<html><head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
h1
{mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
margin-top:12.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:16.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2F5496;
font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoSubtitle, li.MsoSubtitle, div.MsoSubtitle
{mso-style-link:"Subtitle Char";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#5A5A5A;
letter-spacing:.75pt;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2F5496;}
span.SubtitleChar
{mso-style-name:"Subtitle Char";
mso-style-link:Subtitle;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
color:#5A5A5A;
letter-spacing:.75pt;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head><body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<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>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">National Federation of the Blind Recognizes Thirty Outstanding Blind Students<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
<p class="MsoSubtitle" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">Emily Eagle of Texas Awarded Top $12,000 Scholarship<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Baltimore, Maryland (July 18, 2019):</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s oldest
and largest organization of blind people, today announced the winners of its 2019 scholarships, which were awarded at the organization’s national convention in Las Vegas on July 12. The winner of the organization’s top prize of $12,000, donated by the American
Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults, is Emily Eagle, an aspiring lawyer from Texas. Attending her first NFB convention, Ms. Eagle told attendees in her brief remarks at the convention banquet that she hoped to express her gratitude by contributing to
the organization throughout the rest of her life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In addition to their scholarship, each student received a plaque and a $1,000 cash award from inventor and futurist Dr. Ray Kurzweil, an Acer Chromebook laptop and a $1,000 cash
award from Google, a JAWS or Zoomtext license from Vispero, a $1,500 voucher towards the purchase of a Talking LabQuest from Independence Science, and nine months of service from Aira, for a total award for each winner with a minimum value exceeding $5,000.
Here is an alphabetical listing of the other twenty-nine winners, with their home state and career goal or field of study. Unless otherwise indicated, each student received a $3,000 National Nederation of the Blind Scholarship:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Amy Albin, New Jersey: Industrial/Organizational Psychology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Makayla Bouchea, Georgia: Business Human Resources ($3,000 E.U. and Gene Parker Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Tracy Boyd, Oregon: Clinical Mental Health Counselor ($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in a STEM Field)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Kaden Calahan, New Mexico: High School Teacher
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Rashid Dème, Michigan: Human Rights/International Lawyer ($5,000 Mimi and Marvin Sandler Scholarship)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Eric Duffy, Ohio: Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator ($3,000 Charles and Betty Allen Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Skye Dunfield, Nevada: Victim Advocate ($10,000 Charles and Melba T. Owen Memorial Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Amy Hatten, Minnesota: Rehabilitation Counselor<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Maureen Hayden, Pennsylvania: Marine Biologist ($3,000 Charles and Melba T. Owen Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Gene Kim, California: Mechanical Engineering and Symbolic Systems ($8,000 Oracle Scholarship for Excellence in Computer Science)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Jenelle Landgraf, Washington: Therapist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Nina Marranca, New York: Clinical Psychologist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Ana Martinez Larumbe, Louisiana: Social Worker ($3,000 Edith R. And Alvin J Domroe Foundation Scholarship)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Lucas Mebane, North Carolina: Biomedical Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Gerald Meredith, Virginia: Professor of Criminal Justice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Pablo Morales, North Carolina: Business and Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Kaylee Nielson, Arizona: Lawyer ($3,000 Dr. Adrienne Asch Memorial Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Erin Olsen, Idaho: Instructional Design for Vulnerable Populations ($5,000 Pearson Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Rachel Ooi, Tennessee: Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Amelia Palmer, Idaho: Electrical Engineering and Mathematics<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Aracely Rosillo, Georgia: Vision Rehabilitation Therapist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Heather Schey, Rhode Island: Human Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Vanessa Sheehan, Arizona: Manuscript Editor ($3,000 Janette C. Eyerly Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Brandon Shin, California: Law and PhD in English<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Derique Simon, South Carolina: Victims’ Rights and Disability Lawyer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Georgie Sydnor, Massachusetts: Teacher of Blind Students and Braille Transcriber<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Alicia Ucciferri, Texas: Civil/Human Rights Law ($5,000 JAWS for Windows scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Madelyn Walker, Texas: Pharmaceutical Oncologist ($5,000 NFB STEM Scholarship)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">• Ryan Wullschleger, California: Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“The scholarship program is one of our most important initiatives,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We are proud to honor these blind
scholars, who are studying everything from criminal justice to engineering, and in so doing raising the expectations of what blind people can achieve. Their accomplishments are proof of our conviction that we, the blind of this nation, can live the lives we
want; blindness does not hold us back.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Several hundred students competed for the scholarships. A committee of blind people representing a diverse cross section of the NFB membership, including several former scholarship
winners, narrowed the field to thirty finalists. Each finalist was then given roundtrip transportation, hotel accommodations, and assistance to attend the National Federation of the Blind National Convention in Las Vegas, where the committee spent several
days getting to know each student. Only after that process was complete did the committee decide which scholarship to award each finalist. Over 3,200 blind people, their families and friends, and other supporters attended the convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Special thanks go to the Jesse and Hertha Adams Charitable Trust for its support of the National Federation of the Blind scholarship program.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">For more information about the National Federation of the Blind scholarship program, please visit
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.nfb.org/scholarships">www.nfb.org/scholarships</a></span>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">About the National Federation of the Blind
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<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 class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a></span>. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<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"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This release is also available at: <span style="color:#1F497D">
<a href="https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-recognizes-thirty-outstanding-blind-students-3">https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/national-federation-blind-recognizes-thirty-outstanding-blind-students-3</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="210" height="76" style="width:2.1875in;height:.7916in" 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>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" 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="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" 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="24" height="24" style="width:.25in;height:.25in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt="Youtube"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<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.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body></html>