[nabs-l] The Next Few Years of My Life

[KENNEDY STOMBERG]

I do like what Michael said. However, I tend to agree with the advice that you only have high school once. I wouldn't necessarily advise graduating early. You will miss out on many important social aspects, which can give you very important skills for college. Baron mind, college is as much about being socially adept as academically adapt. If training is something you want, you can do it at any time is my understanding.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck! And have fun!

Kennedy Stomberg 
(218)295-2391 

> On Dec 4, 2016, at 11:39 AM, Michael D Ausbun via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Dear Ahbee:
>    I hope you are doing well, and I hope this year has been extra good to you since NFB E Q. I am going to offer you some advice that I have gotten, and explain my story a little for justification.
>    I went blind at age six, and I grew up here in rural Nevada, with no blindness role models, or other blind people–besides five other kids, three of which were braille readers. I did not know of any resources that were available, as my family was a part of the lower socioeconomic class, and, because blindness is not something that has ever been in my family.
>    I have always been a little more than averagely intelligent, but I never took my ADL training seriously. I thought there was something drastically wrong with me–I was visually impaired. I was inattentive to my braille learning, hardly bothered with orientation and mobility, and generally pushed back against everyone. I graduated high school with a 2.7, although the 2.7 was inflated due to me getting a 4.15 (all A’s with three AP classes) my senior year.
>    I have done fine in college. I am graduating a semester early. I was eligible to graduate a year early. I have a decent GPA, and I have been incredibly active in my university community. As many people are aware, I found the Federation in early November 2014.
>    Though I have been largely successful since graduating high school, I have come to recognize a couple of facts; mostly from being able to observe people like my fiancé Bre Brown, a good friend of mine Jerad nylin, President of our Iowa Affiliate, and several of my mentors like Norma Crosby, President Mark Riccobono, Anil Lewis, and Pam Allen. My ADL skills are not where I want them to be. I read both grade one and grade two, Spanish, German, computer braille, and even some random symbolic logic formula my school cooked up. I travel places mostly independently. I cannot cook, outside of following simple instructions, although I clean decently…sometimes. I know though that I could improve upon my skills, and, in doing so, reach levels of independence and self-actualization I have only thought about.
>    Be it training or school, both will always be present as options. What you need to do, is like what others have said. Determine what you want to do first by evaluating your own strengths and weaknesses, and then make the best decision for yourself. For me, I wish that I had gone to training before I went to college. I have done well; I have been president of six clubs, advocated for several different marginalized groups, competed in collegiate debate, and been a member of my student government. I always wonder though, if I would have went to training first, how might things have been different. Might I have done even better in school, if my ADL skills were better? Might I have lived on my own away from family, and transformed into a different person entirely?
>    The world may never know, but its fun to think about. I want you to know, my opinion about training, if you ever ask, is extremely bias. I want to go so badly, it hurts. Though I do not believe everyone needs to go to training to live independent and productive lives, I do think everyone’s skills can do with some adjustment, straightening, and refining. That is why I plan on going to training in the future.
>    Best of luck to you, and keep in touch mentee!
> Respectfully,
> Michael Ausbun, Secretary
> National Association of Blind Students
> A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind
> You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
> 
> ________________________________________
> From: NABS-L [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Ahbee Orton via NABS-L [nabs-l at nfbnet.org]
> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2016 7:09 PM
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Ahbee Orton
> Subject: [nabs-l] The Next Few Years of My Life
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> I am really thinking a lot about my next few years for high school and college. I have considered several options. I could take my school's AP courses for the next two years to graduate. I could take a hybrid between Hadley courses and my high school's courses. I could participate in dual enrollment, or this special program that my school offers with a college, to get my Freshman year done. The last option is to take all Hadley next year, and graduate from high school early. I'd be able to work if I wanted to and prepare for the ACT or SAT. I also want to go to a training center the year I'd be in 12th grade, but I could finish early and do the training center. What do you think is the best way to go? Thank you!
> 
> 
> Sent from Ahbee's iPhone
> 
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