Future Reflections Winter 2015 PROGRAMS
The Slate Pal Opportunity
by Deborah Kent Stein
At the 2014 convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, a ten-year-old boy named Jake addressed a group of parents and teachers of blind children. A few months earlier, Jake had applied for a Braille pen pal through the NFB Slate Pals program. In a note accompanying his application, his mother explained that Jake, who is sighted, became fascinated with Braille after he read a book about Louis Braille's life. Entirely on his own he learned to read both uncontracted and contracted Braille, first by sight and later by touch. For his tenth birthday, the only gift Jake wanted was a Perkins Brailler. To his delight, his birthday wish was granted. His parents found him a used Perkins on eBay.
In the past few years, Slate Pals has received more and more requests for Braille pen pals from sighted children. Like Jake, these kids are intrigued with the Braille code and want to develop their skills by corresponding with a pen pal who uses Braille regularly. At this point, Slate Pal requests from sighted children far exceed requests from blind Braille readers.
Through the Slate Pals program, we have an excellent opportunity to promote understanding and friendship between blind and sighted students. Slate Pals can help educate members of the sighted public about the experiences and abilities of blind people. And of course, as always, Slate Pals will continue to help blind children who read Braille connect with one another. Now is the time for more blind children to apply to the Slate Pals program!
Slate Pals was created in the early 1990s by Dr. Fred Schroeder when he served as director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. The program matches students in kindergarten through grade 12 with pen pals who wish to exchange letters in Braille. Applicants are matched based on age, gender, and interests. The program also tries to pair children from distinctly different parts of the United States or, when possible, with applicants from overseas. Requests for Slate Pals have come from every state in the US; from most of the Canadian provinces; and from such diverse nations as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Honduras, Russia, Mexico, Denmark, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, and South Africa.
If your child or student would like to exchange Braille letters with one or more Slate Pals, please complete the following application. The application is also available online at <https://nfb.org/nopbc-slate-pals>.
BRAILLE SLATE PALS
A Pen Pal Program for Braille Readers and
Students Who Want to Learn Braille
Name: __________________________________________________ Age: _________ Grade: __________
Male Female (Circle one)
Address: _________________________________________ City: _______________________________
State: ____________________ Zip: ___________ If not the USA, Country: __________________________
Email: _________________________________ Phone: _______________________________
Parent(s) Name and Address (if different from above): ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Interests/Hobbies: ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
I would like (fill in number): _________ Slate Pals.
I would like my Slate Pal(s) to be (circle one): male female both no preference
I would like my Slate Pal(s) to be (fill in age range): _______________
Check one of the following statements:
[ ] I am blind/visually impaired. I use Braille regularly at school and at home.
[ ] I am blind/visually impaired. I use both Braille and print at school and at home.
[ ] I am blind/visually impaired. I read some print but am shifting to Braille.
[ ] I am sighted and would like to exchange letters in Braille with a Slate Pal who is
blind/visually impaired.
Name of person filling out this application and relationship with the child/student:
Mail to:
Deborah Kent Stein, Attn: Slate Pals
5817 North Nina Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60631
Phone: 773-203-1394 * Email: [email protected]
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