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<div align="center"><b>Buddy Program - Putting the Pieces
Together<br><br>
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Since 1989, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has offered an innovative
summer program for blind children in grades four through eight. This
summer, the “Buddy” Program promises to be full of learning
opportunities, new friendships, and fun-filled activities.<br><br>
Many blind children have misconceptions about their blindness due to the
lack of positive blind role models and to negative stereotypes in
society. Unlike other summer programs for blind children, the “Buddy”
Program is directed and staffed by competent blind adults. Classes in
cane travel are taught to instill independence and self-confidence. The
knowledge of Braille enables the blind child to compete on terms of
equality with sighted peers in the classroom and provides a solid
background in spelling and other grammatical skills. Computer literacy
classes expose a blind child to available adaptive equipment. Classes in
daily living skills promote equal participation in household duties such
as cooking, shopping, and cleaning. In addition to learning valuable
alternative techniques of blindness, children will enjoy participating in
a wide variety of exciting activities such as swimming, cookouts,
bowling, roller skating, and other outings.<br><br>
The combination of hard work and fun activities will provide a rewarding
experience that children will cherish. Involvement in the “Buddy” Program
helps blind children realize that it is not blindness that poses the
greatest problem. Rather, it is the negative attitudes and misconceptions
about blindness that may prevent them from reaching their potential. At
the close of the program, parents are REQUIRED to attend a Parents’
Weekendwhich will allow them to interact with other parents of blind
children and to learn what their children have discovered about their
blindness and themselves. Friendship, training, fun, growth and
interaction between blind children and positive role models is how the
Louisiana Center for the Blind is “changing what it means to be blind”
for tomorrow’s generation.<br><br>
<b>This year, the Buddy Program will be held from Sunday, July 15 through
Saturday, August 4. </b>If you have any questions, please call Eric
Guillory at 800-234-4166 or email him at
<a href="mailto:eguillory@lcb-ruston.com">eguillory@lcb-ruston.com</a>.
Interested families may also apply their students electronically at
<a href="http://www.lcb-ruston.com">www.lcb-ruston.com</a>. <br><br>
<b>Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that every applicant will be
granted enrollment.<br><br>
Please note that the fee for students not from Louisiana is $1,000- which
is all-inclusive save for transportation to and from the program.
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<div align="center"><b>STEP 2012<br><br>
Summer Training and Employment Project – Striving for Success<br><br>
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Since 1985, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has been changing what it
means to be blind for adults from across America. In 1990, a program was
created to address the needs of blind high school students. The Summer
Training and Employment Project (STEP) Program is designed to introduce
blind teenagers to positive blind role models and to provide participants
with summer work experience.<br><br>
The eight-week summer program will consist of two components. During the
first part of the program, competent blind counselors will instruct the
students in the alternative techniques of blindness. Classes in Braille,
cane travel, computer literacy, and daily living skills will be taught by
qualified blind instructors. In addition, seminars will be conducted in
the areas of job readiness, job interviewing skills, resume writing and
job responsibilities. The second part of the program will continue all
aspects of training and expand to include an employment dimension.
Students will have the opportunity to work fifteen to twenty hours a week
at a local business for which they will receive the federal minimum wage.
The staff will attempt to meet the job interests of the students.
Instructors from the Louisiana Center for the Blind will be available to
provide on-the-job assistance as needed.<br><br>
The combination of work experience and blindness-related skills--along
with fun-filled activities such as cookouts, movies, swimming, and
various other excursions--will foster self-confidence and independence in
young blind teenagers. Students will attend the national convention of
the National Federation of the Blind in Dallas, Texas. This exciting
conference will allow them to meet thousands of competent blind people
from across the country. The students will also have the chance to
participate in a wide variety of informative seminars. At the close of
the program, parents will be REQUIRED to attend a Parents’ Weekend which
will enable them to discover how much their children have learned
throughout the summer. The STEP program is designed to provide invaluable
work experience, friendships, opportunities for personal growth, and
cherished memories.<br><br>
<b>This year, the STEP Program will be held from Sunday, June 3 through
Saturday, August 4including a one-week break in July following the NFB’s
national convention. </b>If you have any questions, please call Eric
Guillory at 800-234-4166 or email him at eguillory@lcb-ruston.com.
Interested families may also apply their students electronically at
<a href="http://www.lcb-ruston.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.lcb-ruston.com</a>. <br><br>
<b>Due to limited space, we cannot guarantee that every applicant will be
granted enrollment.<br><br>
Please note that the program tuition is $6,500- which is all-inclusive
save for transportation costs associated with getting the student to and
from Ruston, Louisiana at the start and conclusion of training.
Applicants must have an open case with their state’s vocational
rehabilitation agency or other entity for funding to cover costs.
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