[Gabs] The Presidential Scoop

[Isaiah Wilcox]

 From the desk of the President
April 5, 2010

Greetings Members of GABS,
I hope this message finds you in good health and in great spirits.   
This is the first of many monthly messages from your president to give  
you an update of what your student division has been up to and to  
provide you with resources that will be very helpful in your endeavors  
this month.  This month's focus is on advocacy.

Events for this month
GABS is hosting its 2nd Annual Student Convention
Please come and join us as we host our second student convention where  
you can get up-to-date information about assistive technologies,  
socialize and network with other blind students from across the state,  
and learn more about what GABS and the NFB is and does.  Please visit  
our website for more information.

Monthly Conference Call on April 25, at 7:30.  Call 1-888-354-0094 and  
enter the pass-code 716-9900.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Resources of the month
Each month I will provide five resources that I have found and use  
that I feel you can utilize to achieve your personal and academic  
goals.  This month I would like to introduce you to:

1.  GaCollege411: is a website to help high school and post secondary  
students expand their opportunities. It includes information on  
careers, college planning, and much more!  Visit their website at www.gacollege411.org

2.  LinkedIn: is a website that allows its users to find past and  
present colleagues and classmates quickly.  Essentially LinkedIn is  
like a professional Facebook where you can upload your resume and  
other information in order to keep in touch with your professional  
contacts.  As a college student, it is important to utilize this  
resource to expand your network.  Visit the site now at
www.linkedin.com

3.  ETS.ORG: ETS provides information on standardized testing, such as  
GRE, SAT and other common exams. It includes accomodation information,  
test dates and other vital info.  You can also visit this site for  
test practice and sample tests.  This resource can be used by high  
school and college students.  Visit the site now at
www.ets.org

4.  Bookshare.org: BookShare offers the download of over 100000  
accessible books.  Students have a great opportunity of using this  
wonderful resource for free! Take advantage of this resource at
www.bookshare.org

5.  RFB&D: Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic, is a national  
nonprofit organization that is one of the largest audio textbook  
libraries with more than 58,475 titles in electronic versions and on  
CD.  Learn more about getting a free account, if you are a student,  at
www.rfbd.org

Affiliate News
The NFB of Georgia's Mentoring Program for Students: The aim of the  
Georgians Empowered through Mentoring Success (GEMS) program is to  
link blind and low vision young adults throughout Georgia, ages  
sixteen to twenty-six, with successful blind and low vision adult  
mentors for the purpose of increasing their knowledge and  
participation in their educational and vocational rehabilitation  
processes with a resulting outcome of increased post-secondary  
academic success, high-quality employment, and community integration.

NFB Philosophy
To show how advocacy is from the perspective of a student I dediced to  
share a poem entitled "Frustrated Student at an IEP"

I sit for an infinite age,
Wondering just how loquacious
   a person can be.
Seems even stranger when a
   stranger is talking;
After all,
They’re discussing me.

I sit for an infinite age,
In a room of seven or eight,
Wondering when, or if, I’ll ever
   get my say,
Or is it too late.
Indignantly, I think,
“How can a goal ever be set, if
   not by oneself,
By other persons in a team of
   two or three?”
Strange, it seems,
Not right,
After all,
They’re discussing me. I sit for an infinite age,
Restlessly, shifting my feet
   under the table,
Anticipating the onset of
  freedom,
When the pen is passed to me.
“Sign, sign.” they say,
“Everything is done.”
And, as I touch the pen to paper,
I wonder if my presence in the
   room,
Is really known.
Suddenly, I realize with a start,
I’ve lost track of much of what
   was said.
Signing my name,
I wonder, in my heart,
What is in store for me in the
  year ahead.

I sit for an infinite age,
A frustrated student at my IEP.
How unusual the meeting is;
I think, next time,
I will speak!
After all,
They’re discussing me.

Quote of the Month
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a  
habit."

I hope all of you have a great month of April.  I know you are  
approaching the end of the semester so stay strong and stay focused.   
I hope to see you all on April 17th, at the Student Convention.  If  
you have any questions or would like to be apart of any of the above  
listings, contact a GABS board member.


Sincerely Your President,
Isaiah Wilcox

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