[nabs-l] NABS Special Convention Bulletin!

[Arielle Silverman]

National Association of Blind Students
>From the Desk of the President
June 8, 2010
Special Bulletin: NFB Convention Highlights
	In just 26 days members of the National Federation of the Blind will
gather in Dallas for the 61st NFB national convention. The convention
promises to be a fun and enriching experience for first-time attendees
and veteran members alike. Come to reconnect with old friends and make
new ones, to learn about the latest in blindness programs and
technology, and to be part of the process of changing what it means to
be blind!
	Attached please find the full schedule of convention activities (the
convention agenda). In this bulletin I have included information about
NABS activities and a summary of other convention events. Please
consult the attached agenda for information about activities not
listed here in the bulletin. Please also consult the first three pages
of the agenda for information about the layout of our convention
hotel, the Hilton Anatole, and dining options within the hotel. The
Hilton Anatole is located at 2201 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75207
Hotel phone: 214-748-1200
       If you have won an NFB scholarship or other convention award,
you may be required or invited to attend events not listed here; you
will be notified individually about these additional events.
	At this time the convention hotel rooms are all reserved. If you
still need a room, contact your affiliate president to find out if
anyone going from your state has a space in their room. If not, then
contact me at Nabs.president at gmail.com
If you are flying to Dallas, taxi and SuperShuttle service are
available to take you to the Hilton Anatole. Average SuperShuttle
fares run at about $18; average taxi fares run at about $40 from the
Dallas/Fort Worth airport and about $20 from the Dallas/Love Field
airport. You can reserve a SuperShuttle trip in advance by going to
www.supershuttle.com
or, if you are traveling in a group, catch a taxi outside the main terminal.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Dallas!
Schedule of Highlighted Convention Activities
Saturday July 3, 2010
Saturday features several technology seminars, including a session
about improvements in Blackboard accessibility. Consult the agenda for
details and room locations. There will also be special sessions for
middle and high school students on Saturday afternoon which NABS will
be conducting where teens can discuss issues and concerns about
preparing for high school and college. Exact times for these and other
teen sessions are listed in the agenda.
Finally, there will be goalball (sponsored by the Sports and
Recreation Division) on Saturday afternoon and an all-day employment
seminar on Saturday.
On Saturday evening from 8:00 to midnight, NABS will be hosting a
Student Hospitality Night in the Affiliate Action Suite, Room
2372.	Drop in for snacks, games, and the chance to meet and mingle
with other blind high school, college, graduate and nontraditional
students. Feel free to drop in and out while also enjoying salsa
dancing, karaoke, or the Rookie Roundup, a gathering for first-time
convention attendees.
Sunday July 4, 2010
On Sunday both the exhibit hall and the NFB Independence Market and
Showroom of Innovation will open. Come to the Exhibit Hall to browse
information and products from leading assistive technology vendors and
to learn about our NFB training centers. Come to the Independence
Market to buy canes, watches, and other blindness products, to pick up
NFB literature, and to explore new innovations such as the Blind
Driver Challenge. Both the exhibit hall and the Independence Market
will be open on Sunday and Monday all day and on Tuesday and Wednesday
during the lunch break. NABS will have a table in the exhibit hall
where we will be selling water bottles and passing out student
information packets. Come see us!
Sunday is also a good time to pick up your registration materials if
you pre-registered, or to purchase them if you didn't. The
registration desk will also be open on Monday and on Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday mornings before the general session.
Check the agenda for programs on Sunday including the meeting of the
Resolutions Committee and the Mock Trial, where the National
Association of Blind Lawyers will provide a comical reenactment of a
serious legal case involving discrimination against the blind. There
will also be a writing workshop for youth ages 11 to 19.
On Sunday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. NABS will have its
annual business meeting. Come early to register with us, or register
online now by going to
www.nabslink.org
Annual NABS dues, which you will need to pay in order to vote in the
elections, are $5. At our meeting we will hear about exciting new
developments with the Blackboard learning platform and other news, and
we will hear from NFB President Maurer and from a  few of our student
members about their experiences being in the NFB. We will also be
electing two of our board members. Join our business meeting to learn
the latest about issues affecting us as blind students, and become a
part of our organization.
Monday July 5, 2010

	On Monday morning we will have the national NFB Board of Directors
meeting, an open meeting where a variety of announcements about the
convention and other general NFB matters will be given. On Monday
afternoon and evening, a variety of NFB divisions will hold their
annual meetings. Many NFB divisions are organized by shared
professional interests, such as the National Association of Blind
Lawyers, the National Association of Blind Educators, the Science and
Engineering Division, and the Human Services Division. Check the
agenda to find the division meeting(s) you want to attend. This is a
great opportunity to meet blind people working in your field of study
and to learn about the latest developments in techniques that can be
useful to you in your career.
Finally, on Monday evening, check out the teen talk sessions (separate
Q&A sessions for boys and girls), the indoor rowing workshop and the
annual play performed by students at the Louisiana Center for the
Blind. All proceeds from the play support the teen summer program at
the LCB!

Tuesday July 6, 2010
	Tuesday is the first of three days of general sessions. A highlight
of the Tuesday session is the presidential report, when Dr. Maurer
updates us on what the NFB has been doing over the past year and what
work is still ahead of us. Check the agenda for a detailed description
of the General Session program for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Tuesday evening, the NFB of Texas will be hosting a Texas-style
barbeque and live music in Anatole Park, just outside the hotel.
Barbeque tickets can be purchased for $45 during registration. There
will also be more teen activities and an open house for the Colorado
Center for the Blind.

Wednesday July 7, 2010
	On Wednesday we have more general sessions in the morning and
afternoon. On Wednesday night NABS will be holding our annual Monte
Carlo Night fund-raiser. Pay $10 to purchase chips and play
casino-style card games; whoever has the most chips at the end of the
night will win a cash prize. The Performing Arts Division is also
hosting their annual Showcase of Talent on Wednesday night, and the
exhibit hall will be open for the last time.

Thursday July 8, 2010
	On Thursday we will have one final day of general sessions, followed
by the banquet in the evening. If you didn’t pre-register for the
convention, you can purchase your banquet ticket for $45 during
registration. I personally find the banquet and especially Dr.
Maurer’s presidential address to be one of the most fun and inspiring
parts of the convention. It reminds us of where we the blind of this
country have come from, where we are going and that we are all united
in the business of changing what it means to be blind.


-- 
Arielle Silverman
President, National Association of Blind Students
Phone:  602-502-2255
Email:
nabs.president at gmail.com
Website:
www.nabslink.org
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