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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">National Federation of the Blind Names Adrienne Shoemaker 2019 Distinguished Educator of Blind Students</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Las Vegas, Nevada (July 9, 2019):</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> The National Federation of the Blind has presented its annual Distinguished
Educator of Blind Students Award to Adrienne Shoemaker of Concord, New Hampshire. Ms. Shoemaker, a teacher of blind students for ten years, is currently the only teacher of blind and low-vision students in the Concord public school system. In addition to her
teaching of blind students, Ms. Shoemaker helped to develop a training course for teachers of blind and low-vision students at Granite State College and has taught the Braille courses that are part of the curriculum. She has also worked as the New Hampshire
State Liaison between the New Hampshire Department of Education and the </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">University of Massachusetts Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education, helping to recruit candidates to become
teachers of blind students. </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Ms. Shoemaker received her master’s in special education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston in 2010 and her orientation and mobility certification in
2018. In 2014, she was one of ten teachers chosen to participate in the Stem2U program conducted by the National Federation of the Blind.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“Ms. Shoemaker’s colleagues and the parents of her students testify that she has high expectations for her students and is dedicated to helping them transform their dreams into
reality,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “She is an effective advocate for Braille and is helping to train future teachers of blind students. These qualities, and her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty
in all respects, make her an ideal recipient of our Distinguished Educator of Blind Students award.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Distinguished Educator of Blind Students award carries with it a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to the National Federation of the Blind National Convention in Las Vegas. While
at the convention, which is taking place July 7-12, Ms. Shoemaker will address hundreds of parents of blind students and network with other blind individuals and teachers of blind students.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">About the National Federation of the Blind
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists
of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision,
and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at
</span><a href="http://www.nfb.org"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">www.nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">cdanielsen@nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(410) 659-9314, Ext. 2330 | cdanielsen@nfb.org<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Twitter: @rlawyer <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="262" height="95" id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="30" height="30" id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" alt="Facebook"></span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="30" height="30" id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" alt="Twitter"></span></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="30" height="30" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt="Youtube"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
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