[Nfbc-info] 2009 NFB Youth Slam

Sun Aug 30 16:22:59 UTC 2009

Hi Mary,
Sorry, didn't see this before responding to the last. But yes, either 
Saturday afternoon or Sunday mornning I would be happy to tell my Youth Slam 
experiences!
Best,
Hoby
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mary Willows" <mwillows at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NFB of California List" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 7:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] 2009 NFB Youth Slam


> Hey Hoby,
> Will you tell the story of your experience at Youth Slam in a panel of 
> mentors at the state convention?  It will probably be on Sunday morning.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Henry Wedler" <hobywedler at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB of California List" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] 2009 NFB Youth Slam
>
>
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> I agree completely with what Serena and Bryan said about the 2009 Youth 
>> Slam.
>>
>> As a mentor, I can honestly say that I witnessed many students grow and 
>> realize that the idea that blind people can't do math, science, or 
>> engineering is wrong. I talked to a few individuals who told me that 
>> before the Youth Slam, they were unsure about majoring in a science in 
>> college. At the end of the week, they were excited and ready to compete 
>> in the college setting as science and mathematics majors. To me, this 
>> embodies the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind.
>>
>> I also witnessed students come into the Youth Slam viewing various 
>> situations as a burden. These include travel, getting food in the dining 
>> hall, and solving some engineering problems. After the Youth Slam, the 
>> majority of these students did not see these tasks as burdens but as 
>> challenges. This is what makes me confident that the Youth Slam was a 
>> success.
>>
>>
>>
>> Take care and I hope to see you all at convention!
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Hoby Wedler
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Bryan Bashin" <bashin at calweb.com>
>> To: "NFB of California List" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 12:48 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] 2009 NFB Youth Slam
>>
>>
>>>I enthusiastically second everything Serena has written about the slam. 
>>>I found that through hard work and imagination we made it bigger and 
>>>better than ever.  Kudos to all Californians who volunteered their week 
>>>to make this happen.  And let's be very sure that the three young 
>>>California girls who were students get invited personally to their local 
>>>chapters and to our Newark convention.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Bryan
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> At 11:48 AM 8/2/2009, you wrote:
>>>>Hello my fellow Californians,
>>>>
>>>>I am a little worse for wear, but my heart is full of pride and my
>>>>spirits are high in the wake of this year's NFB Youth Slam at the
>>>>University of Maryland.
>>>>After two layovers and two separate delays, I returned to Santa
>>>>Barbara late last night, five hours late and thoroughly exhausted
>>>>after at least eight consecutive days of minimal sleep and all day
>>>>activities that kept us constantly on the move.  I rested pretty well
>>>>last night and have a little coffee now, so I wanted to share a little
>>>>about how it went for those of you that weren't there.
>>>>I am happy to report that we had about 8 Californians as mentors and
>>>>instructors and three very lovely young ladies from our state, bright,
>>>>outgoing, and an asset to our great state and student division!
>>>>I was assigned to the Robotics track with two fantastic gals from
>>>>Texas and a darling member of the vast Georgia delegation that was
>>>>present.  In this track, students learned to program hi-tech Lego
>>>>robots with code that would move them in all directions and utilize
>>>>their light, sonar, and touch sensors.  Might I add also that of all
>>>>five pods on this track, my girls were the sole representatives of the
>>>>female of the species.  Not only were they engaged in blind science,
>>>>but they are pushing gender stereotypes as well...GO GIRLS!!
>>>>In other tracks, students were engaged in Green Living, water
>>>>conservation, architecture and design, journalism and media,
>>>>self-driving cars, solving crime with forensic science, sports and the
>>>>science of body movement and much more!
>>>>In the evenings, there was dancing, games, star gazing, yoga, and
>>>>more.  One night we all got to try a variety of extreme activities
>>>>such as riding a mechanical bull, a bungee trampoline, a tall
>>>>waterslide, a velcro sticky wall, a rock climbing wall, and a dunk
>>>>tank.  On Wednesday, we spent a day at the National Center for the
>>>>Blind in Baltimore, enjoying a press conference regarding litigation
>>>>being filed against Baltimore's school districts for failing to
>>>>accommodate their blind students, exhibits, workshops, tours of the
>>>>Center, trips to the NFB Store, and a showcase of some of our talented
>>>>youth.  The week culminated with a gathering at the Lincoln memorial
>>>>on Friday to kick off the first-ever Youth March for Independence,
>>>>including an address by Ever Lee Harriston, who was in the very same
>>>>spot with Dr. Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights Movement.  It
>>>>poured down rain for a few minutes and everyone got thoroughly soaked,
>>>>but it didn't dampen our spirits or deter us from making history--the
>>>>sun began to shine brightly as we began the 2 mile march past the
>>>>Washington Monument to the Capitol building for a gathering at the
>>>>Capitol Visitors Center.  That evening back at the dorms, the students
>>>>got a pizza party and danced their booties off with a DJ.  We were all
>>>>exhausted, but riding high on an extremely fun and successful week.
>>>>By early Saturday morning, the airport shuttle buses began to fill and
>>>>the dorms began to empty, bringing another Youth Slam to a successful
>>>>close.  By 6:41 AM, Amy Phelps had cried four times, she told me.  All
>>>>of us were looking forward to long periods of rest, but without the
>>>>tireless efforts of all the staff and coordinators, the drive and
>>>>motivation of mentors, the knowledge of instructors and
>>>>participitation of the students, it just wouldn't have been so great.
>>>>My heartfelt gratitude goes out to each and every one of us that made
>>>>it so special--staff, coordinators, mentors, instructors, and students
>>>>alike.
>>>>Dr. Z would be extremely proud of how we have continued to fulfill her
>>>>vision of empowering blind youth and developing the next generation of
>>>>leaders for our movement.  I strongly encourage you to visit
>>>>www.nfbyouthslam.org or www.blindscience.org to learn more.  The Slam
>>>>Media track did a fantastic job of reporting on the events and people
>>>>of the Slam and at the websites, you'll find blogs, podcasts, and
>>>>more, including interviews with me and Chris Downey, an architect from
>>>>the East Bay.
>>>>Youth Slam 2011 is undoubtedly already in the planning phase, so
>>>>please give consideration to sharing your time and energy as a mentor,
>>>>instructor, or volunteer at the next Slam, and by all means, if you or
>>>>someone you know will be a high school student in summer of 2011,
>>>>please come be a part of history, where when people say blind students
>>>>are told they can't be engineers, scientists, and athletes, we say
>>>>"SLAM THAT!!"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Serena Olsen, MAIPS
>>>>Braille Institute, volunteer
>>>>National Federation of the Blind, representative
>>>>
>>>>Find me on Facebook!
>>>>http://www.myspace.com/starbellyserena
>>>>http://www.myspace.com/nfbcmonterey
>>>>http://www.myspace.com/tabithacambodia
>>>>
>>>>Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of
>>>>arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather
>>>>to skid in sideways, Grigio in one hand, strawberries in the other,
>>>>body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming, "Wah Hoo!
>>>>What a ride!"
>>>>
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>>
>>
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