[Colorado-talk] Jessica Beecham to give commencement address at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the

[julie hunter]

What an honor for Jessica. Congratulations!  I would love to hear what she
has to say.  Is there any possibility her speech could be printed to the
list after it has been delivered?

On Fri, Jun 1, 2018 at 9:29 AM Dan Burke via Colorado-Talk <
colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Everybody knows Jessica. Jessica is nothing if not fun, right?  Well,
> today at 1 p.m. the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB)
> commencement will take place, and the commencement address will be
> given by Jessica Beecham.
>
> "It'll be fun," says Jessica.  She also says that her address will be
> short, sweet and to the point.  "Eleven minutes," she says.
>
> Let's face it, it really is an honor to be asked to give such an
> address and a privilege to be asked to do so as a role model for the
> graduates and their families.  But it is a culmination of the
> determination by the NFB of Colorado and the CCB to develop a positive
> relationship with CSDB that took the form of mentoring for blind kids
> there. Shortly after coming to Colorado in 2012, Jessica and Brent
> Batron began regular trips to the Springs for that purpose.  Though
> Jessica's roles have changed since 2012, she still participates in
> mentoring activities when she can.
>
> "It's really special," she says of giving the address to this class of
> graduating blind seniors. "some of the kids graduating were in middle
> school when we started mentoring."
>
> And for these students, the deaf and the blind, they're lucky to have
> Jessica speaking to them today. She is an alum of the Tennessee School
> for the Blind who went on to both a bachelor's and then a master's
> degree. She's not just fun, but she's smart and committed and she
> believes in their capabilities.
>
> The love, hope and determination of the NFB of Colorado and ccB is
> truly in evidence at CSDB today - Brent is a member of its Board of
> Trustees and jessica is giving the commencement address.
>
> "I'm so glad that we've been able to develop such great relationships
> there," says Jessica.
>
> Though she says it will be a short address, it will be  one imbued
> with the positive philosophy that we in the Federation embrace, and it
> will come with a challenge and advice. We won't give it all away, but
> the advice is for today's graduates to surround themselves with others
> who will help keep them on a positive path in their lives.
>
> Kevan Worley said something like this yesterday in a Face Book post,
> but let us extend this sentiment from all of us in the National
> Federation of the Blind of Colorado to today's new graduates:
>
> Congratulations seniors! May your path be paved with possibilities and
> achievement. Blindness and deafness are not what hold you back. Go out
> and live the lives you want
>
> And we are here for you!
>
>
> --
> Dan Burke
> President, NFB of Denver
>
> "Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"
> My Cell:  406.546.8546
> Twitter:  @DallDonal
>
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