[Colorado-Talk] Announcing the Scott C Labarre Memorial Scholarship Program for Colorado and Wyoming blind and low-vision post-secondary students

[kevan at nfbco.org]

Announcing the Scott C Labarre Memorial Scholarship Program for Colorado and
Wyoming blind and low-vision post-secondary students

2024 Scholarship Program

Building Opportunities for the Blind in Education and Beyond

*Award   *Encourage   *Achieve

This year the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado will be awarding
up to $10,000 in scholarship funds for deserving students. This year we are
excited to announce that we are offering scholarships to students from
Wyoming as well. 

If you are a legally blind student who is a resident of Colorado or Wyoming,
please apply immediately!

If you are a teacher, counselor, family member, or friend of a legally blind
student who is a resident of Colorado or Wyoming, please encourage them to
apply now!

Each year at its state convention, the National Federation of the Blind of
Colorado (NFBCO) gives a broad array of scholarships to recognize
achievement by blind scholars. The National Federation of the Blind of
Colorado is an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for all
blind persons. Recipients of Federation scholarships need not be members of
the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado nor the National Federation
of the Blind.

All applicants for these scholarships must be

(1) legally blind (official documentation of blindness is required)

(2) a resident of Colorado or Wyoming, and,

(3) Must be eighteen years of age by July 1, 2024.

(4) Must be able to attend the NFB national convention and NFBCO State
conventions in their entirety.

(5) pursuing or planning to attend a full-time post-secondary course of
study in the fall semester of 2024 or attending school part-time and working
full-time. 

 Students who have previously won an NFBCO scholarship are encouraged to
apply again.

All scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, service to the
community, and financial need.

Applications are due by Monday, April 15, 2024.

 

WINNERS:

The Scholarship Committee reviews all applications and selects the
scholarship winners. These winners will be notified of their selection by
telephone no later than June 1, 2024. Winners will attend the 2024 National
Federation of the Blind of Colorado's annual state convention held October
24-27, 2024. The 2024 state convention will take place in the Denver metro
area. Winners will be awarded their scholarships at the banquet ceremonies.
Family members are encouraged to join us at the state convention banquet.

The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado state convention is the
largest gathering of blind persons held in the state each year. You will be
able to meet other blind students and exchange information and ideas. You
will also be able to meet and talk with blind people who are successfully
functioning in your chosen profession or occupation. Federal and state
officials, members of Congress, and the producers and distributors of new
technology attend Federation conventions. Above all, a broad cross-section
of the most active segment of the blind population of Colorado will be
present to discuss common problems and plan for concerted action. At the
2024 state convention we will also be inviting leaders of the blind of
Wyoming. 

 In addition, scholarship winners will be required to attend the 2024 NFB
national convention which is scheduled to take place July 3-8 in Orlando,
FL. This expense-paid National Federation of the Blind convention education
experience is in addition to the scholarship grant. Winners will participate
in the entire convention and in the scheduled scholarship program
activities. Although family members are welcome to join us and participate
in convention activities (at their own expense), the scholarship winners
will have an assigned roommate for the duration of the convention and will
have daily assignments. It is our hope that the national convention will be
a wonderful learning experience for our scholarship winners.

All decisions by the Scholarship Committee are final.

For additional information about the scholarship program or the NFBCO state
convention, contact Cody Bair NFBCO Scholarship Committee Co-Chairperson, at
970-673-6998 or email him at codyjbair at yahoo.com
<mailto:codyjbair at yahoo.com>  or Maureen Nietfeld NFBCO scholarship
committee chairperson at 215-353-7218 or email her at mnietfeld at cocenter.org
<mailto:mnietfeld at cocenter.org> .  

 

AWARDS:

The day of the state convention banquet the Scholarship Committee meets to
determine the scholarship amount to be awarded to each winner.  The
scholarship awards will be announced and presented at the banquet.

 

MAKING APPLICATION:

To apply for the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado scholarship,
complete and return the application, attaching to the application all
documents requested.  

Mail completed applications to the attention of Cody Bair, Scholarship
Committee Co-Chairperson, National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, 2233
W. Shepperd Avenue, Littleton, CO 80120, or email to NFBCO's Administrative
Assistant Lisa Bonderson at lbonderson at cocenter.org
<mailto:lbonderson at cocenter.org> .

Completed application must be received by Monday, April 15, 2024.

Who was Scott C LaBarre? Scott LaBarre passed away in December 2022. Scott
was the longtime president of the National Association of Blind Lawyers and
the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado. Scott, totally blind since
his middle school years found the people and the possibilities of the
National Federation of the Blind when he was a college freshman in 1986. He
found the organized blind movement through our national scholarship program.
LaBarre earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota. LaBarre
loved blind students. While achieving great successes as a lawyer, an
international treaty negotiator, civil rights leader, husband, and father.
He believed that our national and state scholarship programs were key to
bringing real opportunity to blind and low-vision Americans. After moving to
Colorado to begin his law practice in the early 1990's he set out to create
greater academic opportunities for the blind of the western United States. 

The board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado
has decided to honor our beloved friend and thought leader by expanding our
National Federation of the Blind of Colorado program to include students
from our neighbors to the north. 

We lost Scott way too young. He was at the pinnacle of his career. He died
of a rare blood cancer at the age of 54 years old. We urge you to read more
about the life and legacy of Scott C LaBarre. We strongly urge you to make
an application for the Scott C LaBarre Memorial Scholarship.

 

At your service, 

Kevan Worley

303-929-2369

Manager Project Literacy, National Federation of the Blind of Colorado

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.

Colorado Center for the Blind believes when you believe in yourself and
experience a thriving community of positive blind people, nothing can hold
you back from pursuing your dreams.

 

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