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The scholarship class of 1999: (left to right) back row: Nick DeLong, Brian Quintana,
Michael Brands, Brian Miller, Jake Oberman, Peter Ince, Dennis Hodos, and Billie Petrino;
middle row: Laurel Henry, Charles Arballo, Andre Watson, Michelle Wright, Sarah Swords,
Alicia Richards, Tamera Snelling, Marie Kouthoofd, Nicole Gleason, and Alison Dolan; front
row: Becky Wood, Barbara Riverdahl, Robert Hunt, Jessica Jenkins, Ivan Lopez, Alan Tu,
Carlos Taylor, and Tyrone Coleman.
The Scholarship Class of 1999
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One of the most exciting elements in each year's convention is meeting and getting
to know the twenty-six scholarship winners. This year was no exception. The students were
lively, inspired, and inspiring. One thing was different, however. In tribute to the life
and work of Dr. Jernigan, Dr. Ray Kurzweil presented additional scholarships of $1,000 to
each student and gave each a scanner and the newest version of the Kurzweil 1000, a
software package enabling print-handicapped people to read scanned print. The value of
this software and hardware was $1,500. According to Dr. Kurzweil, the cash portion of this
generous gift came from the Kurzweil Educational Group's having won the Product of the
Year Award from the Stevie Wonder SAP Vision awards.
The students each came to the podium during the Friday morning Board of Directors'
meeting and introduced themselves to the Convention. Then, at the banquet Monday evening,
they each crossed the platform to receive a scholarship certificate from the NFB and a
plaque and check from Dr. Kurzweil. The NFB scholarship checks and the Kurzweil 1000
software and hardware were sent later. Here is Scholarship Chairman Peggy Elliott
introducing each winner to the Board, followed by the student's remarks. Peggy's words
include the student's name, his or her home state, and the school state. This is the way
the presentation Friday morning went:
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Charles Arballo, California, California: Hi, I think that blindness does
nothing that stops anybody from doing what they want to do. I believe that people can do
whatever they want to do, and that's why I want to be a teacher. I want to teach the blind
to become productive citizens of America and to earn their way as normal American citizens
should.
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Michael Brands, Minnesota, Minnesota: Good morning. I'm working on Ph.D.
studies in Biblical theology in St. Paul. I hope to become a college- or graduate-level
teacher with a passion to help people discover the simple and the deep wonder of living. I
hope to write some books to make strategic contributions to my field but also to help
people to learn to live well in the world. Thank you.
**********
Tyrone Coleman, New Jersey, New Jersey: Hi, everybody. I would just like to say
that sometimes in this world it's tough to find equality if you have sight or not. I'd
like to tell you that you as blind students, blind individuals, can find equality here at
the National Federation of the Blind. Thank you.
**********
Nick DeLong, Ohio, Ohio: Hi. This fall I will be attending the Ohio State
University. I am eighteen years old, so I'm one of the youngest here. I'm going to do some
type of engineering, either computer science, electrical, or sound. I'm not quite sure.
I'll just keep my eyes open so to speak and see what happens.
**********
Alison Dolan, New York, New York: Hi. I'm so proud and honored to be here
today. It's really a wonderful opportunity, and I must thank you so much. I'm working on
my master's degree in communications, specializing in public relations because I believe
that the public really needs to be aware of issues such as blindness. So I'm hoping to be
a public relations practitioner getting the word out there. Thank you very much.
**********
Nicole Gleason, Illinois, Illinois: Hi. I am currently a sophomore at Loyola
University, Chicago. I am majoring in theology and minoring in music. After college I plan
to attend law school and then go into criminal defense and civil rights litigation. The
reason that I want to do civil rights work is because I believe that blindness is
respectable and that, with the proper training and opportunity, we blind people can do
whatever we put our minds to, and I want others like myself to have these opportunities
and the equality and security that the Federation promotes. That is why I want to go into
civil rights work. Thank you.
**********
Laurel Henry, Wyoming, Wyoming: Hello. I'm planning to attend Casper College,
majoring in occupational therapy or psychology. I would like to learn both these skills
because I like to help people and I feel it's very important. Even though occupational
therapy is sometimes not thought of as a field for visually impaired people, I think that,
if we have a dream to go after, whatever career we do, we need to go after our dreams and
aspirations and do whatever it takes. The blind are sometimes challenged to do different
things to prove themselves, but we can do whatever we want, and good luck to everyone.
**********
Dennis Hodos, Florida, Florida: Good morning, everybody. I am the president for
the student division of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. Currently I am
going for my master's degree in social work, and I would like to get into working with
children because I feel that children are our future and they will be the future of the
National Federation of the Blind. Thank you very much.
**********
Robert Hunt, Utah, Utah: Five years ago, when I was fifteen, I became totally
blind as a result of an accident. I remember for several months after my accident I just
sat home and was dwelling on the fact that I was blind. I didn't believe that I could do
any of the things that I used to. I finally realized over time that I could either sit
home and not go anywhere and just be a failure, or I could go out and try to do everything
I could do and try to be a success. I know that realization and change in attitude that
marked this transition was largely facilitated by the National Federation of the Blind's
efforts to change what it means to be blind. I'd like to express my gratitude to all of
you who have gone before me and made it possible for me to reach my goals. Thank you.
**********
Peter Ince, California, California: Good morning everybody. I am currently
attending the great school of the University of California at Berkeley, and I am doing a
double major of Japanese language and film studies. Because of the fact that I know in
this world of equality we have to achieve great things to be able to hold great jobs, I am
doing the double major because I intend to work in the Japanese market in the
entertainment business. I'm going on to law school, where I will do entertainment law. I
just want to say thank you to the Federation for accepting me into this great family of
achievers and doers of equality instead of the world of wishers and just dreamers of
equality.
**********
Jessica Jenkins, California, California: Good morning. I'd like to thank the
Federation for the opportunity to be here. This has been a very wonderful experience so
far. I plan to study at Stanford University as a freshman in the fall, and I'm hoping to
major in international relations and then pursue law or public policy. I would like to
advocate for the rights of the disabled on a worldwide level. Thank you.
**********
The next person is the first of our three tenBroek Fellows this year. As the
Federation knows, we do accept reapplications from people who have won a scholarship at
one time, and this year our first tenBroek Fellow is Marie Kouthoofd, New York, New York:
I could roll off an extensive list of what I do, but I think it would be best to explain
who I am. The way I can do that is by the things that I've internalized and read. In the
Bible there was a man who came after Jesus. His name was Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus).
He reached up to Jesus, and he said, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Jesus
turned around (now Bartimaeus was blind, and back in that time blind people didn't have a
very good place); he said, "What do you want?" I'm going to stop right there,
because whether Bartimaeus got his sight back is really irrelevant. What that means to me
is that Jesus turned around, and He realized--He knew the guy was blind, but that is not
what he really needed. You see I was Bartimaeus before I came to know the National
Federation of the Blind. When I became blind, I thought, "If my blindness would go
away, I would be okay." That's just not the case. The Lord sent me the National
Federation of the Blind so you guys could teach me that I needed a healing within me. I
needed to know that I could be successful and confident and be blind. That's what you've
done for me, and I want to thank you. I want to thank you for the opportunity for a second
scholarship. I love the Federation; I love all you guys.
**********
Ivan Lopez, Arizona, Arizona: Good morning. I would like to say how grateful
and how privileged I feel to be here with you today, that being around people who take
part in this Federation makes me realize the importance of the NFB. Previously I was a
student attending Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. Currently I'm attending the
NFB training center in Ruston, Louisiana. I would like to say we all share stories here as
blind individuals, and I'll skip any details of mine. But I would like to address the
importance of a person that has been a lifelong mentor for me. He's a wonderful man, and
he has been encouraging me throughout my struggles as a blind person. This person has
opened up a lot of ways for me to be here today. I will be forever grateful. I'm speaking
of Mr. James H. Omvig, a person who has talked about power or empowerment, who are the
experts, and he has encouraged me to pursue becoming a future representative of this
Federation. He wants me to become a future leader, and I want him to help me become one.
Thank you.
**********
Brian Miller, Iowa, Iowa, and Brian is the second of our tenBroek Fellows. Here's
Brian: Thank you. This doesn't get easier the second time around, I promise you. You
never know where the NFB is going to take you in your life. The NFB took me from San Diego
to Iowa City, Iowa, where I learned that the blind can and do shovel snow a lot. I have a
bachelor's and a master's [degree] in political science, and I currently teach Spanish at
the University of Iowa as well as pursuing a master's degree in history education. It
would be impossible to enumerate all the things the National Federation of the Blind has
given me in the intervening three years since I earned my first scholarship. It has given
me confidence. It has honed my political skills. It has sharpened my intelligence. It has
exhorted me to excellence. It has also introduced me to my wife--no small thing. I
discovered that here in the National Federation of the Blind no dreams are ever deferred;
they are only sought; it's always a matter of time. I want to thank the Scholarship
Committee for this second opportunity to wear a scholarship ribbon. It means so much to
me. I don't know whether it was my grades or the iron filings in my shoes, but lightning
struck twice. Thank you very much for this.
**********
Jake Oberman, California, New York: Hi. I will be attending the Cornell School
of Hotel Administration, and one day my goal is to manage a hotel or resort. During high
school I earned five varsity letters running cross country and track. Many times during
practice or races I have fallen, but I have always gotten up and pushed harder and become
a leader of my team, and I'm respected by many others. Many people come up to me at races
and say, "Are you blind?" and I say, "Yeah." I can compete with them.
Running with them has given me the confidence to know that I can compete and be on an
equal level with anybody else. Thank you to the Scholarship Committee, and thank you to
all of you.
**********
Billie Petrino: this is the third of the tenBroek Fellows. Billie Petrino,
Louisiana, Louisiana: Good morning. I'm currently a senior at Louisiana Tech, majoring
in math education. In June I enter a master's O & M program run by Dr. Ryles there in
Louisiana. I was speaking about this the other day. I remember as a child my grandfather
used to have this doorway where he measured how tall I got every time I used to visit his
house, and I was thinking how much the NFB was a doorway like that, only difference is
that this doorway is thousands of feet high. When I came to my first convention in 1997, I
put my first mark on that doorway. Now two and a half years later I look back at that, and
I look now, and I see how much further I have to go, but I've already seen how far I've
been. I thank the NFB for giving me the room to grow, to be free, and to thrive.
**********
Brian Quintana, New Mexico, New Mexico: Good morning and hello to everyone. I
am happy and delighted to be here at this my third convention, and I'm elated to be
receiving a scholarship this year. I will be attending the University of New Mexico in the
fall, where I plan to study film with an emphasis in screen writing. I believe that
writing is a very important and effective means of communication, so one day I hope to
become a screen writer. By the way, have you guys heard the one about the skunk? Well,
never mind, it stunk anyway.
**********
Alicia Richards, Iowa, Illinois: Good morning. I am currently going to Lincoln
Christian College in Lincoln, Illinois. I'm getting ready to start my sophomore year
there. My major is Christian counseling. I plan to get a master's in that. I want to help
people with God's help. These are two people I need to be thanking this morning: God and
the Federation. Both have provided generously for me. Thank you.
**********
Barb Riverdahl, North Carolina, North Carolina: Good morning, formerly of
Illinois. I am going to attend the University of North Carolina in the fall, where I'll be
double majoring in psychology and education, going after a master's in educational
psychology and rehabilitation and a specialty in adaptive computer technology. I received
the Illinois scholarship last year. I attended my first NFB convention in Dallas last
summer. When I came home, I hit my community and college with full force and instigated
many activities through leadership and fund raising--all of this brought on special
recognitions, both state and international, but my highest highlight is just attending the
NFB conventions. Before I came here, I received a phone call from the Department of
Special Education and Rehabilitation for the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.,
and I have been accepted as an intern for the summer of 2000. If it wasn't for the
inspiration and the knowledge I gained through the NFB, none of this would have happened.
So I want to thank you all.
**********
Tamera Snelling, Oregon, Oregon: Hi. My first experience with the NFB came at
the Oregon convention last year, and Allen Harris was a big part of that. I think that the
NFB philosophy was something that was in my head before even knowing the NFB, but at that
convention it became a part of my heart. At this convention I truly can see now inside
myself that I want to advocate for all of you to know Braille and independent travel. I
feel that's a vital thing in our life as blind people to be first-class citizens. As an
Oregonian I want to borrow from Nike and say, "Just do it."
**********
Sarah Swords, Florida, New Jersey: Good morning. Next year I plan to attend
Princeton University, where I hope to get a degree in political science and history. I
hope one day to be a professor at a college. I also hope to teach not only history and
academics but also life skills through examples. I believe that everyone including people
who are blind can achieve any goal they want to. Many people have told me that I'm
inspirational, but I just want to tell you that you are a great inspiration to me. From
coming here, I've learned that I really can do anything I want to. So I want to thank you
for this opportunity.
**********
Carlos Taylor, Indiana, Indiana: Hi. I'm Carlos. I attend Ball State
University, where I am majoring in business and minoring in computer science. I hope to
some day have a hand in all this wonderful adaptive technology that's available to us in
opening many doors for a lot of blind people. The NFB is such an inspiration to me. Last
year was my first National Convention in Dallas, Texas, and I learned so much and met so
many wonderful people in many wonderful professions. It's been such an inspiration to me
and reinforced my ideas even more that blind people can do anything and become anything
they want to become. It's also an organization that lets people who have many
misconceptions about blind people know that the blind can do whatever they can do and
compete with them too. Thank you.
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Alan Tu, Illinois, Illinois: Good morning. First, I'd like to thank the
Scholarship Committee for giving me the opportunity to be here. I'd like to thank the
members of the National Federation of the Blind for their very warm welcome. Thank you.
Even though it's my first time for being at a convention, I know that the scholarship
class is very significant. This is because I believe that the scholarship class will be
future leaders of the society and of the blind. As we move forward into the twenty-first
century, we must not fail to look back, but we must also think and move forward. We must
look at the barriers we have overcome, but we must also look at the barriers that have
arisen. These barriers include rehabilitation, fighting for funds, and fighting for the
right training, travel skills, et cetera. Finally there is an old adage that knowledge is
power. The ever-increasing volume of electronic information is getting difficult for blind
people to access, and that's why I hope to major in computer science at the University of
Illinois at Urbana and help increase the access of blind people to information technology.
Thank you.
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Andre Watson, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania: Before I came here and when I was
younger, I was told that blind people couldn't be mathematicians, couldn't be lawyers,
doctors, professionals; but today I'm proud to say that those people were liars. I'm proud
to say that there are other people here just like myself, and I'm not alone. As a graduate
student at Widener University I'm pursuing my doctorate degree in psychology. There I plan
to help people renew their minds to realize that their attitude does determine their
altitude, and that what they can accomplish they have to believe first in their minds. So
I thank you for this opportunity and honor to meet all these students and professionals,
and I wish everyone to run the race, fight the good fight, and finish your course.
**********
Becky Wood, Utah, Utah: Hi. I'm thankful and honored to be here. I am currently
attending the University of Utah. This is my junior year, and I'm studying early childhood
education. I'd just like to say that I'm thankful for the National Federation of the
Blind, the student division, the wonderful people, and for the belief and attitude which
has been given me. Thank you.
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Michelle Wright, Nevada, Nevada: My name is Michelle. I have one more year to
go for my master's degree in social work at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, no sports
jokes please. I lost my vision five years ago, and I can honestly say right now, at this
point in my life, I'm more satisfied than I ever was before, and I'd like to thank the
Federation for all the experiences they have given me. I know it can only get bigger and
better from here. Thanks.
**********
Marie Kouthoofd hugs Peggy Elliott on the dais.
Joy and Allen Harris can be seen to the right.
That is what the students in the scholarship class of 1999 said about themselves.
On Monday evening, July 5, the winner of the American Action Fund Scholarship addressed
the audience as the climax of the scholarship-presentation ceremony. The winner was Marie
Kouthoofd. This is what she had to say:
Dr. Maurer, Mrs. Jernigan, Board of Directors and Scholarship Committee, and my
family--the Federation--this is an honor indeed, an honor that is very difficult to
express in words. I know that this Federation, my Federation, was given to me by the grace
of God. I know this because in 1996 I stood here before you as a woman who was afraid to
become blind. I stand here tonight as a woman who is proud to be blind.
In 1994 Dr. Jernigan delivered a speech in Washington, D.C., and he said something
like this: Freedom is not something that can be given from one to another. Rather, freedom
must be affirmatively achieved or taken by the individual or group that alleges to want
it, or it simply cannot be had. He went on to say that freedom is self-achieved and is a
process that is constant and ongoing. Tonight, Dr. Maurer and my Federation family, I plan
to stand with you and achieve that freedom as we face the new millennium and change what
it means to be blind.
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That is what Marie said. Now here is the complete list of winners and the awards
they received:
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$4,000 NFB Scholarships: Charles Arballo, Tyrone Coleman, Alison Dolan, Laurel
Henry, Dennis Hodos, Robert Hunt, Ivan Lopez, Alicia Richards, Barbara Riverdahl, Tamera
Snelling, Sarah Swords, Carlos Taylor, and Andre Watson
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$4,000 Frank Walton Horn Memorial Scholarship: Nicole Gleason
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$4,000 Hermione Grant Calhoun Scholarship: Jessica Jenkins
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$4,000 Kuchler-Killian Memorial Scholarship: Jacob Oberman
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$4,000 Humanities Scholarship: Brian Quintana
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$4,000 Mozelle and Willard Gold Memorial Scholarship: Michelle Wright
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$4,000 Educator of Tomorrow Scholarship: Rebecca Wood
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$4,000 Howard Brown Rickard Scholarship: Nicholas DeLong
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$4,000 E. U. Parker Memorial Scholarship: Billy Petrino
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$4,000 Computer Science Scholarship: Alan Tu
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$5,000 NFB Scholarships: Michael Brands and Peter Ince
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$5,000 Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship: Brian Miller
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$11,000 American Action Fund Scholarship: Marie Kouthoofd
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