the road to independence.
The role of a classroom aide: The main job of the aide is to do the behind-the-scenes work that can enable the child to participate in all activities during the school day—adapting materials, collecting special items, keeping track of books and special equipment. The main role of the aide should not be direct assistance to the student. The young or newly blinded child might need this assistance for a little while, but the aide should step back as soon as possible.
There can be serious pitfalls to having an aide in the classroom. Sometimes the aide does so much for the child that the child actually learns dependence. The aide sometimes leads the child around. A "class within a class" can develop, with the teacher speaking to the class and the aide speaking to the blind child. The teacher may become overly reliant on the aide, or the aide's constant presence may impede the child's social interaction with peers. Most of the aide's work, including direct assistance, should be aimed at teaching the child to respond to the teacher, facilitating independence in all areas, and teaching the child to accomplish tasks herself. Aides should understand that success is not measured by how much help they gave the child but by how independent the child became on their watch.
The role of administrators: Administrators must be onboard. In order for the child to progress in independence, the aide must feel free to step back whenever the child is handling a task independently, without fear of criticism. If school administrators understand the goal of independent functioning for the child, they will know that if the aide looks as if she is doing nothing, it means that the child is making progress.
A good IEP: The academic goals of an IEP for a blind student should reflect what the expectation would be for the child if he or she were not blind. The IEP should also reflect the need for accessible materials and presentation. Each goal should include the materials, tools, and techniques the child will use to accomplish it. Goals should also be included for the skills of blindness the child is learning, such as Braille, cane travel, and access technology. Finally, the IEP for a blind student should have an explicit goal of independence. People tend to overprotect and have low expectations for blind children, perhaps because they can't imagine doing things without eyesight. It is easy for the adults in the child's life to go on year after year doing things for the child that the child should be doing for herself. Formulate independence goals and objectives by looking at each area in which the child is not yet independent, analyzing and breaking down the tasks, and figuring out what the next logical step will be. Include a plan in the IEP for phasing out direct assistance by the aide.
A timetable for independence: Progress toward independence must be made every month of every year. Think about how many years you have to get the job done (till senior year in high school, or age twenty-one, if necessary). Figure out what must happen in each of those years in order to accomplish the goal.
These points are the basics for creating classrooms in which blind children can learn and thrive. For more details on the subject, please see Making It Work: Educating the Blind/Visually Impaired Student in the Regular School and Getting Ready for College Begins in Third Grade: Working toward an Independent Future for Your Blind Child.
by Jeannie Massay
From the Editor: Jeannie Massay is a counselor based in Oklahoma City, working with people who have behavior and anxiety disorders. She has been active in the NFB ever since she won a national scholarship in 2009. She serves as president of the Oklahoma affiliate, and she is a member of the national board of directors. This article is based on a presentation she gave at the 2018 NOPBC Conference.
A lot of parents worry about their blind children when it comes to making friends. I hear them say things like, "My daughter will talk when she's around people she knows, but she won't talk to new kids," or, "My son has a hard time on the playground where the other kids are running around." One mother told me she's realizing that she should have talked to her daughter about dating a long time ago. Her daughter is nineteen, and she's only now starting to find out what kids her age are doing.
As the parent of a blind child, you may go through times when you feel you haven't gotten things right. You get upset with yourself because you feel you have made mistakes or missed important opportunities. Try to remember that you did the best you could at the time. I don't know of any set of rules for raising a blind child, or for raising any child, for that matter.
Think about your own experiences growing up. What were some of the things you found to be difficult around making friends? Maybe you were overweight, and kids teased you about being fat. Maybe you had a hearing impairment and couldn't follow conversations in a noisy room. Maybe your family moved around a lot, and as soon as you started to make friends you'd be uprooted and would have to begin all over again in a new school.
I didn't become blind until I was an adult, but I had horrible vision as a child. In first grade I got braces. Also, although I didn't know it at the time, I had ADHD. In first grade I would get in trouble with my teachers and my peers for humming, and I didn't even know I was doing it. I'd be reading a book or happily working on a project, and people would complain. So I was the weird kid with braces then the kid with really thick glasses. I was very shy.
My mother tried to help me feel good about myself. She would say, "You are intelligent, capable, beautiful, and lots of fun to be with." I would say, "Mom, you're supposed to say that! You're my mother! Other people don't think that!"
Blindness is an obvious way that our kids are different from most of their classmates. Any difference can create social challenges, whether it's being the blind kid or the new kid or the weird kid who hums. Most sighted people, whether they're kids or adults, don't know much about blindness. They have a lot of questions and uncertainty, and our blind kids have to deal with that. They have to answer questions like, "What's wrong with your eyes?" "How much can you see?" and "Why don't you just wear glasses?" You can talk to your kids about how to answer those kinds of questions. Help them understand that people want to learn, and that they don't mean to be hurtful. Your kids need to reach a place where they feel comfortable answering questions, even when they're thinking to themselves, Oh boy! Here we go again!
When I first lost vision as an adult, I found it awkward to talk about my blindness. I didn't know the Federation yet, and I'd say things like, "I have 23 degrees of central vision in my left eye. I have no peripheral vision. I can't see anything with my right eye. I have glaucoma." People would be silenced because they had no idea what any of that means. When I joined the Federation I finally found a group of people who told me, "You don't have to say all that. All you have to say is, I'm blind.” Regardless of how much vision you have, if you are making efforts to learn the skills of blindness it's okay to say, "I'm blind." I use a cane to get around, I use text-to-speech technology, and I use Braille to the best of my ability. I have a network of friends who can help if I don't know how to do something in a nonvisual way. All of that really helped me deal with what I think of as a loss of myself; I didn't know who I was as a blind person. The thing is, I'm still me.
We can help blind kids and blind transition-age youth by reminding them, "Your eyes don't work, but you don't necessarily need them to. Your brain, your heart, your soul—they're all there. You may do things a little differently, but you are you for a reason."
When I'm working with kids, sighted or blind, we often talk about their fears. We work on questions such as, "What are you afraid of? What are you afraid will happen to you if you were to go up to someone and talk to them?" When you ask your kids questions like that, what do they tell you? Why don't they talk to people? Why don't they want to try to make friends? Challenging anxious thoughts by confronting and disproving what they say will reduce anxiety overall. Teaching children to feel comfortable with themselves in a multitude of situations helps to prepare them for successfully living wherever they may go or whatever they may do.
One of the things that can be tough for blind kids in a group of children is the difficulty around finding out who is where. Sighted kids just look around, and they know. Blind children have to find other ways to gather that information. They can ask, "Hey, who's here?" or an adult or another child can say, "Mary's over by the slide."
You can teach your blind children some coping strategies. You can teach them how to get the information they need about who is around them. The child might ask an adult who is there and where they're sitting. In a classroom situation the child can listen to where people are when they answer questions or when the teacher takes attendance. If there is alphabetical seating, the child can learn where classmates are sitting and learn to recognize their voices.
A lot of blind kids are more comfortable relating to adults than they are to peers. An adult may take the lead by asking questions to draw the child out. If there is an awkward moment, the adult may have the skills to work through it until things are okay again. Most kids haven't developed those skills yet, so things can get a little sketchy sometimes. It isn't necessarily due to blindness. It's mostly about people not quite knowing how to connect with each other.
If you notice that your child is developing a bond with another child, do what you can to encourage it. One parent told me that her blind son, Max, has a really good friend, and they always have lunch together. However, this friend's brother doesn't care for Max. Max's mother wanted to help him keep the friendship he has, but she didn't want to put him into a situation where the brother would torment him. She found that things worked well when the friend came over to play with Max at home, leaving his brother out of the equation.
One thing that can help blind kids build social skills is to have what I call organic conversations at home. What I mean by an organic conversation is a conversation about real things that are happening around you, things your child can be engaged in. For instance, when you go shopping, talk about where you are going and why you're going there. "We're going to the supermarket to buy meat to make hamburgers. We're going to grill hamburgers at the cookout this Saturday." When you're driving, talk about the roads you're on and the landmarks you're passing. Give your children lots of information about the world, and plenty of hands-on opportunities to explore. Through those organic conversations they will gain knowledge about the world that will help them when they relate to other kids their age. They will share the same basic knowledge that their peers have.
Many blind children develop behaviors such as rocking that can be a barrier between them and other people. There are several theories about why kids rock. I believe that rocking is a self-soothing behavior. It's something children do that they can control.
Hand-flapping is another behavior we see sometimes in blind kids. It seems to be related to sensory integration issues. Therapeutic intervention can help when you're dealing with behavior issues. Substitution is a strategy that can be very effective. You help the child extinguish a problem behavior by substituting a behavior that is socially appropriate.
Often kids aren't even aware that they are rocking or flapping or engaging in otherwise self-soothing or distracting behaviors. You don't want to embarrass them by reminding them all the time, "Jennifer, you're rocking again!" or "Jason, quit flapping!" Some parents find it helpful to use a pager that vibrates. The child can carry the pager in a pocket and feel it when it goes off. Nobody else will notice. Other strategies such as gently touching the child on the shoulder after having had a discussion about you using that as a reminder can be effective in creating awareness of the behavior without embarrassing the child.
If your kids have problematic behaviors, seek out a cognitive behavioral therapist who can teach some coping skills. If you feel your child could benefit from counseling, do it, please! It's far better to address an issue before it becomes a big problem. A good counselor can help your child learn some coping skills and process anything traumatic that has happened, such as vision loss. When you select a therapist, make sure you talk to them first. Make sure the therapist understands that your blind child is a child first, and that some of what your child is experiencing may not have anything to do with blindness.
I don't have all the answers, but it's great that you are here, networking with other parents. You are looking around you and seeing thousands of blind adults who are doing okay. I have friends who are blind and are living their lives just like everyone else. They have jobs such as attorneys, teachers, computer programmers, school counselors, therapists and more. They have families and homes, and they live their version of the American dream. I can tell you about countless blind people who have happy, successful and productive lives. Your kids are going to be okay. Vision is not a requirement for success.
Your kids have so many opportunities in life! I used to tell people I can do everything except drive, and now driving is a possibility, too! So remembering my mother, who long ago told me I am beautiful, intelligent, talented, and fun, I'll say good-bye to you, for now.
by Carolyn Mason
2018 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students
From the Editor: At the board meeting of the National Federation of the Blind, Carla McQuillan announced the winner of the 2018 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award. The 2018 Distinguished Educator is Carolyn Mason. Carolyn earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She has certifications in elementary grades 1-8, elementary music grades 1-8, generic special education pre-K-12, and visually impaired pre-K-12. She has been teaching blind and visually-impaired students for thirty-three years, thirty of those years with the Austin Independent School District. In 2009 she was honored by the Braille Institute as the Braille Challenge Teacher of the Year for Excellence in Braille Instruction. Currently she supervises TVI interns for Texas Tech University. She consults on Braille-related projects for Pearson Learning and continues to support the Central Texas Braille Challenge. At the board meeting of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, Carolyn Mason gave the following address.
I would like to say how honored I am to have received this award and to be standing before you today. As a nineteen-year-old, when I chose to pursue certification as a teacher of students with visual impairments, I never anticipated what a rewarding career this would be. I have always been passionate about literacy, and of course as a teacher of students with visual impairments that means Braille literacy. Braille literacy means more than just reading. It means being proficient not only in the literary code, but Nemeth Code for math and sciences, and the Braille music code for greater access to music classes, even at the elementary level. It means having the tactile literacy to interpret tables, charts, and graphs.
I think what has defined my career as an educator is my ability to form partnerships. First of all, I form partnerships with students. I have learned as much from my students over the years as I have taught them. To be successful as a TVI, you must be a lifelong learner. You must be able to navigate the ever-changing world of technology and the recent change in Braille with the adoption of the Unified English Braille Code. It means being able to give students a toolbox of skills, not just one skill, that they can choose from to navigate their educational and personal lives. It means equipping them to develop the skills they need to become independent adults.
Even with my elementary students, I expect them to participate in developing their IEP goals and objectives each year. They participate in making decisions about their accommodations, and they are able to articulate them to the teachers and other adults they interact with.
For students to become as independent as possible, they must take advantage of every opportunity out there. I know I cannot teach every skill a student needs. As an itinerant teacher I am competing with the general education teachers and the special area teachers and the orientation and mobility instructor for time with a student. This means that I need to form partnerships with the counselors of rehabilitation agencies so that students get signed up for services and can take advantage of the programs that are provided. I must form partnerships with the state school for the blind and have my students participate in short-term and summer programs. I must get students involved in programs such as the National Braille Challenge from the Braille Institute. I must introduce them to consumer organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind, which provides a wealth of programs for students of all ages.
And of course providing tools for my students means forming partnerships with you, the parents. It means building a mutually respectful relationship so that we can have honest discussions, even on the occasions when we disagree. We work together with the goal of ensuring that your child becomes everything he or she can be.
by Anil Lewis
Introduction by Kim Cunningham: Mr. Anil Lewis is the executive director of the NFB Jernigan Institute. He's a great friend of mine, a great friend of the NOPBC, and he will be a great friend of yours once you meet him. When I first met Anil, he said that he had high expectations for my daughter. He expected her to do everything her classmates were doing. Nobody else had ever expected her to do much, except me, so I fell in love with Anil. He has helped me be a better parent, and he will be here for you also. So I will now hand the microphone over to Mr. Anil Lewis.
I love talking to parents, because you guys are responsible for growing the future of the National Federation of the Blind. Apart from all that, this is just a cool group to hang out with. I think it's important for me to disclose that I didn't grow up as a blind child. I lost my sight when I was twenty-five, so I don't have experiences from my childhood that I can share with you. Maybe it would be helpful if I could talk to you from the perspective of having raised a blind child, but I can't do that either. My son is sighted. But I know that there is crossover in a lot of the things that we do, and I think you will find that helpful.
Although I was not born blind and I am not the parent of a blind child, I have met many individuals who have been blind since birth and who became successful blind adults. I've also met many successful parents of blind children. One thing they all seem to have in common is that they wish they had found the National Federation of the Blind sooner. I have made a commitment to say this every time I have the chance to talk to parents: if you have internalized any degree of guilt about your child, I'm giving you permission to set it free. I lost my sight when I was twenty-five, and my older brother and sister also became blind as adults. I realized much too late that I needed to give my mother relief around this. My mother finally confessed to me that she felt real guilt about me and my brother and sister being blind. She had spent a lot of time trying to evaluate what she had done in her life to cause this to happen. We can't necessarily understand why things happen. We just have to get over it and move forward. I let my mother know that none of us, none of her children, had to miss out on anything because of being blind. I was very happy that I could give her that comfort before she passed, and I give you permission to let it go now. It's not your fault that your child is blind. Life happens. Now let's do our best with the lives that we have.
We want to build a better future for you as parents. We do that by instilling in you the desire to make your children the best that they can be. First you start with the expectation that your children can be just as effective and successful as they would be if they were sighted. Right, I know it's a radical idea! We really want our kids to be competitive with their sighted peers. I can tell you a lot of stories about how people try to benchmark blindness against blindness, but that doesn't make your child successful in the world. Start setting expectations for your child to be as bright, as talented, as charming, as charismatic as any other child, blind or sighted. Make sure your children get a proper education, and make sure they know how to advocate for themselves. As they move forward make sure they can become better students and good employees.
I want you to recognize that you have expertise as you move forward on this journey. You're going to go to IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings, and everybody there probably knows more about IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) than you do (unless you took Kim Cunningham or Carlton Walker with you!). But you don't have to know everything about IDEA. All you need to know is that your child can learn. Given the proper tools and the proper accessible instructional materials, your child can be successful at school.
You have expertise. Don't let anyone fool you. You know your child better than any of the professionals do, so make sure you assert yourself at every opportunity. You can help your child get opportunities in the educational environment that they wouldn't get otherwise.
In the National Federation of the Blind we recognize that the STEM fields are an area for employment. But if you don't receive the proper education, you can't be successful in the STEM fields. This is how bold we are—we brought two hundred blind kids from across the country to Johns Hopkins University and taught those kids to build and launch rockets. We taught them how to dissect sharks, how to build robots, how to build bridges, how to deal with nanoscience. It was awesome! We changed the game by creating opportunities for those kids to have those experiences. At the same time, we challenged our own perceptions of what was possible for those kids. I love learning along with the kids.
We smash down barriers in the sciences and other fields, and we send those kids back to school with attitude. A lot of our kids engage in what I call learned passivity. “Sit here, baby, I'll be right with you.” “I'll read it to you, don't you worry about it.” “You don't want to hear that, you want to hear this.” The kids learn to sit and be still. They learn not to engage. We challenge our kids in ways that make them go back and say, "No, I'll tell you what I need to read. Skip that page. Read that paragraph again. Slower. Okay, now faster." We have to empower kids to control their environment. If a kid uses a sighted reader, the reader becomes a tool for that child. The reader is not a benevolent offering, but a tool for the child to use to get information.
We want our children to learn academically, and we also want them to learn leadership skills. We want to build a better future for the National Federation of the Blind, and the only way we can do that is to build leadership skills in the next generation. You're doubtless aware that society tends to see your child in two ways: either the poor, broken, pitiful blind child, or the amazing, inspirational child. We all fight against these stereotypes—that's the chutzpah we're known for in this organization! That idea that our children are amazing and inspirational is just as fatal as the idea that they're pitiful and broken. Our kids walk around thinking that they're amazing just because they can tie their shoes. Okay, the first time they do it, applause! "Baby, you tied your shoes!" But that can't go on for very long, can it? You can't have a forty-year-old guy working in a law firm, "Baby, you tied your shoes!" [Laughter]
We don't want to think of our blind children as amazing for doing things that children their age ordinarily do, but we want to admire blind individuals who really are amazing. Some blind people really are amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if a blind person might someday find a cure for cancer, or end diabetes. I say this because in our lived experience as blind individuals we walk around every day problem solving. We live in a world where we have to solve problems and develop tools and strategies every day. We need to inspire our kids to have a commitment to make a difference in this world. We want them to be amazing, not by the world's benchmarks, but by true benchmarks. In that way we can build a better future for the National Federation of the Blind. I'm counting on you to help us with that.
When we build a better future for you as parents, we build a better future for your children, too. We build a better, stronger National Federation of the Blind that's going to be an agent for systemic change. We don't recognize often enough that we are integral participants in building a better world. We get very focused on the small circle of expertise that we have around blindness and visual impairment. But the leaders we help to build here can go forward and become world leaders. We have to focus on that. One of your children may be the first blind president. At one time people thought the presidential office was only limited to one kind of person, but that's not true. I believe that some day we're going to have a blind president—and maybe that president will give me credit for this speech—make me ambassador to Barbados or someplace like that. [Laughter]
The work we do here is meaningful and impactful to you, and the only way we can continue to be viable is for you to be active participants. We talk about being a family, and that really is how we feel. Kim said earlier that I will be available to you, and I really will. Chances are I'll refer you to someone with more knowledge and expertise than I have in a particular area, but if you need someone to sit and brainstorm with, I can do that.
Although I was not born as a blind child, and I did not raise a blind child as a parent, some of the tools and techniques I used to parent my sighted child were very helpful. I love the fact that some of the techniques I use dispel the myths people have about blindness, so I'll share a couple of stories.
One day my son, Amari, and I were sitting in the kitchen. He was about three years old at the time. I said, "Amari, will you please tie your shoes!" Everybody said, "Wow! His shoes really are untied! How do you know?" I wanted to say, "It's a special power!" But if I did that, I'd be perpetuating the myth, right? I said, "Those little plastic things on the ends of the laces, I hear them tapping on the floor." It wasn't magic.
I'll share one last story with you before I go. My wife and I ended up getting divorced, and I was awarded custody of our son. I had a lot of fear. I was a single dad. That's scary enough, but I was also a single blind dad. I'd always wanted to be a father, and I knew all the things I would do—but I'd never thought about all the things I would do as a blind father.
Dr. Maurer was a tremendous example as a father. President Riccobono was always supportive, helping reality-check me about the fears and apprehensions I had. With the help of this network through the National Federation of the Blind, Amari graduated from high school at sixteen. Now he's twenty, and he's about to graduate from college. The guy's on the fast track. He's my retirement plan! [Laughter] He might not be the outstanding young man that he is without the relationship I have with our extended family in the Federation. By working together we will all help you build a better future for yourself, your child, and the National Federation of the Blind, and yes—for the world!
by Jordan Young and Raveena Ali
Introduction by Kim Cunningham: This is always the fun part, hearing from our students! Now we get to hear about their lives and what they're doing. I'm going to introduce you to Mr. Jordan Young, who is eleven, and also Miss Raveena Ali, who also is eleven years old. Jordan, would you like to speak first?
Jordan Young: Hello, my name is Jordan Young. I'm from West Monroe, Louisiana, and I am eleven years old. I am excited to be here with you today to discuss building my hopes and dreams. First off, my greatest hope for myself is to have a beautiful family when I get older. My dream is to work for UPS after I complete college. I also dream to be successful and independent in my years to come. I hope I can serve the Lord and spread His word each and every day. I have great confidence and peace within my soul, knowing that I can achieve my hopes and dreams just as my role models have.
I have grown up in the Federation around successful blind role models such as Jerry Whittle, Eric Guillory, Roland and Pam Allen, Stephanie Morton, and Treva Olivero, to name a few. These individuals have been an inspiration to me, showing me that I can achieve any goal as long as I set my mind to it. The Federation has given me an outlet and support system my entire life. I am humbled and appreciative to be part of this wonderful organization.
I have grown up with high expectations for my success in my academic environment and in my home life. My TVI, Miss Kristen Simms, has been my biggest supporter, encourager, and positive influence throughout my life. She has taught me the importance of becoming successful with Braille, cane travel, Nemeth Code, and of excelling in all areas. I would not be as independent as I am today without her.
My family has always had high expectations for me at home. They always encouraged and supported me so that I could develop into the independent and responsible young man I am today. My true hope and dream is to become a successful adult and to make those who had a hand in helping me very proud. Thank you for this opportunity to be with you today. Live the life you want! Thank you! [Applause]
Raveena Ali: Good afternoon, my NOPBC family and fellow cane travelers. It is my humble honor to be a part of this panel for a wonderful organization such as the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. I am here to share my simple yet big vision for building hopes and dreams.
My name is Raveena Ali, and I am soon to be twelve this month. I live in Atlanta and wrapped up sixth grade, so this fall I will be entering seventh grade. I was born in Bangalore, India, with a rare condition called congenital bilateral anophthalmia. Wow! I know that's a big mouthful, isn't it! That's what I thought when my parents explained it to me. Basically it means I was born without eyes, and there the journey began!
Blindness does not define who I am and what I can do. I believe that whether you are blind or sighted, people of all abilities can pursue their hopes and dreams with a positive, can-do attitude, an open heart and mind, hard work, and commitment. Doing what you want to do, not what other people want you to do is important, because you're the one who needs to be happy.
I have always attended a mainstream school in a typical classroom. In elementary school I was involved in Girls on the Run and the Jump Rope Club. I enjoy school as well as the challenge of rock climbing, which is my all-time favorite hobby and sport. I have had many people tell me I cannot do an activity as quickly as they can or fully participate in a group activity at school because I cannot see. Just very recently at my last school, another sixth grader told me I could not get to the bathroom on my own because I am blind. That was not true at all! I had to show him that I can do it by getting there, navigating the crazy hallways and doing it independently. I did my best to ignore his negative words. I cannot allow instances such as these to dampen my spirits or to stop me. It simply gives me the encouragement and the perseverance to keep moving and to stay positive.
My dream is to become a Supreme Court judge when I grow up. As long as I put my mind to it and try my best at everything I do and say, and be prepared to continue to work hard and stay committed, I know I can do it. I am sure there will be frustrations, minor and major setbacks along the way, but this does not mean I will give up. I know staying motivated can be difficult. I think it is okay to stop for a moment and regroup.
One thing that has been very important for me and for my school life is advocacy. Advocacy will remain important as I continue into adolescence and growing up. When something is not accessible, I need to speak up. I need to kindly tell my teachers and fellow students what I need and how they can make it accessible. Sometimes they just don't know because they have never interacted with a blind person before. Saying something is really important in order for me to get what I need. I can do anything as long as it is accessible when needed.
Even before kindergarten it is very important to get the right services in place. Mobility, Nemeth Code, and technology are all very important. Services don't come easily all the time at all. You and your children have to advocate for the services you need. Having services in place can help students pursue their dreams.
For me having a strong support system has been really helpful. My parents and family make sure I experience lots of things and try new things. They have me try everything my sighted brother and cousins are doing. That has really helped me to have an open mind and to believe I can do anything.
To conclude, I know I need to stay focused on school, work hard, stay committed, always try to be positive, and practice self-advocacy. I want to do well in college and law school, and I am going to go after my dream to be a Supreme Court judge. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "You need to be the change you wish to see in the world." Thank you so much for your attention and time today! [Applause]
by Carlton Walker
Reprinted from Braille Monitor, Volume 61, Number 9, October 2018
From the Editor: For more than ten years Carlton Walker has been a tireless advocate for her blind daughter and for blind children throughout the United States. In her address at the 2018 convention of the NFB she shared her convictions about the steps we must take to ensure that blind children get the education they deserve.
Good morning, my friends. I thank the National Federation of the Blind and President Mark Riccobono for inviting me to speak with you today. I also thank you for being here. Each of us has the power to change the world every day; today you are taking the opportunity to do so.
Since I was in eighth grade, I wanted to be an attorney. I started my own law firm in 1997, and I continue to serve clients in my solo practice. In 2008 I returned to school and earned a master's degree in education and Pennsylvania certification in teaching students with visual and multiple impairments. I taught students in south central Pennsylvania for more than six years, and I then moved to the National Federation of the Blind, where I served as the manager of Braille education programs for almost two years.
Blindness and blindness education became part of my life because of my child, Anna Catherine. Early on, blindness was not a factor in her life or in ours. Soon after she was born, she had many health issues, underwent many tests and surgeries, and spent way too much of the first year of her life in hospital beds.
In mid-December 2001, Anna Catherine was not yet nine months old, but she was hospitalized again. When we took her home, she was on twenty-four-hour oxygen, on continuous feeds with a feeding tube, and on a heart-lung monitor at night. Before we left the hospital, the doctors told us that the upcoming Christmas would likely be our last with her. We were devastated.
In the spring of 2002, after a change in hospitals and doctors, Anna Catherine gradually began to improve. Anna Catherine was still very delayed physically, and she received services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (which refers to services for children who are not yet school age). She also had privately-provided weekly physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, oral-motor therapy, and aqua therapy; we were on the road a lot and were very, very busy! In her second year of life, with all these supports, Anna Catherine started to make those first-year milestones. Things were looking up.
In June of 2003 (after we had celebrated two Christmases with her), Anna Catherine finally began to eat and drink by mouth as a result of a month of an in-patient feeding therapy program, and we got rid of the feeding tube. We believed that her struggles would soon be over.
I knew that lazy eye (amblyopia) runs in my family, and Anna Catherine's eyes never acted like most children's, so I took her to a pediatric ophthalmologist—to wrap up that loose end.
After testing, the doctor came into the examining room ashen-faced. He was unable to make eye contact or even speak. I was terrified. After about a minute of silence, I asked fearfully, "Is she going to die?"
He quickly said, "No" and launched into a bunch of medical jargon. I was still reeling from his earlier behavior, so I didn't exactly catch what he was saying. From my point of view, Anna Catherine was doing well. She was starting to eat and drink by mouth—for the first time in two years. Though her vision did not seem to be affecting her life, her father and I delved into the world of pediatric ophthalmology.
As the months passed we had more visits and tests with ophthalmologists, including the wonderful ERG (electroretinogram). My little girl had no central vision and only spotty peripheral vision. Her visual acuity was 20/400. My sweet toddler was legally blind.
In the ensuing years my husband, Anna Catherine, and I learned a lot about visual impairment and blindness. Anna Catherine already had been receiving terrific services from physical, occupational, and speech therapists. We assumed that services related to her blindness would be similar. Well, you know what they say about assuming . . .
Even though I asked, the school would not assess for services related to Anna Catherine's blindness. I was told that those services are really more school-oriented, and I should wait for her transition to an IEP—in six months. I didn't know better, so I accepted what they said. When Anna Catherine was finally assessed, I was told that she would be a large-print reader. After all, she could read seventy-two-font text at four to six inches.
This didn't sound right, but what did I know? I was a mother and an attorney, not an "educational professional." I did do some research of my own into non-school services. Through a series of fortunate accidents, I learned about an upcoming conference in Baltimore, Maryland, the "Beginnings and Blueprints" Early Childhood Conference sponsored by a group called the National Federation of the Blind. At the time I wasn't sure how much help it would provide—after all, Anna Catherine could see things. Nevertheless, my husband, Stephen, Anna Catherine, and I left home on the evening of May 5 in 2005 and headed toward Baltimore. Little did we know how much our lives would change—for the better—as a result of that weekend!
At the NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, we learned about the importance of Braille, cane travel, and nonvisual skills—even for our daughter, who could still see some. We learned that our daughter's future success would not be measured by her remaining vision; it would be measured by her facility with blindness skills. Most importantly, we met competent, confident blind adults—and these blind adults cared about all of us and wanted to provide us with the knowledge, skills, tools, support, and love we needed to help Anna Catherine grow into the independent, confident young woman she had the right to be.
Truly, it was a transformative weekend! However, when we returned home, nothing at school had changed. We understood that Anna Catherine needed blindness skills, but her teacher of the visually impaired disagreed. So began the IEP Wars. Like the Clone Wars from Star Wars, the IEP Wars involved multiple battles against powerful antagonists.
There were the Braille Battles. It took months of emails, telephone calls, meetings, and an Independent Educational Evaluation to get Braille instruction started. Once instruction began, it was slow. The teacher told Anna Catherine that Braille was hard—not a particularly successful educational strategy! She told me that Anna Catherine was "too tactually defensive" to learn Braille—not a particularly effective means of encouraging parental involvement! During those months I was on the phone with the mentors I had met at NFB. They were my Yoda—highly intelligent voices of calm and reason to guide me through these battles.
Later we engaged in the O&M (orientation and mobility) Battles. Ridiculous "assessments" supposedly indicated that Anna Catherine did not need orientation and mobility instruction. I challenged them with the knowledge my NFB mentors taught me. We lost the O&M Battle, but guess what? We didn't really lose. NFB resources taught us how to be our child's first O&M instructors and to teach her to use the NFB long white cane.
In elementary school, there were the Cane Battles. When we demanded that Anna Catherine be allowed to bring her NFB-provided long white cane to school, the teacher told the IEP team that long canes are dangerous because little boys running in the hall could trip over them. Thanks to my NFB mentors, I was prepared for this foolish statement: I asked the principal if little boys were allowed to run in the halls of her school. We won this battle, but there were others—about cane storage, cane technique, canes on the playground, forced sighted guide during emergency drills, etc.
A show entitled IEP Wars could yield many seasons of episodes for the viewer. Unlike the Clone Wars, however, IEP Wars are not science fiction; they are the reality for thousands of blind children, and IEP Wars continue to be fought every day across this nation. None of these fights is necessary. Students, families, teachers, schools, communities, and future employers would be far better off if we could end IEP Wars and provide blind children with the educational services and tools that will provide the free appropriate public education to which they are legally entitled.
So why was there so much fighting? The simple and sad reason is this: school officials did not treat Anna Catherine as a full-fledged student who belonged in their school. I am sad to report that Anna Catherine is not the only blind student who has lived through these battles. After years of needless conflict, I have determined that these battles result because schools take three unfortunate stances in relation to our children's and students' education:
First, many teachers and administrators treat our students as "special" cases and throw out the educational principles they apply to every other student in the school. Too many teachers' expectations of our students plummet the moment they learn that the child is blind/visually impaired/has low vision. Instead of providing students with the instruction and tools they need to engage as full-fledged students, these kindly teachers and administrators try to remove the need in various ways.
Their motives may be pure, but they are killing our students with their "kindness."
Second, many teachers assume that, if a student can see some things, the student is not really blind. Sadly, this is especially a problem among teachers of students with blindness/visual impairment and orientation and mobility specialists—educators of blind students, the very educators who should know better.
In other words, in all areas of a blind student's educational life, far too many educators of blind students focus on maximizing vision use instead of maximizing the student's capabilities.
Third, many people believe that "technology has made Braille obsolete." An unfortunately high number of educators in the blindness field perpetuate this fallacy.
Can any of us imagine a regular education teacher refusing to teach reading and writing because, "technology has made print obsolete"? How quickly do you think such a teacher would be fired, or at least put on administrative leave on the way out the door? Yet these lies (and yes, they are lies) are being spread about Braille—and our students are left illiterate.
So why is this the case, and what can we do about it?
Well, after just a few years of IEP Wars in Anna Catherine's early elementary education, Stephen and I realized that we could not rely on her teachers to provide the education our daughter needed. Though my law practice was now growing, I cut back on work and started taking classes to become a teacher in the blindness field. At that time the excellent program at Louisiana Tech did not offer online options (it does now), and I lived in very rural south central Pennsylvania. A Pennsylvania institution offered online classes, so I chose to get my certification there.
What an experience! My program required six semesters of learning about "visual efficiency" and "low vision devices," but there was only one class for learning Braille. We also had three whole days of summer instruction in Nemeth Code and abacus. That's right; the entire class lasted only three days. And guess what? The program I went through offered more Braille than many other programs that purport to train teachers to teach blind students. Is it any wonder that so many graduates of these programs gravitate toward vision and away from the Braille and Nemeth Code their students need for success?
In my orientation and mobility class, we met in-person on six separate evenings. We were exposed to and got to touch and use canes on only one of those evenings, and, out of the two dozen canes we could use for "practice," only two were long white canes. Is it any wonder that so many graduates of these programs gravitate toward protection and guide techniques, "pre-canes" and "identification canes" and away from the long white canes that can allow their students to achieve independent travel skills?
Our Independent Living Skills course consisted of online coursework and one day of on-campus activity. We used sleepshades during those on-campus activities (such as spreading peanut butter on bread and folding money for identification), and we spent the afternoon eating a meal under sleepshades. While these were good activities, they were rushed, and we did not have time to practice them and become comfortable with them. Is it any wonder that so many graduates of these programs remain uncomfortable with nonvisual techniques—even when those techniques would allow their students to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively?
As you can see, many programs that prepare men and women to teach blind students focus on vision and give short shrift to nonvisual tools and techniques. However, this is not the greatest weakness of those programs. The greatest weakness, by far, is the lack of interaction with competent blind adults. Truly, it is startling. Every one of my professors was typically sighted, like I am. While we sighted people are nice enough, we are not experts on blindness. How can any teacher prepare students to be competent blind adults when that instructor has little to no interaction with competent blind adults, much less authentic and meaningful relationships with the blind adults who daily use the skills our students need to succeed?
Obviously, traditional programs are not adequately preparing teachers of blind students. So now we know the answer to why so many school officials resist and even fight teaching our students blindness skills. Now, what can we do about it?
The title of this presentation tells us: the National Federation of the Blind is the answer. The National Federation of the Blind provides the knowledge, resources, and, most importantly, the blind adults who can change the trajectory of the lives of blind children.
The NFB offers 24/7/365 mentorship for blind individuals and their families, tools (such as free white canes and free slates and styluses, and free Braille books from the American Action Fund), and resources (such as Future Reflections magazine, the Braille Monitor, the NFB BELL Academy, and our STEM programs).
Why does NFB offer mentorship, tools, and resources?
We offer mentorship, tools, and resources because the National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
My fellow Federationists, we can and we must share the truth: blind children can have the lives they want, and we will not allow any low expectations of "professionals" to hold them back. We will share with them everything the National Federation of the Blind and our members have to offer, and we will do this through another N-F-B: Nurture, Formulate, and Believe.
N—Nurture: We will Nurture our blind children and their families. We will get to know them and invite them to know us. We will share meals, events, laughter, and tears. We will foster meaningful, long-lasting relationships with them, and they will become members of our Federation Family.
F—Formulate: We will Formulate plans to help our blind children gain the skills they need in school, in their communities, and in life. We will help them bring these formulations to the schools, and we will demand that the schools teach our children. Teach our children Braille (including Nemeth Code and Music Braille). Teach our children cane travel and orientation skills. Teach our children nonvisual skills, both high-tech and low-tech. In other words, provide our children the free appropriate public education to which they are entitled and which has been the law of our land for more than four decades.
B—Believe: We will Believe in our blind children, no matter what obstacles come up. We will remind them to believe in themselves. We will model believing in them for all the world to see. We will show them that they are not impaired, no matter what their vision is or is not. Visual function does not define a person any more than does height, race, or a multitude of other characteristics. Do these characteristics affect how the child develops? Probably, but they do not define the child. We will make certain that they know that our children are far, far more important than what they can or cannot see.
My Federation family, please join me. Join me in proclaiming to blind children and adults across this great nation—the National Federation of the Blind is the answer, and we are with you every step of the way.
by Joanne Gabias
Reprinted from Braille Monitor, Volume 61, Number 8, August/September 2018
From the Editor: Members of the sighted public may recognize that blind people can live independently, travel to wherever they want to go, and even be gainfully employed. When blind people become parents, however, their capacity is questioned all too often. In her address before the 2018 NFB National Convention, Joanne Gabias attempted to set the record straight by sharing her firsthand experience as the sighted child of two blind parents.
Hello, everyone. My name is Joanne Gabias, and I am honored to speak to you all today. I was four months old when I attended my first convention. Although I've missed some throughout the years, this is my twenty-first. [Applause] I have come to convention by plane, by train, by bus, and by car. I was hoping to go by boat next year, but that would be hard to accomplish, going from Arizona to Las Vegas! Maybe 2020 will be in Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
My convention experience has changed over the years. I used to be at NFB Camp, what is now called NFB Child Care, with my brothers Jeffrey, Philip, and Elliott. I remember at the Atlanta convention all of the kids went to the Coca-Cola factory. I got really sick because I pigged out on all the free soda from all over the world. My parents wouldn't normally let me drink soda. That was an early lesson on how parental advice is worth considering, even when they're not there to make you do what they say.
When I was too old to be babysat, I started working for NFB Camp, and now I am a blindness professional. [Applause] Before you all think that my childhood is what got me into this field, I would like to point out that I never even knew that the field of orientation and mobility existed until I was finishing my undergraduate degree and didn't know what to do with my life. I love my degree in linguistic anthropology, and I wouldn't change it for the world. But I couldn't make a living wage as an anthropologist unless I became a university professor, something I definitely didn't want to do. In fact I always said I would never become a teacher or go into psychology, because that is what my dad does, and everyone assumed I would follow in his footsteps. Well, now I know never say never, because I obtained my master's in guidance and counseling, and I am currently an orientation and mobility instructor at SAAVI Services for the Blind in Tucson, Arizona.
I am here today for you, for your kids, and for the future children of blind parents. I hope that my story will help you convince doubters that children of blind parents can and do live wonderful lives.
People made a lot of assumptions about my life growing up, some true and some not so true. Both of my parents are totally blind due to retinopathy of prematurity. When people learn that, I get comments like, "Oh, I'm so sorry," or "Wow, how is life growing up with blind parents?" or "Oh, you must've been a big help around the house." Most children of blind parents can probably list off a bunch of other naive comments that we get all the time. My answer is always, "Well, I didn't know any different, so it was normal to me." And, quite frankly, my childhood was a pretty typical one.
During my schooling at Louisiana Tech University, I attended immersion at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Even after my immersion ended, I attended a seminar at least once a week throughout my entire program. One time the seminar question was, "Who is the first blind person you met, and how old were you?" Pam Allen called upon me to speak. I told the group that I was in kindergarten when I met my first blind person. Clearly that's an odd answer, coming from a child whose parents are blind. It was in kindergarten that I first realized what people meant when they used the word. Before then, my parents were just my parents. My parents fed me, dressed me, and took me to school. My experience wasn't any different from anyone else's. I also thought it was weird at the age of four that everyone would say to me, "Oh, you must be a big help around the house." Like what the heck was that supposed to mean? I'm four! I'm pretty sure that those comments ingrained in me and my brothers the determination to do the least amount possible around the house outside of our chores! Even getting us to do those was hard; so Mom, next time you need to yell at Elliott to take out the trash, blame it on the world for making us want to prove that the stereotype of saintly children helping their poor blind parents is wrong. [Applause]
I was spoiled. My mom made my breakfast and lunch every day until I graduated from high school. Even in university, if I asked or if she saw I was stressed with work or school, she would make me food. When I go home to visit, I have a list of favorite foods that I ask my mom to make. As everyone knows, there are just some things that taste better when Mom makes them.
There were expectations, too. On each of our thirteenth birthdays, my mom taught us how to use the washer and dryer. She said, "You are a teenager now. I'm no longer doing your laundry. If you want clean clothes, you'll have to do them yourself." [Applause]
My family has always been very health-focused. My dad runs the Gabias Wellness Center out of our family home. Some of you might have met him in the exhibit hall, talking about all the Nikken wellness products they offer. When I was younger, my dad was very strict about what we ate. My brothers are so lucky that he let up as we got older, but as you know, parents are always the hardest and the most cautious with the firstborn. I even have proof. All the pictures from my first birthday party show my dad following me around making sure I was okay. I was running away with an annoyed look on my face. I already wanted to be my own person. By the time they had their fourth child, my parents were just satisfied that the youngest was wearing clean underwear.
When I was in kindergarten, my mom made a cake to bring to my class for my birthday. My parents had chosen not to have chocolate in our house, so my mom tried to make a cake using carob. If you have never worked with carob, it frankly tastes like dirt. My mom made carob frosting as well, a double dose of yuck. Carob doesn't spread well. The frosting started clumping and breaking the cake. It was just a mess. I think Apple must've seen a picture of this cake, because they made an emoji that looks exactly like it. [Laughter] I think VoiceOver calls it the "smiling pile of poo." I remember that day so vividly! The teachers tried to shush the kids when they asked why the cake looked so weird. The teacher assumed that it was because my mom was blind. I was annoyed, because I knew it wasn't my mom's blindness or her cooking skills. It was because of that stupid carob.
Mom can bake good stuff. I planned a surprise sweet sixteen party for my best friend, and my mom made a giant chocolate (real chocolate!) heart-shaped cake with raspberry filling. Everyone loved it so much that all of my friends asked her to make one for their birthdays as well.
My family lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, minutes away from a spectacular lake. When I was ten, my family bought a speedboat. We spent most of our summer on the lake, waterskiing, tubing, wakeboarding, and swimming. Our family knew a man who drove for us. It was only natural that he would also drive our boat.
When I was twelve our driver had a stroke and was in the hospital for most of the summer. My dad tried to hire random people to drive the boat. The cab driver he chose bent the propeller when he ran aground. The twenty-one-year-old son of a friend gouged the side of the boat while docking, at a cost of $250. Dad was so annoyed with incompetent boat drivers that he started looking into the boat licensing process. He found out that twelve-year-olds can get a boat license in Canada. Conveniently I had just turned twelve, so I was volunteered. Dad paid for me and two of my friends to get our boat licenses. Dad sat in the class as we learned nautical rules and took the licensing exam, which we all passed. The only problem was that we completed the class without ever coming near a boat.
The next day my dad took me out on the boat at 6 a.m., when there weren't many boats on the lake, and showed me what all of the controls did. His family owned a boat when he was growing up, so he had been around them all his life. Whenever my dad gets a new gadget of any kind, he figures out every button, lever, and widget. He knew exactly what to do with his boat.
I was extremely nervous because of my dad's high expectations. I remember my dad telling me, "Put it in full throttle and turn the wheel." That scared me. I said, "We're going to flip!"
Firmly he said, "If you don't do it, I will. You need to know how the boat will react to whatever you're doing."
Everything I learned about boating—towing a water skier, docking, and just cruising along—I learned from my dad. I would like to point out that I have never put a scratch on our boat, and neither have my three brothers, who were also taught by my dad. [Applause]
When we all started to learn how to drive cars, my dad insisted that we take formal lessons. Dad went to every lesson with us. My dad went through the program four times, to be exact. If he couldn't make it to a lesson, he would have to reschedule; he wanted to make sure he knew what we were being taught and that we were doing what we were supposed to do when we were driving alone. Even though he wasn't the one directly teaching us this time, my dad was very much at the center of our driving experience.
As I grew older, I became more and more independent. I traveled all over Canada and the US. I even went to France, Guatemala, New Mexico, and Belize in high school and in college. Even when you're legally an adult, sometimes you still need help from your parents. When I came back from Guatemala, my cell phone stopped working. I had insurance, so I took my phone in to get it fixed. I spent three months contending with loaner phones that didn't work, and my original phone kept coming back to me more broken than before.
I was complaining to my mom that they kept giving me the runaround, so she came to the store with me. My mom is a very calm person. She doesn't really raise her voice, but when she's mad, you know it! My mother calmly but powerfully explained that this was unacceptable; they needed to figure things out. Just like that I got a new upgraded phone at zero cost to me! If I had known that this would've been the outcome, I would've brought her in the first place! This skill is something I still don't possess. I think my brother Jeffrey inherited this skill. Luckily for me, I can still call on my mom when I'm in need.
Some kids are denied the chance to grow up learning from their parents, especially children of blind parents. When I was in the fifth grade, my life could've changed drastically. Some random lady came to school and separately pulled my brother and me out of class. She started asking me questions about my parents: whether my father hit my brother or if I was safe at home. I thought they were the weirdest questions ever. I was sure that they took the wrong kid out of class. These questions didn't even remotely make sense in my life.
When I went home, my mom was very upset. The random lady had been to our home, too. I told her about my experience. My mom became livid. She had not been given the courtesy of being told that they would be interviewing us at school. The weird lady was from social services. Someone had made an anonymous call about my parents. The complaint was that my dad might—might—have hit or spanked my brother, that our house was messy, and that my brother went to school with a dirty shirt. Can anyone in the audience tell me that your house is never messy and that your kids or you have never dirtied a shirt?
After talking to us kids and visiting our parents at home, social services realized that the complaint was unjustified. Luckily they never bothered us again. [Applause] But that incident has lingered with my mother to this day. All of her children are legal adults, yet she still wonders who called social services. We all know that social services didn't show up because my dad might've spanked my brother or because of a messy house or because of a dirty shirt. They came because the caller said that both parents were totally blind. That was the real issue. It didn't matter that my mother was a stay-at-home mom or that my dad was a university professor. Even though we had a parent at home to take care of us and a parent making sure we had the money to live a happy and prosperous life, the thing that mattered to the social workers was that my parents were blind. I know that many other parents have experienced this visit or live in fear of this visit.
I recently testified at the Arizona House of Representatives in favor of the right to parent bill, which was passed and signed into state law this spring. [applause] One of the committee members was asking a lot of naive questions about how my parents knew when we were doing something wrong. He seemed convinced that I probably got away with a lot of things because my parents couldn't see. I told him that when my brother Philip was still in preschool, my mother took him to the store with her. While she was busy in the checkout line, my brother grabbed a pack of gum. On the way out Mom noticed that he was very quiet. She heard him fiddling with something. She did a quick search of his pockets and marched him right back into the store and asked for the store manager. She made my five-year-old brother confess what he had done and apologize. [Applause] Then she paid for the gum. The store manager said, "Well, you've paid for it now, so you can have it back." My mom said, "Absolutely not! I'm not rewarding this behavior; throw it out." My brother was so embarrassed that he never stole from a store again. [Applause]
The committee member seemed unconvinced. He said, "Well, he was young. I have teenagers. It's really hard to keep track of them."
The ways that my brothers and I got caught may be unconventional, but no matter what, we always got caught. In middle school the fad was to have your midriff showing, a fad that happens to be coming back recently. It's funny how many things have come back from the Nineties! Well, I wasn't allowed to show off my belly, but I wanted to be fashionable. Besides, it was hard for me to find shirts that fit because I've always been tall. I've been five-foot-nine since the seventh grade. Before I left for school, my parents would ask for a hug. This is how they would sneakily check to see that my shirt was long enough. My dad would ask for a hug from my brothers to check their breath to see if they had brushed their teeth. I could go on and on about all the ways we got caught, so when someone says, "Oh, you must've gotten away with a lot of things," I just laugh because they are so, so wrong!
When I was in high school, I did an exchange program. Sara, a girl from Quebec, was to spend six weeks in my home, and I would spend six weeks in hers. We had to fill out a profile about our life, interests, parents, what they did for work, etc. There was no line asking if my parents were blind, so I didn't write anything about that. It wasn't important.
We got each other's paperwork in June, but Sara didn't come until the end of January. On her way to our home, she met the program coordinator, who remarked on how brave Sara was to come to a home run by two blind parents. Sara started freaking out. She even called her mom. Her mom told her that she should just see what it was like before she panicked and came home.
When Sara arrived at the Kelowna airport, my dad and I were waiting for her with a big sign saying, "Bienvenue Sara," meaning, "Welcome Sara" in French. We picked up her luggage, which my dad carried. When we got home, Mom made her a snack, and we talked with my parents for an hour before my new friend and I went to my room. She finally told me about her conversation with the coordinator and said, "I realized once I got here that your parents are super normal, but why didn't you tell me before?" I told her it wasn't important to me, so I didn't really think it was necessary to say anything. As things developed, I was happy I hadn't told her. When I asked her what she would've done if she had gotten this information in advance, she admitted that she wasn't sure she even would've come.
Sara had a great time. It became so much more than a nice trip. We call each other sisters to this day. When she had a semester off a few years later, Sara decided to come back to Kelowna and live with us for three months. Not only do their flesh and blood love my parents, but so do my friends. Sara was not the only one who lived with us. I had four different friends live with my parents over the years. My house was the place to be.
I wish my grandparents could see our family now. My grandmother was very upset when my dad married a blind person. She didn't have a problem with him being blind, but she was scared that if he married another blind person, their children would grow up socially awkward because they wouldn't learn any visual social cues. My grandmother died when I was one, so she didn't get to see any of us grow up. I know my grandmother is biting her tongue up in heaven right now.
My mother, Mary Ellen Gabias, used to work at the national office in the Eighties. She was in charge of the Job Opportunities for the Blind. My father, Paul Gabias, met my mother through that program briefly and then again while attending a leadership seminar. My mom happened to be one of the ones giving a tour for the seminar group. If you have ever been to the national office, you know that everyone helps out where they are needed, no matter what their position may be. Well, my mom says that that was the worst tour she ever gave. Anything that could go wrong did. The ancient freight elevator got stuck with everybody onboard, among other minor disasters. My father, however, knew he had found his future wife, even if she didn't know it yet.
So I would like to thank the National Federation of the Blind, because if it wasn't for this community, I would not exist. Although I may not be blind, this is my family. I am a Federation baby, and this is my family reunion. [Applause] I am part of the next generation of Federationists. The next generation may not all be blind, but we know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you, me, or your child's future. Every day we live with high expectations of blind people. We don't understand why there are low expectations. We are the result of the dreams of blind people. We live the lives you fought for. We know that blindness doesn't hold you back because you have taught us. Thank you. [Applause]
Presented by James Gashel
Reprinted from Braille Monitor, Volume 61, Number 8, August-September 2018
James Gashel: Thank you, Mr. President and my Federation family. This is the eleventh time that we have presented the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards on the final day of the National Federation of the Blind convention. Aside from the NFB's support—financial and otherwise—these awards are made possible with help from the Santa Barbara Foundation and the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust. To date we have presented $580,000. [Applause] Yeah, go ahead and clap, that's a good one—to fifty-three recipients, and we're going to add six new recipients this year.
A biography entitled The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story has been written by Rosalind Perlman and is available in print and audio CD format from Amazon, or you can get it free from the NLS program of the Library of Congress. Before you read any other book this year, if you have not read this story, you must do it. That is your required reading for the year.
Jacob Bolotin's story defines what it means to live the life you want. He was born in 1888, and he only lived thirty-six years. But in that thirty-six years he accomplished a whole lot more than most of us are able to accomplish in twice as many years, and he did it with precious little support to fulfill his dream of becoming the first medical doctor blind from birth. After attending the Illinois School for the Blind, he worked to support himself and his family in Chicago by selling matches, brushes, and typewriters door to door. But not only did he support himself and his family; he also saved up enough money to go to medical school. People in the student division, I used to be your president—take note! [Laughter, cheers]
Bolotin had no rehabilitation—you may say that's an advantage—he had no ADA or Section 504, and more particularly, he had no NFB to back him up. In the spirit of Newel Perry, Jacobus tenBroek, Kenneth Jernigan, Marc Maurer, and Mark Riccobono, Jacob Bolotin broke down barriers and blazed new trails for us to follow. And in every way that really counts, he was part of our Federation family before we organized the family.
The annual awards program we conduct helps to keep Dr. Bolotin's memory alive. It does so by recognizing exemplary people and projects at work on behalf of the blind. The awards include an amount of money that each recipient gets, but they also include an engraved plaque and medallion especially inscribed for the significance of the event. Here's the text on the plaque:
Presented to [name of the recipient] by the National Federation of the Blind and the Santa Barbara Foundation
July 2018.
The medallion, which is suspended above the plaque, has the NFB logo appearing on the obverse side of the medallion and says, "The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award/Celebrating Achievement, Creating Opportunity." Then on the reverse side there's Dr. Jacob Bolotin's engraved bust appearing with this inscription: "Dr. Jacob Bolotin/1888-1924/Celebrating his Life/The Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust." And now, for the 2018 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards:
Video Introduction: Ladies and gentlemen, the National Federation of the Blind is proud to introduce the 2018 recipients of our Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. These six innovators have broken down barriers faced by blind people in innovative ways, changed negative perceptions of blindness and blind people, and pushed past existing boundaries to inspire blind people to achieve new heights. Our two individual winners—who are both blind—are: Carol Begay Green, creator of the Navajo language Braille Code. [Applause]
Carol Begay Green: I developed a Navajo Braille code back in 2015. I developed a plan to teach the Navajo Braille code across the Navajo Nation.
Video Narration: Peggy Chong, also known as the "Blind History Lady."
Peggy Chong: Several years ago somebody kind of gave me that little tag because I had been just finding all these little bits of odds and ends of information and liked to share it about blind people. I had been doing a genealogy project on my family since about 2003, and then every once in a while on the same page as an article about my great-grandpa would be this article about a blind person. And I would copy it and paste it into another document and save it for researching later. About three years ago, I decided it was time to bring it forward—actually it was about four years ago now—and I began a project called "The Blind History Lady," taking a lot of the stories that I'd been collecting over about thirty-five years and putting them into a format that other people can gain access to. I consider the people that I research my ancestors. I have been collecting their data for a long time. Over the years I have gotten some of my articles in the Minnesota Bulletin or the Iowa History Journal, but to get this acknowledgment from my peers that this is important is, to me, very special. As a genealogist we often talk about how our families are the last to recognize us, so being recognized by my family just a few years after starting this project is very, very special.
Video Narration: The four initiatives and organizations receiving Bolotin Awards are: Be My Eyes, a free service connecting blind people with sighted volunteers around the world. Cofounder and CEO Christian Erfurt:
Christian Erfurt: Be My Eyes is a very simple but powerful app enabling blind and visually-impaired users to ask for visual assistance via their smartphone without having to decide who to call with the actual task at hand. What we do is that we match on time zone and language, and establish a video connection to a sighted volunteer somewhere in the world who speaks the same language you do. And since the call is forwarded until answered and we send out the requests in batches, the one who does take the call is someone who has time and resources to take the call and solve whatever challenge you have in front of you. My cofounder and the inventor, Hans Jurgen Wiberg, is visually impaired himself. Early on he came up with the idea of taking the part of calling someone out of the equation and setting up this community of sighted volunteers. One thing is media attention from a concept level, because they identify and understand the concept, but to actually be honored and recognized by the industry and the users is something that means everything to us.
Video Narration: iBUG Today, blind people training other blind people to use technology. President and CEO Michael McCulloch:
Michael McCulloch: We are a nonprofit organization, and our mission is to promote individual independence, social integration, and educational development. We've had a few people use their skills that they've picked up to gain some employment. We had one member about a year ago who got employed by one of our local Apple stores here in Houston. To see somebody who came in, maybe not even on their own, maybe wanted a smartphone, and we helped him go out and purchase one, select one that would be useful to him, and gain the training on it. There've been several that continued to gain the training so that they themselves could become our mentors and trainers and facilitators. To hear how they became successful and credit us for doing that is a real blessing. We couldn't do it without our volunteers; they're the best part of our organization.
Video Narration: Ski for Light, connecting blind and sighted in the joy of cross-country skiing. President Marion Elmquist:
Marion Elmquist: Ski for Light was started in the US in 1975 and was brought to the US by a Norwegian immigrant who had been very involved in a similar program in Norway that was started in 1964 by a blind Norwegian entertainer. The whole idea is to share the love of outdoor activities and the sport of cross-country skiing with blind and mobility impaired adults. We have an annual event; each year it moves around the United States, 250-300 people total are there, and that includes blind, visually impaired, mobility impaired cross-country skiers, and volunteer guides. From what I've read of Dr. Bolotin, it sounds like Ski for Light has been successful in continuing his philosophy and his thought that being blind is not a barrier to living a successful and healthy lifestyle. I think it really reinforces that we're doing the right thing.
Video Narration: The Tactile Map Automated Production, TMAP, of the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco. Scott Blanks, senior director of programs:
Scott Blanks: Within minutes of making a phone call and providing an address, a tactile map can be embossed and either picked up at our San Francisco location (if you're in the local area) or mailed to you within a couple business days. What the TMAPs allow you to do is get your hands literally on a top-down view of a particular neighborhood or section of a city, and it is one of the things that comes closest to giving folks who are not able to see sort of that similar experience to a street view. The recognition is wonderful. What I'm really excited about, though, is that we're going to be able to connect so deeply with so many blind people and give them a tool that is simple, it's elegant, it's inexpensive, and it's going to unlock the world for them. This is innovation, and that's what Dr. Bolotin was all about, so carrying on that tradition is something that—I don't think I really have the words to express it, but it is a wonderful honor to be able to receive this award.
Video Narration: Ladies and gentlemen, please give each of these outstanding innovators a warm welcome as the National Federation of the Blind now proudly presents them with their 2018 Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. [At this point in the presentation, the video ends, and the chairman resumes speaking.]
James Gashel: We have six award winners this year, and you've heard from all of them. Isn't this an outstanding class? [Applause] Just a word to the winners: we're going to distribute the awards, and we're going to tell you how much money you get. If you'll come up as I call you by name, we'll get that done.
Carol Begay Green, creator of the Navajo Braille code. Here you go, Carol. Here's your Bolotin Award, and congratulations on the $5,000.
Peggy Chong, the Blind History Lady, $5,000.
iBUG, also known as iBUG Today, connecting blind people with iOS and Android technology and teaching them how to use it. Congratulations to Michael McCulloch, president and CEO, who is here to receive the award in the amount of $5,000 on behalf of iBUG Today.
Ski for Light, sharing the love of cross-country skiing, blind and sighted people working together in an atmosphere of equal opportunity and just plain fun. When it comes to skiing, I always like to put in "fun." Congratulations to Judy Dixon, who is here today to receive the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in the amount of $5,000 on behalf of Ski for Light.
For the next $5,000, the TMAP project of the LightHouse for the Blind of San Francisco. Congratulations to Scott Blanks, who is senior director of programs at the LightHouse, who is here to accept the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award on behalf of the LightHouse for the Blind of San Francisco.
Now for the final and the highest cash prize award this year: it also comes with the chance to say a few words to the group, and this is being given to Be My Eyes. [Applause] If you have an iOS or an Android device and that device has a camera, then you can have a pair of eyes that work: twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, wherever you happen to be in the United States or in 150 foreign countries where over 180 different languages are spoken on the Earth. This is a free service, connecting blind people with sighted volunteers around the world. Congratulations to Hans Jurgen Wiberg, founder of Be My Eyes, who is here to accept the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in the amount of $25,000.
Hans Jurgen Wiberg: I'm starting to like this better and better. [Laughter] Thank you so much for this award. And with the honor—and also the money—it does make a big difference when you are a small startup, so this is super, super important. I am, myself, a member of the Danish Blind Association, so I think you can understand that receiving this award is something super, super special when you are a blind guy from Denmark coming all the way over here and getting this. Thank you so much. I know firsthand how important it is to get a little bit of help sometimes. I also know that I don't want to have this help around all the time, because they would drink all my coffee. So with Be My Eyes you can get those twenty seconds of help and then get rid of the helper in a nice way. And we have managed to get 1.5 million people to sign up to be your eyes. If you want to speak to all of them for one minute, it would take you three years, day and night—then you should take a break. But this will give you an understanding of how many good people there are in this world, and they are really willing to help in all those languages. Thank you to President Riccobono for inviting us over here and giving Christian the chance to speak yesterday. It has been a wonderful experience, and I'll be glad to come back next year. Thank you.
Jim Gashel: Here's your award, Hans. Here's your hat; what's your hurry? [Laughter] All of the members of the class of 2018 are now assembled right here around the podium behind me, Mr. President and members of the National Federation of the Blind. This is the distinguished and very deserving class for the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award 2018. Please give them a round of applause. [Applause, cheers]
Please visit our Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award webpage at nfb.org for more details about all of these projects, including the full length of their audio interviews. Thank you to Ron Brown and Mary Ellen Jernigan for providing their enlightened experience and wise guidance in selecting our award winners this year. Mr. President, this completes the report of the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award Committee and the presentation of our 2018 awards. Thank you very much.
Presented by Cayte Mendez
Reprinted from Braille Monitor, Volume 61, Number 8, August-September 2018
The head of the scholarship committee, Cayte Mendez, introduced the 2018 scholarship class with these remarks:
Cayte Mendez: Good morning, Mr. President and members of the board. It's been my privilege to serve as chair of this committee for the past year. Before I go any further, I just want to take a quick opportunity to thank my predecessor, Patti Chang, for all of her hard work with the committee. [Applause] Her mentorship and the support of the committee members made my learning curve as smooth as it could possibly have been, so thanks.
This scholarship program is an opportunity for the National Federation of the Blind to emphasize our commitment to academic excellence and leadership among blind students. The folks I'm going to introduce to you this morning exemplify these qualities in spades. I'm going to introduce each scholarship finalist in this fashion: first name, last name, and then two states. The first state is their home state; the second state is the state where they will be attending school. Now, last night at the NABS [National Association of Blind Students] board meeting, the students did a really wonderful job of following these directions, so today I hope the folks in the audience can follow them as well. [Laughter] Please reserve your applause until the end. There are thirty scholarship finalists, and if we clap for all of them, we're going to be here until next Tuesday. They're all wonderful and deserve our attention, so let's please clap for them at the end. Now the students could follow these directions, so you, the audience at the board meeting, I hope you can as well.
Our first scholarship finalist this year, alphabetically, is one of only thirteen men in this class. Once again the numbers are skewed toward the ladies.
Naim Abu-El Hawa, Virginia, Virginia: Good morning, Federation family. It is my most sincere pleasure to be here this morning with y'all and to be honored with the value of being a scholarship finalist. Little bit about me: I am studying international relations with a Middle East politics concentration. A fun fact about me: I am proud to identify with my activist status, no political implications within—actually, lots of political implications within. I cannot reiterate enough the honor that has been placed in my hands being a scholarship finalist, and I hope to live up to the expectations that the National Federation of the Blind has placed in my trust and care. Thank you, fellow Federationists.
Alexandra Alfonso, District of Columbia, District of Columbia: In the fall I plan on attending Catholic University, where I will major in music education and pre-law. One day I hope to be a teacher of the visually impaired and a practicing lawyer in juvenile courts. I went to a school for the arts for three years, where I majored in vocal music, which motivated me to do music education. Thank you.
Tasnim Alshuli, Arizona, Arizona: Hello, everyone. Thank you. I'm so honored, first of all, to be here and to be one of the finalists in the 2018 scholarship class. I am a doctoral student in education. My focus is mathematics and visual impairment. I have faced a lot of exclusiveness and inaccessibility as well as discrimination in my education career. I have met a lot of you that have also faced the same in either K-12 or higher education. I am devoting myself to research how blind students learn mathematics, and with your help my NFB family—brothers and sisters—we will do it together. Thank you.
Millad Bokhouri, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Hello NFB. I'm getting my master's in health care administration, specializing in disability services in medicine. The projected stats for the blind population in the United States are that it will grow by 30 percent. Seventy-five percent of that will be ages fifty-five and older, and I personally believe that they have a more difficult time adjusting to their vision loss and blindness than our citizens starting at a younger age. My motivation is that the blind people in this country need to break into health care and make an active change there. I'm hoping that by implementing and learning about administrative services, I can be a better advocate for not only the blind but also the sick and the ill. I'm also hoping that by next year when I come back to the 2019 convention—wherever it is—that I would also be able to potentially develop a health care committee to create transparency for not only health care individuals in medicine who are blind, but also within the immediate community.
Tyron Bratcher, Maryland, Maryland: Good morning, Federation family. This coming fall I will be completing my final year of undergraduate studies at Coppin State University in Baltimore. I am studying social work, and I have a rehabilitation services minor. After I am finished at Coppin, I am planning on pursuing my master's degree in social work, doing work that helps people who are not only blind but people with all types of disabilities realize what most of us here already do, which is that no matter what's going on, what type of disability you have, whatever the case is, it doesn't have to automatically stop you from living the life that you want. I am truly honored to be here. I have attended many conventions, but it is an honor to be here this year as one of the national scholarship finalists. I'm not only involved in things in the Federation but also in my school. And one of them that I am looking forward to this year is I may possibly have an opportunity to join my school's executive board of student government association this coming year as a representative to the University System of Maryland's student council, which has the opportunity to make recommendations to our chancellor and our board of regents on different issues including appointments of student regents and different things like that. I'm looking forward to that, and even if I don't get that position, I may have the opportunity to join in a different executive board position. I truly enjoy being part of the Federation, and I definitely use what I've learned here to help me with other things that I'm involved in at school as well as in my community. I thank you for all the support that everyone has given me over the years, and I look forward to continuing to be active in helping to build the National Federation of the Blind. Thank you.
Cayte Mendez: Our next finalist is also a tenBroek Fellow. That means that she has previously won a National Federation of the Blind scholarship. This honor is named after Jacobus tenBroek, a renowned leader in our organization's past. So, without further delay, I'm going to introduce all of you to…
Chrys Buckley, Oregon, Oregon: Good morning, NFB. In a month from tomorrow I will be starting medical school, and it was a long journey to get to this point. I earned degrees in micromolecular biology, biochemistry, and arts and letters, and worked as a chemistry tutor and tutor coordinator. When it was time for me to take the MCAT, the NFB intervened to make sure that I got testing accommodations. I love science, and I love working with people, so I'm really excited for this new journey and also really excited and so grateful to be here today.
Ozgul Calicioglu, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Good morning, NFB. Thank you for welcoming me here. I obtained my bachelor's and master's degrees in environmental engineering in Turkey and another bachelor's in business management in Russia. Currently my PhD studies at Penn State involve converting waste into valuable products and biofuels. I conducted some part of this research in Switzerland last summer, and this summer I am interning in the UN in the Food and Agricultural Organization headquartered in Rome, Italy. My work there is about assisting countries to attain the global sustainable development goals of the UN. I'm very passionate about sustainability as much as disability advocacy, and I aspire to a career in academia to raise environmentally conscious and socially aware citizens.
Olivia Charland, Massachusetts, Vermont: Hi. So this is my first time attending an NFB convention. This week was my first time traveling alone, and this was sort of my first time being independent. I'm not a naturally outspoken person; I'm not that outgoing. I've never been very open about being visually impaired, so this convention was a really critical first step in breaking some of those restraints I had been unwittingly putting on myself because I am blind. I'm going into a STEM field, and I'm hoping to do research in biology and biotech. I know it's going to be a challenge, but I know that the NFB is going to be behind me and that I'm going to have support from this community and that with that help I'm going to be able to achieve my dreams. Thank you for having me.
Purvi Contractor, Texas, Texas: Good morning, President Riccobono, members of the board of directors, and fellow Federationists. This fall I will be attending the University of Texas at Dallas and pursuing a bachelor's of science in physics. My goal is to be a scientist at NASA or conduct research at the university. Last year I completed a quantitative case study analyzing bird strikes with airplanes for the Dallas-Fort Worth and the Dallas Love Field airports. During my high school career I had advocated for the rights of the blind. When I was in ninth grade I presented a prototype of a Braille label on Pepsi products. I would like to thank you for this opportunity. For parents and teachers, I would like to encourage you to encourage your child or student to apply for this scholarship. Thank you.
Kenia Flores, North Carolina, South Carolina: Good morning, fellow Federationists. It is truly an honor to be recognized as a scholarship finalist. I am a rising junior at Furman University, majoring in politics and international affairs. I recognize that my rights as a woman who is Hispanic and blind would not be possible without individuals who came before me. After graduating from Furman I plan to attend law school so that I can become a civil rights attorney and protect the rights of individuals who fall within protected classes. I look forward to continuing to build the National Federation of the Blind alongside you and continuing our efforts to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind. Thank you.
John Harrison, Wisconsin, Wisconsin: Good morning, y'all. It's good to be back to my second convention. I'm having a great time; I hope you are, too. Next year, I'll be a sophomore majoring in English, creative writing, and psychology. I love reading and writing, so if you have any good book recommendations, hit me up. I am just fascinated by psychology. Next year I will get the opportunity to be my campus LGBTQ peer educator, and I'll be able to go into classrooms and help people through education, sitting on panels, and just being an advocate for them. I think that's great practice, because the life I want to live is helping others live the lives they want through education and advocacy. I'd like to thank you all for helping me live the life I want, and I look forward to talking to you all. Have a good day.
Cayte Mendez: Now these next two finalists (I just have to share this with you) have the same birthday—not the same year, but they were both born January 15. So the first of them is…
Eric Harvey, California, Massachusetts: Good morning, and thank you for this phenomenal honor. I am in the final year of my PhD, finishing up my dissertation in Near Eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University. In my research I study the history, religion, and literature of the ancient Middle East. This means everything from the epic of Gilgamesh in Babylonian to funerary inscriptions in Phoenician to the Dead Sea Scrolls in Hebrew and Aramaic. And let me tell you, if you think information accessibility is a problem today, phew! [Laughter] I study the religious past, but I don't want to keep it in the past. My goal is to become a professor, because I think right now that religious literacy is one of the most important skills for the world we live in to understand the history and traditions of our own religion and to understand the religions of our neighbors and friends, both locally and across the globe. Thank you so much for supporting my last year of studies, and hopefully I will never need to apply for this scholarship again.
Justin Heard, Georgia, Georgia: Hello. I just want to say, the Federation love for students is both awesome and terrifying, so thank you. I'm literally controlling my breathing right now. I'm attending Georgia College and State University seeking a bachelor's degree in psychology, and then afterward I will either attend Louisiana Tech to get a master's in teaching blind students, or I will attend Orthodox Christian Seminary—so, Lord knows what's happening. [Laughter] I have been president of the Georgia Association of Blind Students for the past four years, and I have been a board member of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia for almost a year. I am a graduate of BLIND, Incorporated, [Cheers] in Minnesota, both the PREP program and the adult program, and I'm also working at the Colorado Center for the Blind [Cheers] this summer as a technology instructor and residential counselor. I believe that is all about me.
Jeff Humphrey, Michigan, Michigan: Ladies and gentlemen of the National Federation of the Blind: Next year I shall finish my bachelor's degree at Olivet College in sociology/anthropology, and also my double minors in political science and religious studies. After that I shall go on to Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, and I shall complete my master's degree in ethnomedicine and global health. My goals are to ensure that people are cared for and that I can become a holistic healer and help bridge the gap in our medical system and treating our people with compassion. I also wish to start a global educational exchange where cultures can share with one another all the different histories that they have so that we can learn from one another, respect one another, enjoy each other for who we are, and stop fighting so many wars. My other goal is to ensure that the advancement of Braille literacy continues, so after this I shall go and submit my name for the Braille Committee. In high school I was always a member of SGA (Student Government Association). I was even a member of the National Honor Society. In college I served on our Student Government Association for three years, two years as our activities liaison. I am the community service representative for Elite, or the Alpha Xi Omega social fraternity at Olivet College. I was also a founding member of this group called the Disability Rights Council, which is a group that advocates for all disabled students on campus for accommodations and to ensure that they can do the jobs that they wish to do. Thank you for giving me this opportunity as a first-time conventioneer and even as a newly made NFB member. I did not expect to receive this honor. We must remember: we must educate to liberate.
Trisha Kulkarni, Ohio, California: In addition to yesterday being the national celebration of our country's independence, this first week in July has also come to have significant personal meaning to me. Last year at this time my family and I worked tirelessly to organize a fundraiser that raised over $70,000 for retinal research to help others with unstable eye conditions live the lives they want. Today I am also celebrating my one-year anniversary with my guide dog, Liberty; my first national convention; and my newfound membership as a student at the Colorado Center for the Blind. [Cheers] I will be attending Stanford University in the fall and majoring in symbolic systems with the hope of becoming a software engineer. Thank you so much for welcoming me to the NFB family.
Amanda Lannan, Florida, Florida: Good morning. I believe that education is the foundation for our future. Therefore my journey started long ago when I was diagnosed as being blind, but my parents really pushed me. I tried anything and everything, and because of their efforts, I have journeyed, and I find myself now at the University of Central Florida pursuing a PhD in exceptional student education. My focus, though, is on new teacher preparation. My goal is to help those teachers to understand that high expectations will lead to success. My purpose in life is to educate all children with hope, equality, and resourcefulness. I wanted to also share that I am a huge advocate. I will be leaving early Monday morning right after this amazing convention to go for the Student Exceptional Leadership Summit. I will be in Washington; I'll be on the Hill. I have been doing a lot of research, but I will be advocating for many of our efforts here in the NFB: the AIM High and all of those initiatives. Additionally, I will be in Washington again for another summit at the end of July, and then I am really looking forward to going to Maryland and volunteering with the STEM EQ because I love to hang out with students, and I cannot wait to empower them with some STEM learning. Finally, my research involves augmentative and virtual realities, and we're working on how those technologies can benefit the accessibility of STEM for students who are blind. I really appreciate the honor, and let's go continue to build this amazing Federation.
Shane Lowe, Kentucky, Kentucky: Amanda, that's great. I'm here for the check. [Laughter] No, not that check, the reality check, because there are so many misconceptions around the NFB. And in case you guys didn't know, as a member of the NFB you are allowed to ask other people for directions! When I'm not here, I'm an incoming freshman at a university you've never heard of, majoring in business administration and cyber security to reform the way that blind people analyze cyber threats so that we may live the lives we want and not the lives the guy who nicked our Social Security numbers wants. I also want to combat these in the corporate world. I am a software engineer for Pearson, I'm a published author, and I've had the privilege of working with Kentucky's commissioner of education to enhance both my geographic and demographic community. On a more exciting note for some of you, tomorrow you will get to see me in a different light. Tomorrow evening I will have the honor of performing with Precious Perez at the welcoming concert, and I still suspect that they will make me buy a ticket. See you there; thank you so much.
Seth Lowman, Idaho, Montana: Okay, I want to begin by asking you how many of you are tech-savvy musicians. [Scattered cheers and applause] All right, well, you're in luck. I'm studying music technology over at Montana State University and am paving the way for future music tech students in that field. My goal to help the NFB is to eventually advocate for better accessibility in the music tech world. So in the future we will have no more synthesizer inaccessibility, no more Soft Sense inaccessibility, etc., etc. You guys know the field; you know what I'm talking about. And I also want to be able to bring resources that already are accessible to the blind. Thank you.
Sara Mornis, Vermont, Vermont: Good morning. I am truly honored to be recognized as a scholarship finalist. And as a first-time conventionist I want to thank you all for being welcoming. I am attending Johnson State College as a senior this fall, studying English and psychology. I plan on pursuing a master's in counseling after that. I have passion for reading, writing, and helping others. So thank you.
Connor Mullin, New Jersey, Louisiana: Thank you, everyone. Joe Ruffalo, as a fellow New Jerseyan, I was wondering if someone could go pick up my vehicle donation; it's currently sitting over the Hudson River. [Laughter] Famous O&M thinker and teacher Joe Cutter and others talk about how independent travel and learning independent travel skills are some of the most important things to encouraging blind people to go out into their world, literally and in an abstract sense to explore and achieve. Having the privilege of learning from Joe Cutter at a young age helped me when in my college years I began to build my independence. Getting involved with the Federation helped me to conduct an original research project of all state justices of supreme courts throughout the country, and it also helped when working with blind students in the Employment Development Guidance and Engagement Program run by Dan Frye, and now in my current endeavor as a graduate student in the cane travel instruction program at Louisiana Tech. I look forward to continuing to benefit from these insights with my connections with the Federation to give students the gift of independence. Thank you.
Cayte Mendez: Our next finalist is also a tenBroek Fellow. This is…
Sarah Patnaude, Virginia, Virginia: Good morning, Federation. As a cosplayer [a contraction of the words costume play], I know the importance of a good sewing machine, the ability to create patterns, and the importance of a good attitude in creating and embodying a character. The Federation has given me the necessary tools, skills, and confidence to become the individual, leader, and advocate I aspire to be. With my master's in social work I hope to become an advocate for those who so often do not have a voice and to empower others to awaken their inner hero or villain, just as you have done with me.
Menuka Rai, North Dakota, North Dakota: Good morning to you all. I have always dreamed of working in the medical field, so I'm studying physical therapy at the University of North Dakota. I have realized now that it is not always easy to turn our dreams into reality. Sometimes I get frustrated, and I feel like giving up. But then I think of the potential that I have and all the people who I will be able to help in the future by facing and overcoming all of the challenges. So that's what keeps me going. I would like to thank the NFB for encouraging me to move forward, and thank you for this wonderful opportunity.
Elizabeth Rouse, Iowa, Iowa: Hello everyone whose names I haven't learned yet. To add on to what Cayte has told you about me already, I am going to be a junior this fall at Central College. We are the Dutch. (I don't understand the mascot, either.) I have a lot of various campus activities in and outside the classroom. I'm an English/theater double major with a religion minor, and on any given Thursday night you can find me in Kuyper Athletic Center with my forty-five pseudo-big brothers also known as the Dutch wrestling team. Keeping forty-five college-age boys under control is a lot harder than you think. I also enjoy my job as a writing tutor; they're a lot quieter over there. Anything else you want to know, please ask; I'm here all week.
Cayte Mendez: Before the next finalist speaks I have to tell you that she is the last of eight finalists whose birthdays are in February. That's almost a third of the class. I don't know what's going on in February, but that's a good month.
Yasmine Sarraf, Arizona, Arizona: Good morning, everyone. This is my first convention, and I'm honored to be here. This year I will be majoring in forensic science in the Barrett Honors Program of Arizona State University. What really attracted me about this major was the variety of fields that it encompasses that I'm interested in, such as criminal justice, psychology, and the sciences—especially biology. I've known that I wanted to do forensics ever since I was eight years old and first heard about it. And I knew I wanted to do biology when I saw my first microscope in sixth grade. But the thing I really love about forensics is that I will be able to help people in so many ways, more than what I've been able to do in my community service projects in high school, because I will have learned all of what I need. What I've done before is the Welcome to America Project, so I've helped refugees, and I've worked at the Foothills Animal Rescue Shelter, where I helped care for abandoned and neglected animals. I've really loved being at this convention and seeing how my legal blindness can be used as a way to connect with people instead of isolating me from them, and being able to meet other blind people as hardworking and dedicated as I am and want to continue to be. So thank you.
Caitlin Sarubbi, New York, New York: Good morning, everyone. It's an incredible honor to be here with you today. I was born with a rare syndrome which left me legally blind, hearing impaired, and having undergone over sixty-five surgeries. This is what initially sparked my passion for medicine. I graduated from Harvard in 2015 with a degree in social and cognitive neuroscience, and I'm currently earning a master's degree and applying to medical school this summer. I am also a United States Paralympian and competed in Alpine ski racing at the 2010 games in Vancouver. I love to volunteer, teaching children and veterans with disabilities how to live the lives that they want through sports. Thank you guys so much.
Rilee Sloan, Oklahoma, Oklahoma: In the fall I will begin university as a history and political science major. I intend on becoming a lawyer specializing in disability advocacy, though I am also very passionate about other forms of advocacy. For example, LGBTQ+ advocacy and mental health awareness is also something I'm passionate about. I also work for the ACLU Smart Justice Campaign, which is a national initiative to promote criminal justice reform and reduce the prison population by 50 percent. While attending university I hope to use those experiences to strengthen my leadership skills. I hope that by developing these skills I can serve my community more effectively.
Harry Staley, Texas, Texas: Thank you, my Texas family. I am currently attending Texas A&M San Antonio, majoring in computer science. My vocational goal is to become an autonomous vehicle engineer. I currently serve this country as a systems analyst for the United States Army. And in that role the biggest thing that I have learned is that accessibility needs to be baked in, not bolted on. [Cheers]
Matthew Turner, Idaho, Massachusetts: Good morning, members of the board, Federationists. I'm Matt. I'm a rising sophomore at MIT, studying computer science and economics with a 4.9 GPA. My underlying mission in life is to inspire others to learn, dream, grow, and achieve. I have done this through leadership in my student council, where I helped us overcome an $18,000 budget loss, as well as through service in Mamelodi, South Africa, where I traveled with a team to educate high school students so that they could go on and pass college entrance exams. This summer I am currently interning at HP, and I am excited to begin research on a virtual assistant that will function similarly to Aira this fall at the MIT computer science and artificial intelligence lab. This is my first NFB convention, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and I am excited to get to know all of you more. Thank you.
Cayte Mendez: This class ranges from eighteen to fifty, and this next finalist (and I won't tell you where on the continuum she falls), but she celebrated her birthday here with us on the third. This is…
Cathy Tuton, Oklahoma, Oklahoma: Hi fellow Federationists. I am a graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blind. I am currently attending the Oklahoma State University Oklahoma City campus, working on my associate’s degree. Then I will be going to the OU Health Sciences Center to get my bachelor’s and master’s in dietetics to be a registered dietician. As a small child all I wanted to do was to be in the medical field, but I was always told that because I'm blind I can't. I am very proud to say that I am fifty, I am the oldest one here, but I will tell you that with all of the obstacles that I've had to climb over, go around, and figure out a way to get through, I want to help other people, blind, sighted, and otherwise, to learn how to be healthy, to live a healthy life, not to be sick and die young because of their illnesses that can be prevented by healthy eating and exercise. I already have an associate’s degree in personal fitness training that will go great with my degree that I'm working on now. Thank you very much.
Paige Young, Maine, Maine: Hi. I'll be a junior at Husson University this fall. I'm studying to receive my master's in business administration through accounting. As well as being blind, I'm also a type 1 diabetic, and over the last eight years I've coordinated the annual walk-a-thon in my county. It's fun to do that as well.
At the banquet Harry Staley won the $12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship. Here is what he had to say:
Harry Staley: Fellow Federationists, I had some words prepared, but I honestly did not think I would be standing up here. But one thing I can tell you is that I am surrounded by leaders who poured their lives into us as students. I'm constantly surrounded by people like Norma Crosby and Glenn Crosby, some of the first folks that I met in coming back to the Federation two years ago. I thought I was a big dreamer before, but every day that I'm in the Federation, my dreams get pushed. I have a wonderful wife; I thought I was living my dream until I came and got involved in the National Federation of the Blind. And it's so true: my dreams are becoming a reality because I am involved in this organization, and I am pushed to dream bigger every single day. [Applause]
Following is a complete list of the 2018 scholarship finalists and the awards they received. In addition to the awards listed below, each finalist also received: $1,000 and additional prizes donated by Dr. Ray Kurzweil and the Kurzweil Foundation; $1,000 from Google and the newest Chromebook; a generous certificate from Cary Supalo and Independence Science toward the purchase of a Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest; a complimentary nine-month subscription to Aira; and a KNFB Reader courtesy of the NFB.
$3,000 NFB Scholarships (17): Naim Abu-El Hawa, Alexandra Alfonso, Millad Bokhouri, Tyron Bratcher, Olivia Charland, Purvi Contractor, John Harrison, Justin Heard, Jeff Humphrey, Amanda Lannan, Seth Lowman, Sara Mornis, Connor Mullin, Menuka Rai, Yasmine Sarraf, Rilee Sloan, and Paige Young
$3,000 Expedia Scholarships (2): Tasnim Alshuli and Caitlin Sarubbi
$3,000 Adrienne Asch Memorial Scholarship: Eric Harvey
$3,000 E. U. and Gene Parker Scholarship: Sarah Patnaude
$3,000 Charles and Betty Allen Scholarship: Matthew Turner
$5,000 NFB STEM Scholarship: Cathy Tuton
$5,000 Mimi and Marvin Sandler Scholarship: Elizabeth Rouse
$5,000 Pearson Scholarship: Shane Lowe
$5,000 JAWS for Windows Scholarship: Kenia Flores
$8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in a STEM Field: Ozgul Calicioglu
$8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science: Trisha Kulkarni
$10,000 Charles and Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship: Chrys Buckley
$12,000 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship: Harry Staley, Jr.
by Krystal Guillory
From the Editor: Krystal Guillory is a teacher of blind students in Louisiana. As a teacher she knows firsthand the value of reading for all children, including those who are blind. When she had the opportunity to coordinate the annual Braille Book Fair at the NFB National Convention, she pitched in with unrestrained enthusiasm. Here is what she has to say about the 2018 Braille Book Fair.
Each year at the NFB National Convention, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind, sponsors the Braille Book Fair. The Braille Book Fair is a celebration of Louis Braille's eponymously named code that opens worlds of exploration and opportunity to blind readers, just as print does for their sighted counterparts. This one-of-a-kind gathering, a staple of Division Day at national convention, brings together book lovers of all ages. Many of them cannot resist taking time out to begin reading favorite selections in the midst of the enthusiastic browsing and chatter going on all around them.
Hundreds of students and their parents, as well as working-age and older readers, look forward with relish to this convention mainstay. The Braille Book Fair would not be possible without the tremendous generosity of our literacy partner, Wells Fargo, along with the tireless dedication and professionalism of the UPS volunteers who package and ship the highly prized titles directly to the homes of delighted bibliophiles.
"I began volunteering when the book fair was still called the Book Flea Market under the tutelage of Barbara Cheadle," tweeted @braillerocks. "I was hooked! Some of my favorite moments are seeing kids so excited to get their hands on Braille that they literally sit on the floor to start reading! I fondly remember helping Anna find all the missing Babysitters Club series she needed."
Alabama's Joy Orton says, "Braille Book Fair means tons of books for my daughter to read. When we have had a chance to attend the Braille Book Fair, we sometimes end up with more than one box of books going to our house. Then we have plenty of books to choose from, just like the sighted kids have lots of books to choose from at the local library. My daughter is a reader today because of the early exposure to Braille and the volume of books we had from the Braille Book Fair."
While the books are free of charge, the NOPBC gladly accepts monetary donations to purchase titles as well as the donation of gently used books to be enjoyed anew by others. Contributions may be made on the day of the event or throughout the year. Parents and others happily volunteer their time to receive and collate titles into various categories, including print/Braille, children's fiction and nonfiction, books for adults and young adults, poetry, and reference and religious materials. Once on location at the convention hotel, additional volunteers work diligently to unbox and display the volumes for browsing by eager hands.
Hardworking teacher Jeanne Lee says, "It is the highlight of the convention for my students. I look forward to it, too, because I can get a few new books for the kids who don't get to attend." Emily Boney, a blind mom whose toddler daughter is also blind, reflects on both the past and future with these words, "The Braille Book Fair is how most of my library was built. I can't wait to help Charity do the same."
NOPBC board member and New Hampshire mom Penny Duffy says, "It's a true celebration of Braille. We have so many good memories. Every year it means something different, but it's all remarkable. When Abby first became blind and started learning Braille, she asked where the Braille section was at the local bookstore. At the Braille Book Fair you ask where the Harry Potter books are."
"It's like Christmas in July!" says Teresa Romero of Maryland. "My twelve-year-old daughter has been attending for years, and she makes a wish list in hopes she will find the books she wants. This year Nancy Drew and Harry Potter were a big hit, along with some others to pass on to her friends. Then the wait till they arrive home begins."
Finally, Christine White speaks to the importance of access and inclusivity by saying, "My daughter and nephew have always loved to read. She was always disappointed with how we can find his books at basically any store, and there was nowhere for her to browse. This year my parents took her, and she was sooo excited. She called to tell so many people about all the books she got."
For more information about this wonderfully enjoyable initiative, please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected]. Braille Rocks!
by Trisha Kulkarni
Reprinted from the Buckeye Bulletin, Summer 2018
From the Editor: A native of Ohio, Trisha Kulkarni is currently a freshman at Stanford University. At the 2018 NFB National Convention she was awarded the Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science.
My pulse begins drumming in my ears as I leave my dad's side, mount the stairs, and find my place on the banquet stage. It has been an exciting week of new friendships and opportunities, but now it is time for the final moment everyone has been waiting for. I hear the thousands of spectators in the audience take in a collective breath of excitement, and the scholarship presentation begins.
Looking back, it is humbling to think about the power one phone call had to change the course of my life as I knew it. In early May I received a call from Sachin Pavithran, informing me that I had been chosen to be a part of the 2018 NFB scholarship class and that I would be attending the national convention in July. At the time I was completely oblivious to the incredible opportunity I had been given—not recognizing how difficult it had been to be selected for such an honor. However, after attending the national convention in Orlando, Florida, as I prepare to move across the country to begin my undergraduate studies, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the empowering experience I had last summer. Despite not knowing many other blind individuals and being the only blind student in my high school, I was fortunate to have many people in school who devoted time and effort to helping me succeed. Little did I know that attending convention following graduation would expand my scope of community far past the boundaries of my hometown and open new doors to an independent and fulfilling life.
From the moment I walked into the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel and heard the echo of thousands of canes tapping through the halls, I knew that attending a national convention would be like no other experience I had had before. To be perfectly honest, I was quite scared to be traveling through such a massive hotel independently while trying to juggle the busy schedule of a scholarship finalist. By no means was it easy to stay oriented among the crowds of people, but I came to find that there is a certain thrill that comes only from finding your way in such a vast environment. For the first time in my life, I had the freedom to venture out and discover my surroundings without the fear of embarrassment or judgment. Whether it was rushing to meet my mentor for breakfast or exploring with friends late at night, I learned that I was capable of navigating the convention madness independent of my sighted peers. As I trod the frenzied halls, I began to find my own direction and purpose.
With this realization I felt liberated to dive into the many exciting events and opportunities the convention had to offer. I came to appreciate that the NFB is responsible for many of the progressive efforts that bridge the gap between blind individuals and their dreams. From trips to the Independence Market to listening to the Ohio caucus meeting, there seemed to be an endless number of opportunities to find resources. I attended division meetings on topics from computer science to handling a guide dog, and I gained exposure to innovative technology such as 3D printing and smart glasses. Through joining NABS, the National Association of Blind Students, I learned of the resources and tools that have been most useful for students in college and beyond. Although it was impossible to find time for all of the events that interested me, what was most empowering to me was realizing that, no matter what a person's background and interests are there is a place for them within the Federation.
Even more valuable than the resources and exposure I gained from coming to convention were the relationships I built as a part of the scholarship class. Having met only a few blind people in my entire life, the national convention was the first time I had the opportunity to network with blind people of all ages, pursuits, and values. I met students who had faced similar academic barriers in the classroom. I connected with professionals who share the same interests as I have, and, perhaps most comforting, I found people who share my roots. The Ohio delegation welcomed me into their family with open arms and a shared determination to help me succeed.
On the final day of convention, my dad surprised me by coming to watch the banquet. I was not able to sit with the Ohio delegation on that final night, but nevertheless I felt my state proudly cheering me on as I accepted my award. Although I will be attending college in California, Ohio will always be the place I call home, and I am so appreciative of the support the NFB of Ohio has shown me.
Additionally, I had the privilege to be mentored by members of the scholarship committee throughout the week of events. At first I was nervous to be spending time with such impressive and experienced members of the NFB, but I soon understood that the mentoring program is not meant to be a test but a remarkable asset. Especially as a new member, I had many questions about the structure and function of the organization. Having role models to guide me through the process made my experience much more rewarding. Despite their busy schedules, it was empowering to see how the members of the scholarship committee devoted time to advising their mentees and helping them get the most out of their time. Whether it was the many phone calls I made to Barbara Pierce prior to my departure for Florida, the hushed conversations I had with Pam Allen during general sessions after her re-election, or the in-depth discussion about my academic goals with Kathryn Webster over lunch, I will carry the connections and memories I created as a finalist with me no matter where my life takes me.
Although convention is now over and it is time to start my undergraduate career, it is only the beginning of my work with the NFB. Since leaving Orlando, I have joined the fundraising committee of the California Association of Blind Students and have kept in touch with members of my scholarship class. The financial gift that I received will certainly be helpful in funding my academic endeavors, but I will forever be grateful for the relationships and ongoing resources that my scholarship has provided me. I know that, with the force of the NFB behind me, I will turn my dreams into reality and live the life I want.
It seems as though time slows down onstage as we wait for the awards to be presented, but finally the names begin to be called, and I listen intently. Disbelief takes over as first five, then ten, then fifteen names are called, and I do not hear my name yet. Did I miss it? Suddenly we are down to the last few, and I hear Ms. Mendez announce, "Trisha Kulkarni, Ohio, California!"
I feel a grin take over my face as the crowd applauds. As memories of the many moments that brought me to this point flow through my mind, tears fill my eyes. I am overcome with gratitude for the experience of a lifetime. I know that this moment will be one that I remember, and I think to myself, I can't wait to return again next year.
by Sheena Manuel
From the Editor: Sheena Manuel is a reading specialist and itinerant teacher of blind children in Louisiana. She is also a researcher at the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB) at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston.
Attending my first National Federation of the Blind Convention years ago was a breathtaking experience! When I was training to be a teacher of blind students, I heard Dr. Ruby Ryles say, "You need to know one hundred blind people." What!! How could I ever do that?
When I walked around the convention center, I realized that getting to know one hundred blind people was going to be easy, as long as I attended NFB national conventions. As I met people, I began to internalize their fight for the right to quality education. I kept hearing the phrases "What if . . ." and "If only . . ." But I also heard the phrases "Because my mom . . ." and "Because my teacher . . ." I knew then that I wanted to become a teacher who would give my students opportunities to go anywhere and read anything!
Dr. Ryles called convention "a shot in the arm," and I agree. The national convention gets me motivated and reminds me of who I represent. I represent an organization that believes that all blind people can live the lives they want. This organization showed me that, with proper skills, opportunities, and positive attitudes, blind people can! Every year I look forward to attending national convention because I want to stay grounded in these beliefs.
As an itinerant teacher, the roads I take are often emotionally tough (and physically tough, too, in Louisiana!) As I travel, the stories I have heard from people at national convention are always on playback. These stories get me through the backwoods of Louisiana to provide services to children who wouldn't get help otherwise.
National convention is my vaccination,
Leading the cause, displaying expectations,
Viewing blindness as undefining,
Shouting from the mountaintop, "We're climbing!"
National convention is my vaccination,
Leading the cause, raising expectations,
Anchoring my beliefs
That all children can learn to read,
With love, hope, and determination.
National convention is my vaccination.
by Anna Adler and Patti Chang
Thanks to you, the National Federation of the Blind has a tremendous impact on the lives of blind people of all ages. We foster high expectations and mentor each other, teach children to read Braille, and provide crucial resources to parents of blind children. Nearly every day we receive notes from longtime Federationists and people new to our organization who share the impact that the NFB has had on their lives and their families. We hope that these stories—and your own experience—motivate you to give back to help us continue sharing the gifts of confidence, literacy, education, independence, and so much more.
Recently we received this note from the mother of a girl who attended the NFB BELL Academy in Indiana:
“I am writing to you to express my thanks for what the NFB BELL Academy has done for my daughter, who became blind from retinoblastoma when she was just three years old. Having no previous experience with blindness, my husband and I had no clue on how to raise a blind child. We saw the potential in our daughter to be a happy and productive human being even without her eyesight, but would others see the same?
Through the grace of God, we came in contact with the NFB and other blind adults who have become wonderful mentors and role models. These people have come alongside her and shown her that anything is possible if she only believes in herself. This past summer was her third year at the Indiana BELL Academy, something that she has grown to look forward to each year. Whether it is reading or writing Braille, beep ball, field trips, or crafts, she has enjoyed it all.”
The NFB Indiana BELL Academy has given our daughter the confidence to live as a blind child in a sighted world. It has given her the ability to attend school with her sighted peers, being the first blind child to do so in our school district. And, in my opinion, she has been a wonderful example of showing her friends and teachers exactly what a blind child is capable of. She is not afraid to try anything and currently has straight A's in all of her school subjects.
I truly believe that the NFB BELL Academy, along with her teachers and role models, has had a direct affect on our daughter's confidence and ability to succeed, not only in the classroom, but throughout life. As a parent I can't wait to see what the future holds for her! Thank you again for the NFB BELL Academy and what it does for our blind children!
Want to help more families like this one? You can make a difference.
With a $50 donation, the National Federation of the Blind can send a long white cane—free of charge—to a blind person and give back mobility. With the same amount the Federation can provide early literacy materials to help parents and blind children start learning Braille together. With a larger donation we can train our BELL Academy teachers, show blind students that they can participate in science and engineering classes, and so much more. Be a part of this future and everything the Federation does with love, hope, and determination.
We can't change lives without you. Please help by making an end-of-year gift. It's easy to do.
We all know that the Federation affects blind people's lives every day. Please be a part of our movement with an end-of-year donation. It will be sincerely appreciated.
Please feel free to reach out to Patti Chang at 410-659-9314, extension 2422 or [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you so much in advance for again helping blind people live the lives we want.
Parent-Affiliate Teamwork Program
Contact: Carlton Walker, 717-658-9894
[email protected]
The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC), a proud division of the National Federation of the Blind, announces the creation of the Parent Affiliate Teamwork Program (PAT). National parent leaders are available to come to your state to speak at events, provide workshops, assist in creating and building a state parents' division, and serve as mentors to families. To take part in the PAT program, the affiliate can request a parent leader and/or let the NOPBC know which topics it would like to cover. The NOPBC can work with the affiliate to identify a parent leader in a nearby area or determine the speaker who would be best for the topics of interest. The affiliate and the NOPBC will work together to determine how best to cover transportation costs, meals, and lodging. To request a speaker, please contact NOPBC President Carlton Walker.
Nationwide Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest
www.nfbofillinois.org/nationwide-bral-contest
Contact: Deborah Kent Stein, [email protected]
Contest Reading Period: December 1, 2018-January 19, 2019
Deadline for Registration: January 19, 2019
Deadline to Submit Reading Logs: February 2, 2019
The National Federation of the Blind of Illinois (NFBI), in partnership with the NFB Jernigan Institute and the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults, announces the second annual Nationwide Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest (BRAL). To enter, students must be in grades K-12 and must reside in a state that has opted to participate in this year's contest. Students compete with those in their grade category to read the most Braille pages during the contest period. The top three students in each grade category will receive cash prizes, and every student who submits a reading log at the close of the contest will be sent a packet of Braille-related gifts. Contact your state affiliate president or the contest administrator if you have questions.
National Federation of the Blind Scholarships
nfb.org/scholarships
Contact: Cayte Mendez, [email protected]
410-659-9314, extension 2415
Deadline for Applications: March 31, 2019
Every year the National Federation of the Blind awards more than $120,000 to blind scholars in the United States and Puerto Rico in recognition of their achievements and professional aspirations. Thanks to help from generous partners, there are thirty merit-based scholarships available, ranging from $3,000 to $12,000. All scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, community service, and leadership. To be eligible a candidate must be legally blind in both eyes; must reside in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico; must be pursuing or plan to pursue a full-time, postsecondary course of study in the US in the fall of 2019; and must participate in the entire NFB national convention and all of its scheduled scholarship program activities.
Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
https://nfb.org/programs/dr-jacob-bolotin-awards
Contact: James Gashel, 808-234-9259
[email protected]
Deadline for Applications: April 15, 2019
The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards are presented each year to persons or organizations that demonstrate exemplary leadership and extraordinary accomplishments in improving the lives of blind people in the United States. An application can be made by the applicant directly or by third parties who nominate an applicant. Each application requires an essay describing the work or project to be recognized. In addition, each application must have at least one letter of recommendation in support of the nominee.
Touch of Genius Prize
https://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/technology/tog/tog_prize
Contact: [email protected]
Deadline for Applications: January 11, 2019
The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is an annual prize of $20,000 awarded to a project that shows the most innovative ideas in the field of Braille and tactile literacy. Winners and applicants have submitted projects for professional software and apps, educational software and apps, gaming software and apps, and Braille or tactile-related hardware. Innovators have come from all over the world in the fields of education, technology, engineering, tactile graphics, and literacy. This is the only prize to foster and reward innovation in the area of Braille and tactile literacy for the blind and deaf-blind communities. The prizes have been provided since 2007 through support from the Gibney Family Foundation.
College Success at Perkins
perkins.org/college
Perkins School for the Blind
175 N. Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472
617-972-7573
[email protected]
College Success at Perkins is a nine-month program for blind and visually impaired high school graduates who are college bound as well as students who have attended some college and are looking to hone their skills and returned prepared for success. This residential program centers on the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC), as well as the specific skills that students need in order to be successful in college.
Factors that Impact Interest in Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4534361/fstem
Edward Bell, Principal Investigator
Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness
318-257-4554
[email protected]
The purpose of this survey is to learn about factors that influence interest and motivation in STEM-related careers, including the role that mentors and others have had in shaping that interest. Participants must be adults between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five who are legally blind or significantly visually impaired and who reside in the United States. All individuals who complete the survey will have the chance to win a gift card valued at $100.
2018 NOPBC Conference
nopbc.org/handouts
Maybe you weren't able to attend all of the workshops that interested you at the 2018 conference of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC). Perhaps you couldn't attend the conference at all this year. You can still gather some of the valuable information you missed. Several of the conference presenters have made their workshop handouts available online. Here are just a few examples: "Integrating Braille for Dual Media Learners," "Hands-on Math: Explore the Tools that Will Help Your Child Learn at All Levels," "IEP 101," and "Structured Discovery."
National Association of Blind Students (NABS)
410-417-8360
The leadership of the National Association of Blind Students (NABS) wants to provide an outlet where blind students can voice concerns, seek advice, and learn about resources. NABS has launched its very own phone number. A NABS leader is on call to speak with blind students across the country about blindness-related issues.
Books from National Braille Press
http://www.nbp.org
88 St. Stephen St.
Boston, MA 02115
800-548-7323
Hands-on Science Activities: for Pre-school to Second Grade
by Dr. Lillian A. Rankel and Marilyn Winograd
In large print/Braille format
Want to make Gummi Bears, slippery slime, yummy slushies, puffy paint, bird seed gardens, musical instruments, and more? Science teacher Dr. Lillian Rankel and Marilyn Winograd, a teacher of the blind, have written thirty-four step-by-step experiments for blind youngsters to do at home with family and friends. Don't wait for chemistry or biology class to explore the sciences—get some experience under your belt while you're still young! Each experiment has been successfully conducted by real blind scientists.
The Big Book of Braille Puzzles: Fifty Searches, Anagrams, and Ladders to Help You Master Braille
by Eileen Curran
Available in Braille and large print
Take your Braille skills to the next level by challenging yourself with some fun—and sometimes tricky—Braille puzzles! These fifty word-search puzzles, anagrams, and word ladders will help you master common Braille contractions; strengthen your overall Braille reading skill; practice for Braille competitions; and provide you with hours of fun. Answer keys are provided at the end of the book.
Super Short Stories in Uncontracted Braille
National Braille Press (NBP) has assembled a collection of ten super-short stories for adults and teens who are learning Braille. NBP states, "These stories deal frankly with adult subjects, though the language is pretty clean." The stories are reprinted from SmokeLong Quarterly and Every Day Fiction, two online platforms dedicated to publishing "flash fiction," a genre of extremely short stories. NBP hopes to provide material interesting enough for adults to want to read through to the end.
New Books from Seedlings
Seedlings Braille Books for Children
www.seedlings.org
734-427-8552, extension 301
Seedlings Braille Books for Children has added ten more titles to its list of books available in Unified English Braille for ages six and up, bringing the total to 135. Amina's Voice by Hena Khan is a brand-new title. The others are books converted from the old Braille code: Fudge-a-Mania; Wild Cats; Awesome Animals; Buster's Dino Dilemma; The Tale of Despereau; Cam Jansen and the Triceratops Pops Mystery; A to Z Mysteries: The Talking T Rex; If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution; and Blackout! Animals that Live in the Dark. Keep checking the website, as new titles are added regularly.
Braille Tales Print/Braille Book Program
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
https://www.aph.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library
The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and the Dollywood Foundation have an exciting partnership that expands Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (DPIL) to provide young children who are blind and visually impaired with accessible books in print/Braille and audio formats. Selected Imagination Library books are available free of charge in print/Braille format. Participating families in the Braille Tales Program receive six free print/Braille books free each year until the child turns six. To be eligible, the parent or child must meet the definition of legal blindness. Enrollment is on a first come, first served basis.
Brailler Repair Resource List
https://nfb.org/braillewriter-repair-resource-list
Listed by state, this resource provides basic information about more than a dozen services that repair Perkins Braillewriters and other Braillers. The following list is a small selection.
Foundation for Blind Children, Media Center
www.seeitourway.org
1234 E. Northern Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85020
800-322-4870
[email protected]
Midwest Braillewriter Repair
2733 E. Tracy Ct
Columbus, IN 47201
317-616-4040
[email protected]
The Braillery/The Brailler Workshop
www.thebraillery.com
5 Cumberland Circle
El Paso, TX 79903
915-307-7733
[email protected]
ACCESSIBILITY
Level Access
http://www.levelaccess.com
800-889-9659
[email protected]
All too often blind and low-vision students face challenges due to technology barriers in the classroom. For example, the computers in the school's media center may not allow accessories to be plugged in, preventing a blind student from connecting a Braille keypad. Since 1997 Level Access has worked with schools and companies to eliminate access barriers for people with disabilities. Level Access is a diverse team of engineers, programmers, and consultants, many of whom have disabilities themselves. The company's ultimate goal is to create a world where digital technology becomes an empowering force in the lives of people with disabilities.
Insightful Publications
http://www.in-sightful.com
Contact: 808-747-1006
[email protected]
Insightful Publications has compiled a series of electronic resource guides on organizations and agencies pertaining to the blind. Guides are now available for forty-one states. Visit the website for a complete listing.
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